{"id":7800,"date":"2025-05-26T15:21:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T05:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/partnerships\/\/"},"modified":"2025-05-28T13:30:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T03:30:07","slug":"how-to-get-and-respond-to-online-reviews-for-your-small-business","status":"publish","type":"hub","link":"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/seo\/local-seo\/how-to-get-and-respond-to-online-reviews-for-your-small-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get and respond to online reviews for your small business."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Today, online reviews are the lifeblood of small and medium-sized businesses. Whether you run a caf\u00e9, a beauty salon, a plumbing service or a boutique store, your online reputation can make or break a customer&#8217;s decision to choose you. A strong presence across Google, Facebook and review platforms helps build trust, improve SEO rankings and drive new business.<\/p>\n<p>But how do you get more reviews, and how should you respond to them \u2013 both the glowing 5-star ones and the tough 1-star feedback? Here&#8217;s your complete guide.<\/p>\n<h2><b>How do I reply back to a good review?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Positive reviews are powerful \u2014 they boost your credibility and show future customers what they can expect.<\/p>\n<p>When replying to a good review:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Be prompt<\/b>: Aim to respond within a few days to show you\u2019re active and engaged<\/li>\n<li><b>Personalise your response<\/b>: Use their name and reference something specific they mentioned<\/li>\n<li><b>Say thank you genuinely<\/b>: Keep it friendly and sincere<\/li>\n<li><b>Invite them back<\/b>: Encourage a return visit or point them to something new they might love.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Example reply:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Hi Sarah, thank you so much for your kind words! We&#8217;re thrilled you loved our new brunch menu. We can&#8217;t wait to welcome you back soon \u2013 keep an eye out for our new seasonal specials!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/seo\/local-seo\/cut-and-paste-templates-to-make-reviews-easy\/\"><b>Cut and paste templates to help you reply to reviews.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to reply to a 1-star review?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Receiving a 1-star review can be tough, but it\u2019s also a chance to turn the situation around and show that you genuinely care about customer experiences.<\/p>\n<p>When replying:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Stay calm and professional<\/b>: Avoid getting defensive<\/li>\n<li><b>Acknowledge their feedback<\/b>: Validate their experience even if you disagree<\/li>\n<li><b>Apologise sincerely<\/b>: A simple &#8216;We\u2019re sorry you had this experience&#8217; goes a long way<\/li>\n<li><b>Take the conversation offline<\/b>: Invite them to contact you directly to resolve the issue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Example reply:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&#8216;Hi James, we\u2019re really sorry to hear about your experience. We appreciate your feedback and would love the opportunity to make things right. Please reach out to us at [email] or [phone number] so we can discuss this further.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><b>Tip:<\/b> Every response is a chance to show potential customers that you\u2019re committed to improvement and customer care.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/seo\/what-to-do-if-you-get-a-fake-business-review\/\"><b>What to do if you get a fake business review.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How do I get people to review my business?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>The more convenient and natural you make it, the more reviews you\u2019ll receive.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Ask at the right moment<\/b>: Right after a positive interaction is ideal<\/li>\n<li><b>Send a follow-up email or SMS<\/b>: Include a direct link to your review page<\/li>\n<li><b>Use a QR code<\/b>: Create a simple QR code that links straight to your Google review page. Place it on receipts, business cards, at the counter or even on service vehicles<a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/business\/thread\/126608581\/how-do-i-get-a-google-review-scan-code-for-customers-reviews-for-my-food-truck?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> This guide<\/a> from Google\u2019s Business Profile Support page shows you step-by-step how to generate this QR code and link it to your Google Business Profile review page.<\/li>\n<li><b>Post reminders on social media<\/b>: Encourage happy customers to share their experiences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Tip:<\/b> Customers are busy \u2014 make it as easy as possible for them to leave a review in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n<h2><b>How do you ask for a business review?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t have to be complicated \u2014 in fact, the more personal and straightforward, the better.