One of the most frustrating types of links to pursue is review links. Reviews are becoming more and more important for search engine optimisation, particularly for any site with a local presence. When you pursue reviews as part of link building in the UK, however, you will inevitably have to deal with negative reviews. This can cause more than a couple of quandaries.
The main issue with negative reviews as part of link building has been whether to respond, or to leave the review alone. The consensus has been to leave negative reviews alone. This is because the attention your response will attract in SEO terms will help that page’s rankings, essentially keeping the negative press in the spotlight. However, this ignores the positive influence your response will have. What if your response turns a negative into a positive?
A new study has revealed that responding to negative reviews can even have an SEO benefit. Harris Interactive has found that of negative reviewers that received a response over the last Christmas period, 33% went on to post a positive review of the company concerned. In SEO terms, this means a negative link eventually generated another, much more positive link, a win in anyone’s books. You can discuss SEO link building with us at SEO Consult.
Marketing studies indicate that not responding to negative reviews can be detrimental over the long term. When a negative review is allowed to stand unchallenged, it can be turning customers away. Putting aside the business benefits of addressing unhappy customers, there are SEO risks involved in leaving negative reviews to stand. Although your response may help the SEO of the review page, the lack of one doesn’t guarantee that the page will be buried.
So, next time you receive a bad review, think about responding. A considered reply may well turn this negative link into a positive one.