Online Reviews are Crucial to Restaurants and Can Severely Impact a Consumer’s Decision
Why Online Reviews are Crucial to Restaurants
Restaurants are one of the many things people love to gossip about with their friends and even plaster all over social media. The food could have been amazing, but if even one waiter was rude or unprofessional, everyone on social media would never hear the end of it. Families are always searching for new places to enjoy, which is why, if you own a restaurant, there needs to be someone handling reviews online. You can’t control word-of-mouth referrals, but you can do your best to have a solid online reputation.
How People React After Reading Online Reviews
When it comes to trying out a new restaurant, 94 percent of Americans are influenced by online reviews. Restaurants with positive reviews theoretically would encourage 31 percent of customers to spend more, but 22 percent said they wouldn’t give any money to a restaurant after reading one negative review. Photos also positively influence 60 percent of people. Not only should your website be up to date, but pictures especially affect a consumer’s decision toward trying something new.
A simple way to make sure diners review your restaurant online is having employees mention it when a party is given the check. Mentioning it toward the end of their meal will ensure that they know they can review their dining experience before they forget.
Managing Online Reputation and Social Media Profile
Managing an online reputation mainly consists of asking customers to review your restaurant, checking online to see reviews, and responding to all reviews as soon as possible. A growing trend with customers is using current technology to express complaints on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.
Most companies have developed profiles on these sites to watch for people mentioning them. Some people will go as far as to post pictures or videos of a restaurant as evidence of their experience while tagging the business. This gives a restaurant an opportunity to reply and show that they care and want to use feedback to grow positively. Consumers love posting their opinions and experiences for everyone to see, but it is also helpful for those seeking recommendations on where to eat.
Many factors go into judging a restaurant ranging from the type of food served, cost, service quality, and spaciousness in terms of parking or seating. Search engines give some information including pictures, menu, and price gauge when consumers do a general search. Consumers, however, almost always check the reviews to see what others had to say.
Benefits of Kydos
Kydos gives you the ability to see all your reviews from all different kinds of websites. Catapult Creative Media has designed this software specifically to help restaurants and businesses control online reviews efficiently and effectively for over 40 online review platforms. Kydos not only displays the activity on these sites, but also provides a clear and easy way to respond to negative reviews. This way, potential clients can see you interact with your reviews, giving you a higher chance of getting their business. Your business can look better and more professional by responding and showing that you care about your customers.
The best way to improve your reputation and grow your business is to acknowledge the negative feedback and work to do better. With Kydos, this becomes so much more convenient!