In today’s digital world, word of mouth is even more important than ever. And while traditional media reviews are great, they’re not enough to support your business and build loyalty among customers going forward.
With that being said, restaurants with an online presence need to take advantage of online review platforms like Reliable Reviews, Google, and TripAdvisor. After all, those sites are where customers go to find information about new restaurants before they visit them.
In this blog post, we’ll look at why online reviews matter and also provide you with 5 tips on how you can make the most out of your online reviews.
Rise Of Online Reviews
The word “review” dates back to at least the 15th century — and it’s been consistently growing in popularity ever since. According to Google’s Ngram Viewer, which charts the occurrence of words and phrases in published books over the past centuries, the use of the word “review” has increased steadily in the English language since the late 19th century.
It saw a significant spike around the year 2000. No one can be certain why, but we can make some good guesses. First, the year 2000 is when Google Books first began scanning books and making them searchable online.
That would have been a great way for people to “review” books, giving them a new way to share their perspectives with others. In addition to that, the rise of the Internet, in general, may have played a role. Online reviews likely became more prominent during that time as access to the web increased.
Online Reviews As The Basis Where To Eat
Online reviews are, above all else, about trust. More than any other factor, people want to know if other customers trust the service and products at your restaurant. When customers are online searching for a new place to eat, they are looking for reviews from other people like themselves.
They want to know if other diners had a great or poor experience at your restaurant so they can decide if it’s a good fit for them. Since the review can be both positive and negative, restaurants need to respond to both types of reviews.
Positive reviews can help draw customers to your business, while negative reviews can help you improve. That’s why it’s important to respond to all reviews, whether they be positive or negative, and use that feedback to improve your business.
Online Reviews As A Game Changer In Today’s Market
If you’re thinking about opening a new restaurant, you have to think about your online presence from the start. That means starting to build your reputation as soon as you open. That’s because, as we’ve discussed, online reviews matter.
So, to make sure you get lots of positive reviews, you have to make sure that your customers have a great experience from the beginning. That way, they’re more likely to leave a positive review for your restaurant.
If you don’t create a positive online presence from the start, you’ll have a much harder time getting reviews later. That’s because it’s not easy to ask customers who’ve already eaten at your restaurant to go online and leave a review.
Why Do Online Reviews Matter?
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to online reviews. Why are people writing them? What does it mean when the reviews are positive, negative, or neutral? What should you do if you receive a bad review? How can you encourage customers to leave feedback?
Restaurant owners might think that reviews don’t matter much. But in reality, online reviews are one of the most important tools in convincing new customers to try a restaurant and retaining current patrons. When prospective diners search for restaurants in a certain area or city, they almost always read online reviews.
This means that a high volume of positive reviews can help your restaurant stand out in the crowd, even if you have stiff competition in your area. On the other hand, if you have a few negative reviews or no reviews at all, your restaurant may be buried in the search results, which could mean fewer customers.
5 Tips To Make Your Restaurant’s Reviews Sparkle
There are several steps you can take to ensure that your online reviews sparkle and help drive more business to your restaurant.
1. Use Photos In Your Restaurant’s Online Listings
You don’t have to rely solely on reviews to get new customers. Instead, you can take advantage of online photos to build excitement about your restaurant and persuade customers to visit. You can use images in your online listings on sites like Reliable Reviews, Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor.
These images can include photos of your restaurant’s interior, food, drinks, and more. They should be consistent across multiple platforms to help people easily find your restaurant.
You can also use images to help diners identify what they want to order. For example, you can use photos of dishes to help diners decide what to eat.
2. Have A Responsive Website
A responsive website is designed to work on all different devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and computers. This is important because it means that diners can access your website even if they’re using their phone.
Having a responsive website can help you stand out from competitors and convince diners to visit your restaurant. It also helps you avoid having a negative review because you don’t have a website that can’t be accessed on phones.
3. Don’t Forget To Ask For Reviews
Lastly, don’t forget to ask your customers to leave reviews. This can be helpful if you want to bury negative reviews or highlight positive ones. By asking for reviews, you can avoid burying negative reviews and help them stand out.
You can also ask for reviews when customers are leaving, or after they’ve left. This can make the process easier and more immediate. You can do this via email, phone call, at the end of a meal, or any other way that makes sense for your business.
Find Creative Ways To Encourage Reviews
While you want to make it easy for diners to review your restaurant, you also want to find creative ways to encourage them to do so. For example, you can offer a free appetizer or dessert to diners who leave reviews.
Make It Easy For Diners To Write Reviews
If you want to encourage diners to leave online reviews, you should make it as easy as possible for them to do so. Some restaurants have asked diners to write a review before they even leave the restaurant. Others have created apps that allow guests to order food and leave reviews with one click.
4. Monitor What People Are Saying About You
One of the best ways to get an idea of what people are saying about your restaurant is to monitor your online reviews. You can do this by regularly checking your online reviews and by signing up for online reputation monitoring services.
These services are designed to deliver alerts about your business and allow you to respond to what people are saying about your restaurant. By monitoring your online reviews and responding appropriately, you can avoid negative reviews and take action on positive reviews.
5. Don’t Just Focus On The Negative
It’s important to not just focus on the negative reviews. Instead, try to engage with positive reviews as well. This can help you build trust with customers and strengthen your brand. It can also help you learn from customers’ positive experiences and use their feedback to improve your restaurant.
Engaging with positive reviews doesn’t mean that you have to agree with everything. Instead, you can use these reviews as an opportunity to strengthen your brand and show appreciation for customers.
Online Reviews As The New Marketing Tool
Online reviews are a great way to get your name out there, but you also need to use them as a new marketing tool. When you respond to your reviews, you can use that as an opportunity to talk about your restaurant.
Your goal with the review should be to engage with your customers. You should try to use the review as a chance to provide insight on your side of the story or to highlight things you’re doing well. You can use it to promote a new deal or upcoming event.
Now that you know why online reviews matter, and how you can make the most out of them, it’s time to get started. Follow the tips we’ve outlined above, and make the most out of your online reviews.
Conclusion
When it comes to marketing your restaurant, nothing beats word of mouth. And when diners leave positive online reviews, they are giving you free word-of-mouth advertising.
That means positive online reviews are crucial to your restaurant’s success. So, make sure you put in the work to get as many positive reviews as possible from satisfied diners. That way, you can build your online presence and make sure your restaurant continues to thrive as time goes on.
It’s also important to remember that online reviews are a two-way street, meaning that you can benefit from positive reviews as much as you can be damaged by negative ones. If you focus on improving your service and product, you can make sure your.
Articles You Might Want To Read:
The Importance of Online Reviews – Why You Should Get Them as a Business Owner
The Different Types Of Online Reviews And How They Can Affect Your Business
