08/29/2021
Tips On How to Increase 5-Star Restaurant Reviews
Outside of more traditional advertising mediums , restaurants have typically relied on the general public to spread the word about them. In many cases, support from the public can dictate whether a restaurant succeeds or not.
Guests today have more ways than ever to share their restaurant experiences, especially online. Restaurant review websites such as Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor, OpenTable, and even Facebook have largely reshaped how restaurants market themselves to consumers
Studies show that up to 90% of consumers read restaurant reviews which means that today, guests are influenced on where to dine, online by their peers. In fact, most people prefer to read individual consumer reviews versus a critic's take on a certain restaurant.
Given how important building a positive online reputation can be, how can restaurants ensure that they’re not losing customers and getting the best reviews possible online?
Here are a few ways to increase positive reviews from your guests.
1. Set Up and Control Your Restaurant Review Accounts
- Be sure to claim your Google My Business, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and OpenTable, and other Social Media Profiles. It’s often guests that will be reviewing your restaurant on these platforms, whether you created an account profile or not. This will give you the ability to actively respond to reviewers online and build your own your presence.
2. Ask Guests For Their Feedback
- One of the first steps in creating a positive interaction with your guests—after dining with you—is to ask them about their experience. If guests had a positive experience, simply ask them to share it online to any of the review sites you maintain. You can do this by adding a note at the bottom of the bill or sending them a follow up email a day or two after they have dined at your restaurant.
3. Ask Your Regulars to Post a Positive Online Review
- A handful of really positive reviews from your most loyal customers can do wonders for your business. After all, we already know up to 90% of consumers read online reviews when researching a restaurant.
4, Respond to Negative Reviews Offline
- Occasionally, restaurants will get a negative review from a dissatisfied customer. By having control over your business profiles, you can respond to the review in a professional, apologetic manner and request that the reviewer get in touch with you. This will move the conversation offline and remove any potential back and forth that can be seen by the general public.
5. Learn from Your Reviews
- Being open to what your guests are saying and what their dining experience was like can have a positive impact on your business. This gives you the ability to make critical changes and improvements in real time, increasing the likelihood of future 5 star reviews.
If you are interested in learning more about how to market your restaurant online and increase your sales and profits, contact us for a free consultation.
Grubtools offers a variety of tools including commission-free online ordering, custom branded restaurant apps, digital marketing campaigns, and other cutting edge tools designed to help restaurants grow their customer base.
For More Information, Visit Us Online: www.grubtools.com
or Give Us a Call: (855) 998-6657