Behind the Reviewers: What Makes a Reviewer Tick?

EMILY: I’m Emily Washcovick, Yelp’s Small Business Expert. Every episode I pick one review on Yelp and talk to the entrepreneur and the reviewer about the story and business lessons behind their interactions. 

Today we’re taking a different approach, and instead of talking to business owners, we’re going back to the reviewers we’ve met over the last two years and digging into what motivates them to review businesses so we can get in their mindset and understand what makes them write a great review.

Many of the things that lead to great reviews seem pretty simple, but like many simple things, they can be easily overlooked. According to Yelp reviewers, a great online reputation starts offline, in real life, with excellent customer service. Your first touch points with customers are critical for eventually building a long list of positive reviews.  

Reviewer Yvette shared her experience with Uncommon Closet, a custom tailoring business in the Chicago area, and said a positive interaction with customers doesn’t have to be complicated, but it should be genuine. 

YVETTE: Customer service is a big thing with me. Cause I have my own business, so I know what’s going on and I know that it shouldn’t be difficult to slap a smile on your face – even if it’s fake – to slap a smile on your face and make that customer feel like they’ve gotten a quality experience. But it’s all genuine at Uncommon Closet.

But let’s say you’re brand new. You’re going in. And you’re going specifically for Uncommon Closet, if you’re going in there, they will address all of your needs. And the first thing, it’s really the moment you step in, you automatically can feel the warmth from the whole team.

Doesn’t matter who’s there, cuz there have been sometimes where there’s three people there. Sometimes there’s two people there. Sometimes there’s five people there, but all of them will always make you feel – you know, they’re gonna make sure I walk outta here and I look good. And there aren’t a lot of places I feel like even today, that they really are gonna give you that experience

EMILY: Good business owners know that great customer service starts at the top, and that owners and managers should set the tone for the way everyone is treated in your business. Reviewers see more than you might expect them to, and they’re watching how the whole staff works, from top to bottom, according to Kayla, who reviewed Dogue Spa in LA.  

KAYLA: I definitely think, even from the first interaction of going to Dogue, just by talking to the business owner and him getting to know, not only me, but also my dog, I think that helped me have trust. And I think that’s really important in this dog grooming relationship that we’re going through. And so for me, just each time, each interaction, it got better. They got to know us. And by the second time that he even went, they even remembered his name and my name as well.

EMILY: Terrific customer service is certainly something to strive for, but service without a real connection sometimes feels empty, according to Yelp reviewer Shelby in her review of Adornment & Theory in Chicago. 

SHELBY:  The difference between a sale and a relationship is a connection. Like really frankly, giving a crap about the people who are coming in the door and why and what they’re on a mission to look for. And it feels a lot more exploratory and almost like storytelling, as opposed to you’re another number that’s walking through the door. You’re a transaction. You’re paying the bills. You’re keeping the lights on. So when I came in and I met this person, she was the only sales clerk at the time. And to have her be so excited about a milestone that I had just hit in my own life for us to kind of do a little dance about it together. I meant it was just, I love having a story to attach to a place and now obviously it’s made me very attached to the brand. I’ve been there at least three or four other times to buy milestone jewelry and gifts for friends on different occasions.

EMILY: That connection with the customer can take many forms. In the case of Yelp reviewer Reggie, who left a great review for the floral shop Boite de Fleurs in Phoenix AZ, it wasn’t just the care they took with him. It was the way the owner interacted with his young son as they bought flowers for Mother’s Day. 

REGGIE: They gave me an experience and they gave him an experience. You don’t find that everywhere. And it was to try to make the connection. They were seeing what he identified with Coco Mellon, so they were putting things on little screens where he could watch it and I mean, it was, it was just excellent – The music, the atmosphere. I would tell anyone if you didn’t call me or contact me, this is what I would tell anyone in the street. If you want flowers, go there. Every time I look at a picture that came from there where he’s bending over and he’s smelling the flowers, I get emotional and I mean, it tears me up. And they did that. And I’ll never forget that. 

EMILY: When your business is the health and wellness of your customers, that connection can be even more crucial to the success of your bottom line, as Yelp review Atiyah said when discussing Aligned Modern Health in Illinois. 