<\/p>\n<p>Some examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>In-person<\/b>: &#8216;We\u2019d love to hear your feedback \u2014 a quick review would mean the world to us!&#8217;<\/li>\n<li><b>Email\/SMS<\/b>: &#8216;Thanks for visiting [Business name]! We&#8217;d really appreciate your feedback. Please leave us a review here: [link].&#8217;<\/li>\n<li><b>Social media<\/b>: &#8216;Have we helped you recently? Share your experience and help others discover [Business name]!&#8217;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>How to get a lot of reviews?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Consistency is key to building up a strong bank of reviews.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Deliver outstanding service<\/b>: Happy customers = more reviews<\/li>\n<li><b>Ask consistently<\/b>: Make asking for reviews part of your everyday process<\/li>\n<li><b>Automate it<\/b>: Use tools or CRM systems to automatically follow up after a service or sale<\/li>\n<li><b>Celebrate reviews<\/b>: Share positive reviews on your social channels to encourage others<\/li>\n<li><b>Stay authentic<\/b>: Focus on genuine customer feedback \u2014 avoid incentivising or buying reviews.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Over time, this approach will build a powerful and trustworthy online reputation that drives new business.<\/p>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yellow.com.au\/business-hub\/seo\/local-seo\/how-to-leverage-business-reviews-for-seo\/\"><b>How to leverage business reviews for SEO.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Managing reviews across Google, Facebook and other platforms.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>While the fundamentals of asking for and responding to reviews are similar across platforms, there are some subtle differences worth knowing:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Google reviews<\/b>: These are crucial for SEO and &#8216;near me&#8217; search results. You can create a direct link or QR code that sends customers straight to your Google Review page \u2014 making it quick and easy for them to leave feedback.<\/li>\n<li><b>Facebook reviews<\/b>: Facebook &#8216;Recommendations&#8217; allow users to rate and comment. These reviews are often shared with their wider network, offering valuable word-of-mouth exposure.<\/li>\n<li><b>Other platforms (like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Trustpilot)<\/b>: Each has its own review guidelines. Make sure you\u2019re familiar with platform-specific policies, especially around incentives and responses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Tip:<\/b> Wherever you ask for reviews, make sure the process is seamless \u2014 the fewer clicks it takes, the better!<\/p>\n<h2><b>Need help managing your reviews? Thryv makes it easy.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Managing multiple review platforms, keeping up with responses, and consistently asking customers for feedback can feel overwhelming.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s where<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thryv.com.au\/review-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> <b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Thryv&#8217;s Review Management tool<\/span><\/b><\/a> can help.<\/p>\n<p><b>Thryv Review Management<\/b> simplifies the entire process by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Collecting reviews from multiple platforms in one place,\u00a0<\/b>for easy oversight<\/li>\n<li><b>Notifying you of new reviews instantly<\/b>, so you can respond quickly and professionally<\/li>\n<li><b>Making it easy to request new reviews<\/b> from your customers through SMS, email or QR code links<\/li>\n<li><b>Helping boost your online reputation<\/b> by showcasing positive feedback across Google, Facebook and more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By using Thryv, you can take full control of your online reputation without spending hours each week manually checking multiple platforms. It\u2019s a smarter, more efficient way to build trust, attract new customers and grow your business.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udc49<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thryv.com.au\/review-management\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"> Learn more about Thryv Review Management here<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><b>Final thoughts.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Building a strong online reputation doesn\u2019t happen overnight \u2014 but with a consistent, thoughtful approach, you can create a powerful presence that sets you apart. Every review is an opportunity to strengthen your brand, build relationships and show your commitment to excellence.<\/p>\n<p>Start simple, stay consistent and remember: every happy customer is a potential advocate for your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":7801,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-7800","hub","type-hub","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","seo-local-seo"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.0.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to manage and get more online reviews - Yellow Pages<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to get more customer reviews and respond to them like a pro. 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