Restaurant Reputation Management: Tips for Success
What is Restaurant Reputation Management?
In the hospitality industry, reputation management means actively keeping tabs on what folks are saying about you and shaping the perception of your business among customers online. In simpler terms, it's all about staying on top of guest feedback, keeping an eye on ratings and reviews, and making sure your online presence is strong.
Whether it's online reviews, social media shoutouts, or any other platform chatter, it all feeds into how your reputation management shapes up. So, keeping a pulse on what people are saying and being proactive is the key to successfully maintaining your reputation.
Why Does Reputation Management Matter?
Now, you might be wondering, why should I care about what people are saying online? Well, your reputation is the bread and butter of your business. It's the deciding factor for customers choosing between your restaurant and the one down the street.
Consider this: studies found a direct correlation between a restaurant's online reputation and its revenue. Increasing your rating by just one star can lead to a 5-9% growth in revenue. In other words, a glowing reputation can be the key ingredient for success.
Beyond the bottom line, your restaurant's reputation influences customer loyalty and trust. Just as a delicious meal leaves guests craving more, a positive dining experience can lead to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. In fact, 79% of guests trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation!
On the flip side, a bad reputation can leave a bitter aftertaste, driving potential customers straight into the arms of your competitors.
3 Tips for Effective Reputation Management
Your restaurant’s online presence is now a virtual storefront to potential customers. Here are our tips to successfully managing your reputation:
Tip #1: Establish a Strong Online Presence
Embrace social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok to engage with customers and show off your restaurant. Create content that connects with your audience and cultivates an online community of loyal customers. These fans will be the ones to introduce your brand to friends, post photos and videos, and even defend you in the comments.
In addition to social media, the next tip for establishing a strong online presence comes down to the details –specifically, your online listings. Messing up these details can really hurt your reputation and make customers doubt you, especially if your hours or menu items are way off. For more information on how to optimize your listings, check out this blog post: Boost Your Restaurant's Visibility: Expert Tips on Hours and Location Accuracy.
Tip #2: Respond to Reviews
A big part of crafting a successful online reputation management strategy is reviews. Studies show that restaurants who respond to their reviews see an average star rating increase of 30%. And I don’t know if you remember, but an increased star rating can lead to more revenue.
When you are responding to reviews, craft thoughtful, empathetic responses to both positive and negative feedback.
Remember, reviews are visible to everyone. So you want to be strategic in your responses. Here are Marqii’s guidelines for the perfect review response:
This is just the basics. For a deeper dive into successful review responses, visit our blog Anatomy of a Review Response: A Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Guest Reviews & Feedback.
You won’t regret it.
Responding to reviews is only half of it. Don’t forget that your review responses should be timely. There is nothing more frustrating than leaving a review after a negative experience and waiting days to hear back.
Don’t be THAT restaurant.
Timely responses show that you care what your customers have to say. So, check your reviews frequently.
Mini Tip: Use Templates to Respond Quickly and Easily
We get it. There are a million other things that come with running a restaurant. Reviews might not be at the top of your list. Templates make it easier.
Create a template for how you want to respond to different star ratings and implement an action plan for the 1-2 star reviews. This will save you time and allow you to respond quickly and easily.
Just don’t copy and paste every response. Add a personal touch and tweak each response based on the review.
We created 7 templates to help get you started. Customize them for you!
Tip #3: Monitor and Analyze Feedback
This last tip touches on both online and offline reputation management. Keep a close eye on reviews and comments across various platforms, analyzing them for valuable insights.
Making changes based on reviews is so important to improving and maintaining your reputation.
Are customers constantly raving about your new banana bread sundae? Use that feedback to double down on marketing promotions. Find what sets you apart and run with it.
Are you seeing multiple comments about slow service? Take action to address the issue and watch your star-ratings improve.
Is one location thriving while another is struggling? Comb through reviews for common keywords to find out what your star locations are doing well.
Other Ways to Improve Your Restaurant Reputation Management
Ensure the Best Customer Service Possible
This might be an obvious recommendation. But it has to be said.
Your online reputation heavily relies on what happens inside the four walls of your restaurant. Make it a good experience. Consistently deliver good food and even better customer service, and cultivating a positive reputation will be a breeze.
Display Accurate Information
Customers want to know that you are reliable. Personally, there is nothing more embarrassing than wanting to show off your new favorite restaurant to your friends, only to show up and have it closed.
Accuracy is key when it comes to online listings. Make sure that your restaurant's information is up-to-date and consistent across all platforms. From hours of operation to contact information, make it easy for customers to find and connect with you.
Integrate Reputation Management Tools
Managing your restaurant’s reputation across different platforms can be a daunting task. That’s where Marqii comes in. Our dashboard aims to make the reputation management process easier, allowing you to monitor, analyze, and respond to feedback with ease.
How Marqii Can Boost Your Reputation Management
From reviews to listings and everything in between, we've got you covered. With our intuitive dashboard and personalized support team, you'll have everything you need to take your reputation management to the next level.
With Marqii, you can monitor and respond to reviews from multiple review sites in one easy dashboard. Don’t have time to do it all? Let us do the heavy lifting with Managed Review Responses.
Yup. We respond to reviews for you.
Here are other ways Marqii can help you boost your reputation:
We don’t want to brag, but our tools are true time savers. Want to learn more? Schedule a demo today.