Authenticity and negative reviews on Google.
This article looks at building authenticity and negative reviews on Google.
Online reviews or electronic word-of-mouth, impact consumers attitudes and their buying decisions.
What is authenticity?
Authenticity refers to how a business builds and maintains a consistent voice and image throughout all its channels and customer interactions.
They want their purchases to reflect:
- Who they are
- Who they want to be and
- How they perceive the world.
Therefore, as a small business, you must understand what your consumers consider as fake or real about your offering.
How to render authenticity in your small business
Customers are demanding authenticity.
- By being genuine. That is, being true to what it stands for. Let the core values of your business guide your business practice. Genuinely care about your consumers.
- In addition, being original helps in establishing the authenticity of your business. Put much effort in creating uniqueness in your business.
- Being consistent. Be steadfast in delivering your product or service promise. In addition, be quick to make amends if you fail.
- Be sincere. No customer wants to be misled. Customers want businesses they can trust.
- Don’t misrepresent. Make your message plain and simple. Back your message with sincerity.
- Keep it as simple as possible. Whether its your products, services or communications.
What are the benefits of rendering authenticity for small businesses?
Benefits of rendering authenticity include developing loyal customers.
Consumers of businesses that render authenticity are unlikely to have their original perceptions about the business changed. Even in the presence of negative reviews.
This is because by rendering authenticity over time, can help your business build customer loyalty.
Therefore, loyal customers are unlikely to be easily swayed.
Rendering authenticity also benefits small businesses because:
- It is a competitive edge.
- A business builds influence and authority.
- Consumers can identify with your products or services.
- Also, consumers like to associate with reputable businesses because they are reliable and can be trusted.
Online reviews on Google business listing
Online reviews of your business on Google by customers is a valuable feedback.
Whether positive or negative, online reviews make consumers more aware of your business.
If you render authenticity, consumers are more loyal to your business even with negative reviews.
How to embrace and manage negative reviews to render authenticity in your business listing.
Although positive reviews have positive impact on sales. Negative reviews don’t necessarily have to give negative impact.
It all depends on how you embrace and manage negative reviews.
Generally, it is best if you:
- Strive to have more positive reviews than negative reviews.
- Accept both positive and negative reviews as ‘gifts’. Take them as valuable feedback and opportunity to help your reputation.
- Take time before responding to false and defamatory reviews. Doing so will help you get a clearer perspective and prepare the best response. It will also help to turn a negative review to an opportunity to communicate your business authenticity.
- Follow Google’s tips for responding to reviews. This will help you in rendering authenticity in your business listing.
Here are more ways to embrace and manage negative reviews to render authenticity.
Don’t delete negative reviews.
Don’t delete negative reviews, except in cases where a review violates Google review policies or is spammy in which case, Google removes the review.
Another reason not to delete negative reviews because it shows transparency; which counts towards establishing your authenticity.
After all, if someone sets out to defame your business with a negative review, they’re probably very prepared. They would go to any length.
Respond positively to a negative review.
One of the hallmarks of authenticity is genuineness. Make your response as genuine as possible by addressing the points raised politely.
Ask consumers to leave reviews in your Google business listing.
An army of positive reviews will render a defamatory review useless.
In addition, it will help readers get a balanced view and make sense of any other negative review you get.
It isn’t wrong to ask consumers to leave a review.
Create winning post on your Google listing.
In addition to responding to reviews as best as you can. Create winning posts on your Google My Business listing to draw customers attention to your business.