Three Best Practices in Managing Online Reviews

Social and review management has become an incredibly important part of the marketing mix in the restaurant industry, thanks to the growing proportion of online searches for dining experiences, as well as the increase in patrons making online reservations. The reality is that no matter how strong the brand experience strategy, unless this area is carefully managed, it can be rendered ineffective by a poor online reputation.

Against this backdrop, there are three major areas of transformation emerging in the industry that reflect the growing impact of online reviews, including: 

Word of mouth traditionally impacts the performance of restaurants. It is now playing out online in the form of reviews and dining experiences shared on social media. At the pub and restaurant facility level, Google My Business pages are increasingly becoming their shop window. This is especially important to restaurants where online reservations have also grown dramatically. Expectations of dining guests are…