Quality food, service, and pricing are just some of the key ingredients that make a dining experience memorable and worth talking about. With 92% of people regularly or occasionally reading online reviews and 88% trusting them as much as personal recommendations, if your customers aren't talking about your restaurant both online and offline, then you could have a problem. Accumulating positive online reviews is one of the most effective ways of utilizing your existing, loyal customers to entice new clientele through your restaurant doors.
TripAdvisor has over 4 million restaurants listed and is a cost-effective way of raising your business's profile. The review site is not only a reliable, trusted source for people worldwide to inquire about your restaurant, but it also allows you to manage and respond to customer feedback. In addition, the site has launched a new advertising product aimed at restaurateurs, allowing you to use sponsored placements to drive traffic to your venues' TripAdvisor listings. So, with reviews now so highly regarded, it may be worth reading our tips to help your business acquire more TripAdvisor reviews.
1 - If you don't ask, you don't get
It may sound pretty obvious, but when a customer places their order at your counter or is paying the check at their table, your employees should take the time to ask them about their experience. 7 out of 10 consumers said that they would leave a review for a business if asked to, so simply letting diners know that you'd value their feedback on your TripAdvisor page can be the simple push that people need to contribute more TripAdvisor reviews. Building up a rapport with your customers can also leave a positive, long-lasting impression and could encourage them to praise the service of particular staff members.
2 - The little things
You can use the finest of tools and the utmost charm to persuade people to leave your restaurant more TripAdvisor reviews, but if you don't give guests a pleasurable experience from start to finish, then it may be a lost cause. Guests love feeling valued, and what's better than getting a freebie or gaining access to information without even having to ask? Providing diners with complimentary water and snacks on the table will immediately paint you in a good light, and post-visit, you could send them an email, SMS, or a push notification thanking them for their business and offering them 10% off their next visit. The smallest of treats can make a huge difference and could be the deciding factor between securing more TripAdvisor reviews and having a better TripAdvisor ranking than your competitors.
3 - Promote your presence
TripAdvisor may be the most well-known review site in the world, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't shout out about your presence on the site, especially if you've bagged some badges and awards. Publicize your TripAdvisor page at every touchpoint, whether it is on your menus, receipts, and flyers, or on your social media channels, WiFi login page, and website - reminding visitors that reviews are important to you can make others feel obligated to share their own opinions. Also, if your restaurant features in a list such as the 'Top 10 Restaurants in New York,' then be sure to make some noise about it. It's no small feat, and 'Top' lists receive high search traffic from inquisitive prospects.
4 - Reminders and prompts
I'm sure this scenario sounds familiar. A new customer dined at your restaurant last week, appeared to enjoy every second, said they'd return again and leave a review, but a week has passed and they've failed to recommend your venue and food to others online. In many cases, this wasn't intentional; they probably wanted to write a TripAdvisor review, but it just wasn't a top priority. A simple prompt could be all you need to resolve this common issue. Sending an automated email, SMS, or push alert to people asking for a review within a specified timeframe after their visit could be all that's needed to get more TripAdvisor reviews. It's also been found that customers are more likely to recall their experiences in greater, more accurate detail within 3 to 7 days of purchase .
5 - Respond to reviews
Show customers that you appreciate them taking the time to leave reviews, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. In fact, if a review is negative, that is even more of a reason to respond, as it shows that you proactively resolve issues and don't want to tarnish your restaurant's reputation. Responding to reviews may not have a direct effect on your TripAdvisor ranking, but it can mean more bookings and potentially more TripAdvisor reviews in the long run as you implement changes in reaction to criticism.
6 - Follow the example
Regardless of the industry in which you operate, monitoring what your competitors are doing is vital to ensuring you don't get left behind. What are the businesses with the highest TripAdvisor ratings doing? What do people praise your competitors for in their TripAdvisor reviews? Follow them closely so that you can start to imitate their best qualities or come up with ways to become better than them. Before you know it, your restaurant could be racing to the top of the rankings and acquiring more TripAdvisor reviews than you ever anticipated.
All in all, gaining popularity is important. Acquiring a healthy influx of high-quality reviews will increase visibility and engagement, which in turn will lead to increased bookings and revenue. However, it is vital that you acquire the demographic details of the people who actually visit your venues so that you can deliver offers and promotions to them, encourage them to return, and prompt them to leave valuable TripAdvisor reviews for your restaurant. Without this information, you risk never seeing or hearing from them again. By gaining access to existing customer data, you can drive repeat business and harness their reviews to attract new customers. A win-win for any restaurateur.
