Negative reviews and comments are the nemeses of every business owner. However, the most important reason to reply to online comments – whether they are good, bad, or ugly – is not to satisfy the author but to influence the other people who are reading the comments. The majority of readers refrain from commenting but they are paying attention to what has been said and how a company responds to customer complaints.

Here are a few rules of thumb when responding to online reviews:

1. Be short, sweet, and professional: Remember that the best defense is a good offense! Rather than defend your character by blaming the reviewer or making excuses, take a professional approach. Apologize for their unfortunate experience and offer an opportunity to make it up to them. Social media is no place to air dirty laundry keep the conversation to a minimum.
2. Make the most of the input: Companies pay big money for consumer research. Pay attention to the information that you collect from customers. It may be difficult to hear the negative comments but it is important to learn from them.
3. Be aware of your audience: Remember that there are many people who are reading your responses. This is an opportunity for you to showcase diplomacy, customer service, and subsequently build trust with your customer base.
4. Pay a Professional: Consider hiring a social media manager or assign a capable person to monitor social media sites and make timely replies that reflect a consistent voice and message.

Consumer reviews play an enormous role in the consumer decision-making process. However, some online review sites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, or Angie’s List have been under attack by critics who theorize that at least 16 percent of the reviews on these sites are fake. This is mostly due to businesses who are trying to offset negative reviews by posting fake positives. It is important for businesses to monitor their online reviews as it impacts their reputation however, their social media presence also affects the bottom line.

What is the value of a social share on Facebook? I’m not referring to a simple like or a thumbs up which is a bit ho-hum at this point. I’m referring to getting someone to put a little skin in the game and actually share a post or information on their personal page which is a different story and carries a much greater value. It is a referral and referrals are the most powerful form of marketing that you can use and it’s also the least expensive. When Facebook friends see that someone is willing to put their reputation on the line for a particular brand or product they take notice and wonder if they may be missing out on something. There is no recipe on how to woo a Facebook community as each one is different, but engaging them and beckoning them to talk about you should be the main objective as each share will be worth its weight in gold.