ATIYAH: Going in and getting treatment can be a really scary thing for people. It can be a really sensitive issue for people, and they just make you feel so comfortable the minute you walk through the door. You feel okay asking questions that you might feel scared about asking or, there’s no stupid question or no wrong question. They really do make you feel that way. Like you feel so safe and comfortable. When you walk in and you just cared for everyone.

EMILY: Part of any real connection is showing concern and care for the other person, and that extends to your customers, as we’ve learned from our reviewers. 

Yelp reviewer Jes, who reviewed Ruby Jeans in Kansas City, said that care and compassion should show through even if the customer is challenging an element of your business. That’s the perfect opportunity to really listen to your consumers and make positive changes overall. 

JES: I was compelled to write to them about the styrofoam and recycling, because the environment is very near and dear to me. And I just wasn’t sure whether or not they were aware or if that was something that eventually they would be working towards. It was slightly ironic that here’s all of this, organic fruits and health for your body. And yet, what are we doing to the environment if we’re throwing away styrofoam after each and every use of it? 

And so to take all of those things into consideration, I just thought that this might be something that they hadn’t thought about. And he did respond, the next time that I visited, there were the recycling bins and my food was no longer served in styrofoam. And I was so happy to know that a business owner would take into consideration something that a customer said.

EMILY: Each and every interaction with a customer can lead to either a great review or a not so great one. Business owners can get busy, and sometimes that means there is less direct interaction with the customers. But it’s important to remember that face time with your clientele can turn the tide of a review, especially if you can’t deliver on their expectations . 

Aaron Seriff-Culick, owner and baker at Paper Route Bakery in Austin, Texas, made enough of an impact on Yelp reviewer Amber that she gave him a positive review, even though he didn’t have the particular cookie she was after that day.

AMBER:  When we got there, they were out of the milkshake cookies, and he had a chalkboard that had what was available and what was out.

You could tell, he was really disappointed for us that they were gone because we told him that we had driven from up north to  just get that cookie.  But you could just tell he was so happy to be there and so happy that people were coming all that way, because it’s not that far, but like people were going out of their way to come there. I did chat with him a little bit. I immediately went to his instagram and made sure I followed them on Instagram to keep up with what’s going on and all of his stories. He doesn’t post that many actual posts, but all of his stories are great and shows how much he cares about the importance of being unique from all the other bakeries in Austin, 

Like he really cares about what people are putting in their mouth for their desserts.

EMILY: Business owners don’t have to be interacting with every single customer in person to make an impact. There are a number of ways to show you care about your customers that will resonate with them, like newsletters or mailers with a personal touch. 

The owner of Paws on Chicon in Austin caught the attention of Yelp reviewer Nicole long before she met him in person. 

NICOLE: The owner seems super into it, which is something I was really surprised by. I didn’t meet him when I went in for the first time, but he mailed a free doggie fro-yo coupon to my house and sends like a holiday letter and staples goodies onto the bags when you leave. So it really feels like he’s super invested and cares and is a huge part of the community. And most of all cares about his store. So if he has that much pride in helping people in his store, I want to support that. Because it’s a great experience for me. And I love people who are super invested in what they do.

EMILY: One thing I have heard consistently from reviewers over the last two years is this: most of them write reviews in order to support a small business that they know and love, whether through a glowing review, or by bringing a problem experience to the attention of the business owner. They are actively helping to promote your business, and can be some of your best advocates. 

Just listen to Diandra, who reviewed Iris Tattoo in Miami. She’s also a Community Director, so she knows a thing or two about what can be helpful when you write reviews too! 

DIANDRA: Supporting businesses doesn’t have to be difficult. Like writing a review, engaging on social media, spreading word about businesses that you love. All of that is free, and you might think that it doesn’t make an impact, but your review could be the deciding factor for someone to go to that mechanic, right? Because they trust you and they saw your review and they’re like, wow, Diandra went X, Y, Z place. Let me try it.  Or your social media posts, sharing the new menu item, sharing something that you think is cool. That means more to a business owner than you might realize. All of that is free.  And then my last point, you have more of an impact in your small or large circle then you know. So when you share about businesses that you love, you’re really helping them. Even though you think you might not have that impact because you do.

EMILY: Yelp’s policies prohibit business owners from asking customers to write reviews for a number of reasons, but primarily because we want to hear the real experiences of consumers so the feedback is genuine and trustworthy. There are other ways to make sure your customers know you value their feedback, like the one Atiyah saw at Aligned Modern Health. 

