As a business owner, negative reviews can seem like a threat to your success. While, at first, you may feel like you should ignore or try to delete a negative review, there are ways to use it to help your business. Here are some ways to manage negative reviews so your business can thrive.

Report Fake or False Reviews

First of all, not all bad reviews are legitimate. Sometimes, competitors or angry clients can leave unfair reviews out of spite. If you believe you are dealing with a fake or false review, you can often report it in an attempt to get it removed.

However, if the review is a frustrated client voicing their irritation and honest opinion, then denial is not a good solution. Only report reviews if they are fraudulent — don't try to report reviews that are simply unfavorable opinions (even if you don't feel the review was justified).

Monitor Regularly

Stay on top of your platforms and monitor social media to catch unhappy reviews. Ignoring negative comments can make you look apathetic or as if you don't keep up with your online presence. Regular monitoring can help you provide timely responses to comments of any kind.

Respond to Reviews — Even the Bad Ones

Many businesses respond to positive reviews but aren't eager to respond to upset clients. Ideally, you should respond promptly to negative reviews with a positive and honest response.

Responding honestly to negative reviews online can actually make you look more responsible and trustworthy to other potential clients reading the reviews. Most people realize that a few negative reviews are bound to occur, and you have the opportunity to impress those readers with your professional and thoughtful response.

Offer a Solution

When possible, you want to provide an actionable solution to help change the sentiment of your unhappy reviewer. You don't have to admit fault to show empathy and attempt to rectify their negative experience. Avoid canned responses and admit if you should take a different approach in the future.

Listen to Honest Criticism

Reviews can also offer a valuable opportunity to learn about your business's weak points and gaps. Don't be too quick to ignore unhappy clients — take time to understand whether they have a point. Can you improve the client experience? If the review sheds some light on problematic practices, make sure you take time to address them.

Ask for Positive Reviews

Don't just wait for reviews to happen to you. Establish an initiative to request reviews from any clients you believe are happy — especially if you've gone above and beyond for them. By asking for reviews from clients who are most likely to provide a favorable report, you can help balance out any potential reviews from unhappy clients. Unhappy clients are often more likely to leave a review than clients who feel their expectations have been met. You can mitigate this problem by directly asking your clients to provide you with a review if they are happy with the services you've provided.