For business owners, real-time engagement with customers on social media isn\u2019t merely appropriate; it is also necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Twitter, for example, they are expected by 70 percent of users to respond to comments and feedback \u2014 with 53 percent wanting the response to happen in less than an hour. Meanwhile, on Facebook, businesses\u2019 response rates and times<\/a> are now being made public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Urged to listen more closely and respond more quickly to tweets, mentions, hearts, likes, and comments, brands and marketers have begun to implement faster response times as part of their social media strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online reviews should be part of the equation, too. At a time when more and more consumers turn to review websites like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Citysearch, Angie\u2019s List, Better Business Bureau, and even Google Search and Maps in order to guide their purchase decisions, businesses must also be able to handle incoming messages and feedback from customers using these sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The window for responding to reviews isn\u2019t quite as small as the window for responding to social media comments. But you still have to act fast. Managing customer feedback on online review sites is no less critical than tuning into comments posted on, say, Instagram or Twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to review management and customer feedback software<\/a> company ReviewTrackers, 52 percent of customers expect to hear back<\/a> from businesses within 7 days of giving an online review \u2014 particularly one that\u2019s negative or critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 25 percent are more demanding, expecting a response to their review within 3 days, while 2 in 10 want to hear back from a business within 24 hours or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s another reason to respond to online reviews<\/a> on top of managing social media comments: reviews are likely to stay relevant for a longer period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shelf life of reviews:<\/b><\/strong> According to research by Search Engine Land<\/a>, 69 percent of consumers believe that reviews older than 3 months are no longer relevant. About 15 percent, meanwhile, believe that the only relevant reviews are the ones written within 2 weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shelf life of tweets: <\/b><\/strong>According to research by Moz<\/a>, 18 minutes is the median lifespan of a tweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shelf life of posts on Facebook: <\/b><\/strong>A study by Wiselytics revealed that 75 percent of engagement on a Facebook post occurs within the first 5 hours. Reach is even more short-lived: 75 percent of the people who will get to see your Facebook post will have seen it in the first 2 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s clear that you simply cannot ignore reviews, especially if you are looking to build and protect your brand reputation. To your audience, what a customer said on Yelp or TripAdvisor two weeks ago is likely to carry more weight than what another customer said on Twitter or Instagram two days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many businesses are already using social media as one of their main customer service channels, responding to questions on Twitter, replying to comments on Facebook, and addressing inquiries posted on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But your audience is also paying close attention to how you handle complaints, issues, shared experiences, and expectations voiced by customers on online review sites like Yelp, Citysearch, Google, and TripAdvisor. They want to know how much you care about feedback left by people who have already been to your business. Using tools like a local citation finder can assist in identifying and managing your listings across various platforms, ensuring consistent and accurate information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why you should make it part of your strategy to respond to reviews. Staying highly engaged with customers on both review platforms and social media channels helps your business deliver better service and achieve greater success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you looking for ways to improve your search ranking? Guess what: responding to online reviews can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to search engines and industry experts, reviews \u2014 and your responses \u2014 are one of the key factors determining where and how your business ranks in search engine results pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even Google has explicitly stated<\/a> that responding to reviews helps improve your business\u2019 visibility on search, and that it \u201cincreases the likelihood that a potential customer will visit your location.\u201d Meanwhile, Moz\u2019s Local Search Ranking Factors report<\/a> lists reviews as one of the top overall ranking factors in local search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking the time to listen to, acknowledge, and respond to online reviews and customer feedback also has a direct effect on your business\u2019 financial outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to a recent study by Cornell University, review responses can lead to improved sales and revenue. Entitled \u201cHotel Performance Impact of Socially Engaging with Consumers\u201d and authored by Chris Anderson and Saram Han of the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, the study analyzed review data on TripAdvisor and found that revenue levels, as generated by online travel agents (OTAs), increase as the number of review responses increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Should Your Business Respond to Online Reviews?<\/b><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reason #1: 52 percent of customers expect review responses from businesses \u2014 within 7 days. <\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason #2: Reviews have a longer shelf life \u2014 and therefore stay relevant for a longer period of time \u2014 than social media posts.<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason #3: Responding to reviews helps support your customer service strategy.<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Reason #4: Search engines consider reviews \u2014 and your responses to reviews \u2014 as key factors for determining your search ranking.<\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason<\/b><\/strong> #5: Responding to reviews has a direct impact on your bottom line. <\/b><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n