ATIYAH: It is so hard to find a good physical therapist, but it’s so important. And I know that looking at reviews helped me make a decision to try Aligned Modern Health. And honestly they exceeded my expectations so much. I had to tell people, like I needed to shout from the mountain top that this place changed me and transformed me. They never asked me to write a review, but I think one thing that does encourage reviews on a sort of subtle level is, right behind the reception desk, they have a sign where they sort of blow up a review and they put I think it’s the review of the week. And it’s really cool to see other people, have their reviews up there and you’re like, wow, this place is doing for so many people what they’re doing for me. And then you also kind of want your review to be up there too. And so they never asked me to write a review, but every week I would go in there and I would see someone else’s review. They have done such incredible work for me and my body that I’m going to write a review and I’m going to be on that wall to tell other people how amazing this place is.

EMILY: Yelp reviewers are helping each other out too. Many reviewers say that in addition to helping a business thrive, they are also talking directly — though virtually — to other consumers to let them know about the experience, the product, and the customer service they experienced. 

Morlene, a Yelp Elite who reviewed Nice Day Chinese, is a reviewer who speaks to both business owners and fellow consumers when leaving a review. 

MORLENE: Writing a review sends so many signals. It’s different from writing in a private journal. It’s a public platform to write a review on a site like Yelp. And you have an audience of people who are curious about this business. Most likely they want to know, what did I like? What did I dislike? So when I’m writing a review, I keep the audience in mind.

And then part of why I write a review is also to signal to the owner and the business owner, what I appreciated about the business. If I have any constructive feedback, I want to help the business, I will often offer that. 

But when I do write a review, I try to keep those things in mind. I just want everyone to know about the new spots. And so I’m like everyone go to this place. Support them, especially in New York, where the rents are high, the margins are slim. We want to do everything that we can to help small businesses survive. 

EMILY : If there’s just one piece of advice I can give small business owners, it’s that you must respond to reviews. It’s not optional. Your response has a big impact on not only your existing customers, but your potential customers as well. In a recent survey commissioned by Yelp, 72% of respondents said they almost always read reviews online before trying out a new business. 

Beth, a Yelp reviewer who left a review for Botanica Skin & Brow, says it shows owners are on top of things, as well as making a reviewer’s voice heard. 

BETH: It makes you feel important in a way, like your words are significant and that you are helping other people find their business. And I love that she didn’t say… some business owners say stuff like, “Can I get one more star?” No. I gave her five stars and actually said that I would’ve left more because the facial was so amazing. 

EMILY: Even if reviews aren’t great, they still deserve a response. In fact, your response to a critical  review could have more of an impact on your business than a positive one. 87% of respondents to our Yelp survey said if the business responds well to a negative review, they are more willing to overlook it and give the business a shot. 

DAVID: I’m a huge advocate for engaging either way, positive or negative. But you have to respond, and within a timely manner and be consistent about it.

If there are reviews online, whether it’s from Google or Yelp or whatever, and I’m looking at them and there’s no response, it’s just a lack of interest or it’s that you cannot be too busy to respond. That takes you literally 20 seconds. And type it out. So the response is massive. And anytime that I have received one back – good or bad, I’m grateful for it because I’m like, okay, they actually read it.

They’re going to take it into consideration and they’re going to hopefully make the adjustment, right? Because that has to breed action. And there have been times where I have switched reviews to make it higher. And there have been times that I’ve made it lower after the experience, right? So the opportunity is at your hand.

EMILY: Sometimes that engagement with negative reviews can actually prompt a change in the overall rating. When business owners respond in a constructive way, thanking the reviewer for feedback or explaining how they will rectify the problem, consumers are more willing to give the business a second chance. If that experience is positive, the review can be updated and go from one to five stars. We see this all the time at Yelp — a negative review doesn’t have to stay that way, if it’s handled properly by the business owner. 

That said, a response to a positive review needs to be well thought out, too, according to Yelp reviewer Yvette. 

YVETTE: I’ve gotten replies for bad reviews too. For obvious reasons, it’s like, we don’t want a bad review. But when I write good reviews, it’s usually, you know, just a standard thank you. Korri, actually put a little bit more in showing gratitude and appreciation, versus, you know, thank you for your nice review. We hope that you refer someone to us. They took the time and they were like, you know, thank you for that review. It’s really gonna help us out. We can’t wait to see you, you know? So that was nice to get a little bit more.