Online reviews have become indispensable for local restaurants, particularly as we approach 2024. With over 98% of consumers reading reviews before deciding where to dine or order from, it’s clear that these reviews have a direct impact on a restaurant’s revenue. A single star increase in ratings can lead to a 5-9% rise in sales. This statistic highlights just how significantly online reputation now influences the success of dining establishments globally.
Despite this, many restaurants still do not have a deliberate strategy in place to generate online reviews on a large scale, thereby missing out on potential benefits. That’s where this guide comes in. Here, we will explore the most effective strategies for collecting more meaningful reviews across today’s leading platforms.
Key Takeaways:
This guide provides several valuable tips for restaurant online reviews to help drive growth as we move into 2024. The key points include:
- Online reviews are critical for revenue – positive reputations build trust and visibility, leading to increased bookings and orders. A higher average rating by just one star can equate to a 5-9% boost in sales.
- Restaurants must focus on facilitating review collection before, during, and after dining experiences across the platforms where their customers are most active. Surveys and table codes should make providing feedback a regular habit for patrons.
- While offering incentives for ratings can harm credibility if mishandled, well-structured programmes that offer discounts or contest entries for all reviews tend to generate more volume. However, it’s important to avoid conditioning rewards on specific high scores.
- Quick and detailed responses to reviews, particularly when addressing complaints, reassure customers and prospects who are monitoring the restaurant’s responsiveness.
- Analysing review data for patterns offers insights that can continuously improve operations and enhance the overall guest experience. Reflecting on common themes is crucial.
Choose Review Collection Channels Wisely
One of the first tips for restaurant online reviews is selecting the right review channels and platforms to focus your collection efforts on. While niche review sites do exist, restaurants should prioritise channels that offer the most visibility.
For the majority of diners, this means optimising and monitoring profiles on Google, Yelp, Facebook, and OpenTable. Integrating review collection tools with reservation systems is highly effective, as it captures feedback immediately after dining experiences while they are still fresh in customers’ minds. Just ensure that you comply with each platform’s guidelines, particularly avoiding offering incentives specifically in exchange for 5-star ratings.
Why Should You Avoid Offering Incentives for 5-Star Ratings?
Offering discounts or incentives in exchange for 5-star reviews is often against review platform guidelines. More importantly, it can damage a restaurant’s credibility. Consumers quickly recognise when reviews appear inauthentic or overly positive. Beyond this, platforms may impose outright bans if they suspect manipulation. For long-term success, restaurants need a wealth of honest feedback that reflects genuine experiences – this is the core value that reviews provide.
Restaurants that rely more on delivery and takeaway services should also focus on channels like UberEats. The key is identifying where your customer base finds and engages with your brand online. Then, make it as easy as possible for them to leave reviews on those platforms.
Make Review Collection Part of Your Process
Another tip for restaurant online reviews is to actively facilitate the generation of reviews throughout the customer journey. Feedback should be captured immediately after the meal, while impressions are still fresh.
QR and email surveys are just two fantastic methods to achieve this. These messages can thank guests for dining while prompting them to rate various aspects of their experience. Table tents and printed codes on receipts also effectively direct diners to leave reviews.
During visits, managers can check on customer satisfaction and remind patrons that their feedback is appreciated online. Comments shared in person give staff real-time insights while also encouraging customers to expand on their thoughts through online ratings.
Streamlining review collection into your daily operations is crucial for amassing the volume of reviews needed to boost visibility. Staff incentives can further motivate diligent facilitation.
Incentivise Reviews Ethically
While offering incentives can compromise authenticity if mishandled, carefully structured reward programmes do encourage higher response rates. Restaurants can avoid directly paying for reviews by instead offering discounts, loyalty points, or contest entries in return for feedback.
Occasional raffles, gift card giveaways, and social media competitions also help increase the number of reviews without appearing as outright purchases. Just make sure that there’s no actual or perceived expectation for five-star ratings. Also, disclose these practices when requested by platforms.
The focus should be on generating a larger quantity of reviews rather than perfect scores. Higher volumes provide more data to identify and respond to recurring complaints. Keep incentives ethical and prioritise increasing the total number of reviews.
Respond Quickly and Thoroughly
Collecting a large number of reviews creates more opportunities to showcase your responsiveness and address service issues. To make the most of feedback:
- Set up monitoring alerts to detect and assign incoming reviews for immediate response.
- Craft replies that address specific concerns, rather than just offering generic apologies. Detail any corrective actions that have been implemented in response to complaints.
- Maintain a consistent presence by replying daily, thanking satisfied customers and reassuring those who were not. Speed and detail in your responses increase the perception of accountability.
Responding first allows restaurants to share their perspective transparently. This visibility into how issues are being investigated also reassures the wider audience who are monitoring the restaurant’s consistency.
Analyse Review Content for Insights
The content within reviews offers additional value for restaurants that systematically analyse it. Software can help detect frequent topics and quantify changes in sentiment over time.
Operational teams should meet regularly to review dashboards that highlight the most common suggestions for improvement. Is food quality or accuracy an issue? Are servers criticising corporate decisions? Do guests feel that prices have increased unfairly?
By drilling down into the language used in reviews, you can transform them from mere perceptions into insights that drive tangible improvements. Rather than seeing ratings as judgments, view them as opportunities to grow.
We recommend exploring Mojorater.com to help monitor your reviews across multiple channels and to more easily analyse sentiment and concerns.
Conclusion: Tips for Restaurant Online Reviews
In conclusion, online reviews have an undeniable influence on today’s restaurant landscape. However, many restaurant owners still underestimate their measurable impact on visibility, customer acquisition, and profit growth. Those who invest in facilitating feedback, ethically incentivising reviews, carefully monitoring them, responding thoughtfully, and analysing patterns will benefit from a strong online reputation that attracts more diners.
A proactive approach to managing your restaurant’s online presence is essential for sustainable success as the importance of reviews continues to rise in the coming years.
