3 Huge Reasons Why Negative Reviews Help SEO & Online Reputation Management
Negative reviews can be good, especially if they’re online. Learn how negative thoughts can boost your brand.
You receive the notification of a review in your email.
Next, hold your breath and say a brief prayer before opening the email.
Be prepared for a negative review.
This is something that business owners like you often feel. You know that a picture speaks a thousand words. A review can also say a thousand words (even with a limit of characters).
We know that consumers heavily rely on reviews to make business decisions.
Your primary instinct may be to try your best and avoid negativity like the plague.
Sometimes, however, evil can be good.
Should I Remove Negative Reviews?
No, you can’t delete negative reviews,
Although it may seem counterintuitive, negative reviews can positively impact your brand, sales, and search engine result pages (SERP) visibility.
Let us explain.
Can Bad Reviews Be Good?
Yes! Negative reviews can still be positive, especially regarding online checks.
Is There Any Negativity in Online Reviews?
It is a normal mistake to have too many positive reviews.
A ReviewInc study found that 4.7 ratings are more trusted than 5-star ratings.
Customers know that some businesses cheat, falsify, or offer payment and exchanges for positive reviews.
Customers quickly recognize when something seems too good to be accurate and often choose to move their business elsewhere.
The FTC also has a lot of words to say about bribing customers to write good reviews or to play the system.
A good rating with negative reviews is a strong indicator of authenticity regardless of platform.
We can predict what you will think next.
How Many People Leave Negative Reviews?
Good news: Bad reviews aren’t as common as you might think.
ReviewInc was surveyed in 2022 and found that 65% of people don’t leave negative reviews if they had a bad experience.
This is fantastic news!
It’s also interesting that there wasn’t a measurable gender difference. All genders reported the same rate of not writing negative reviews.
This means that a positive review is more likely than a negative one.
ReviewInc’s overall measurement shows that 92% of reviews are positive. 96% of positive reviews have 5-star ratings.
Below 5% of 1-star reviews.
What are the reasons negative reviews are good news for your business?
Let’s look at how negative reviews can boost your brand.
Negative Reviews and SEO Help
Your star ratings will rise if you keep your negative reviews in check and manage those reviews using online review management tools.
- Your overall SEO and search visibility will be improved.
- Increase customer loyalty and trust.
- Provide insight into ways you can grow your business in the future.
1. Negative reviews are a good sign of authentic SEO
Google search engine optimization rankings are influenced by reviews and ratings from Facebook, Google, and Yelp.
Google explains how reviews impact SEO rankings. Positive reviews from customers are a great way to improve your business visibility and increase a customer’s chance to visit your store.
Encouraging all reviews to be submitted and responded is a great practice that will improve your SEO in your area and your online reputation.
Negative reviews tend to balance out the positive ones. Too many fake reviews or biased reviews could lead to all reviews being removed from a major review site, which can significantly impact SEO.
Do not be afraid of a negative review. There is good news.
2. Negative reviews build brand trust and loyalty
“The average Yelp review score is 3.65. This is the lowest of all these platforms. Average reviews on other major platforms are 4.42, 4.3, and 4.25 on TripAdvisor. (Neil Patel).
Despite these numbers being scary on Yelp, they are trust-building mechanisms that allow customers to know what they are buying before purchasing.
Bad reviews can be a sign of authenticity and lead to increased sales.
It is essential to respond sympathetically.
- Make it easy for future customers to understand the context of a negative review.
- Show your prospective customers that listening and working with them is possible.
- Show reviewers that you care.
This technique allows a wrong reviewer to update their review and give it a higher star rating.
Google’s guidelines state that “When you respond to reviews, you post publicly with your business. Google may not immediately display your replies. Reviewers will receive a notification when your response to their review is posted. They can then update their study after they have had a chance to read them.
What can I do to respond to negative reviews?
Although bad reviews can feel like bad news, a well-crafted response can mitigate the adverse effects.
Other customers can also see your response to a negative review.
The negative review will not be as important as how you handle it. Here are few suggestions for responding to a negative review.
Review responses show that businesses care about their reputation and service.
A company’s response is enough to increase its confidence.
3. Negative reviews can help improve business operations and profits
What about a 1-star review?
Negative reviews can be a real benefit, which is precisely what they should be.
Negative reviews are a sign that an organization needs to improve.
This is particularly important in today’s highly competitive world.
Sometimes, criticism can help us become better people and companies.
A customer who has had a bad experience with their service and leaves a review will bring your attention to an issue you might not have seen.
- Is there a defective product?
- Do you need to guide a member of your team?
Bad reviews do not have to be negative. They can serve as an opportunity to improve customer service.
How to Manage All Your Reviews
Online reviews and star ratings are so critical that it is essential to establish a reputation management strategy.
It is essential to keep traces your reviews and campaign for more reviews.
Your response could influence a negative review into a positive.
This strategy will improve both the business’s reputation and its SEO.
With reputation software, businesses can create a team that oversees their online reputation and all reviews.
Good services will have tools to help you manage and compose your responses.
The software allows you to quickly respond to customers and employees so that you don’t have to deal with negative reviews.