Michael Epps Utley {kind=image/jpg}
If you own a contracting business right now, you’re in an enviable position. The trades are part of very few industries AI can’t appropriate (though AI does play a part in virtually every industry). You’re also in a business that forms the backbone of communities. Every household will require roofing, carpentry, painting, electrical, HVAC, and/or plumbing services at some point, and often more than once.
In today’s market, you have a golden opportunity to put your business front and center within your targeted geographic region—not merely by investing in SEO, pursuing social proof, or implementing the latest retention strategies, but through a strategy that covers all these benefits at once: reputation management. One of the biggest parts of this is how you respond to online reviews.
In today’s market, 94% of consumers read online reviews before contacting a company. Furthermore, 40% of people make up their mind about a company after reading just one review. And if that one review happens to be a raving 4-star rundown of excellent skills and services, 94% of people say they would hire that company.
The value of reviews cannot be overstated. According to research from Birdeye, just one new online review can generate 600+ searches, about 80 website visits, 63 direction requests, and 16 phone calls for a business.
So, how do you turn these stats into a thriving business? You can make great strides simply by responding promptly and appropriately to every review and making the most of every opportunity. Let’s break that down.
Why Is Responding to Online Reviews Important for Businesses in the Trades?
For trades businesses, responding to online reviews is now an essential marketing tool. Potential customers are doing their due diligence through online research well before they pick up the phone. They’re checking out reviews and gaining a sense of your business.
By responding to your reviews (the good and the bad) within 24 to 72 hours, you’re signaling professionalism and integrity. The key here is that you respond to every single review. There can’t be any cherry picking.
It can be tempting to read a good review and feel pleased but unmotivated to respond. By doing that, you’re missing out on the chance to showcase your services, your location, your professionalism, and your integrity. And if you receive a negative review, it’s tempting to ignore it because responding feels uncomfortable. But responding to a negative review with a fast, professional reply demonstrates accountability and transparency. It also gives you the chance to clarify the situation.
Either way, consistent and prompt acknowledgements and replies will always work in your favor. According to a BrightLocal consumer review survey, 89% of consumers are more likely to choose a business that responds to all reviews, whether positive or negative. This is supported by the ACM Digital Library, which says conversion rates can improve by 270% for companies with reviews compared to those without.
The BrightLocal survey also reveals that close to 80% of consumers say they would leave a review if asked, which explains why proactive review requests often lead to rapid increases in review volume.
How to Respond to Positive Reviews
Replying to positive feedback is an important part of a strong customer review response strategy. It reinforces the relationship you’ve already built and gives you the opportunity to show audiences that customer service is an important part of your business.
You do this by personalizing your replies. Instead of leaving a generic “thank you” to a positive review, address the customer by name and reference key points of the project. For example, if a homeowner named Dave praises your carpentry business’s roofing repair, respond by saying, “Hi Dave, thank you for taking the time to post this wonderful review. We’re glad our team could resolve that leak so quickly, and we’re pleased to know you’re happy with the outcome. Please reach out again if you need our carpentry services in the future.” Then sign off with your name.
Keep your response concise but genuine, reinforce your expertise and professionalism, include a call to action, and elevate your brand by signing your name. Then share the review on your social media and your website's testimonials page.
A Guide to Responding to Negative Reviews
No company enjoys receiving criticism, but learning how to respond to negative reviews is one of the most valuable skills a business owner can develop. The instinct to ignore a bad review is understandable, but silence in these cases can make the problem worse. By responding, you can provide context.
The key is to remain calm and professional. Never respond emotionally or defensively. Instead, acknowledge the customer’s concerns, apologize if the experience fell short of expectations, and offer a path toward resolution.
If the complaint seems exaggerated, unfair, or vague, a polite response signals integrity and professionalism. Then move the conversation offline. Providing a direct phone number or email address allows the issue to be addressed privately while preventing an extended public dispute, which prospective customers reading the exchange will appreciate.
If the review you received was fake or part of a trolling scheme, report the incident to the platform while maintaining professionalism in your response. Handling these situations carefully protects your brand and shows that your business operates with integrity.
How Reviews Management Can Influence SEO and GEO
Responding to reviews helps showcase your skills and professionalism, sure, but online reputation management for local businesses can also strengthen your visibility, both in traditional search engine rankings and across AI Overviews and LLMs like ChatGPT.
Google regularly crawls major review platforms such as Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Trustpilot to identify new, relevant user-generated content (UGC). Search engines prioritize fresh content and customer reviews that signal a business is active, popular, and relevant.
Reviews are also considered high-quality UGC because they are authentic and often include detailed, natural language. These naturally occurring “keywords” allow your business to rank for “long-tail” search queries that can drive highly targeted traffic. A high volume of positive, recent reviews can also help your business appear in the holy grail of search engine rankings: the Local Pack. This is the map listing at the top of the results page, and everyone wants to be part of that club.
Let’s get back to Dave and put this approach in action.
When responding to Dave’s review of your roofing service, you can incorporate a few SEO tactics. Here’s how that looks: “Hi Dave! Thank you for your wonderful review. We’re committed to providing the highest-quality roofing and carpentry services in Nashville, and we’re thrilled you had such a positive experience with our team. Don’t forget we offer 24/7 emergency services if you or someone you know needs our help in the future.”
Here you’ve posted your services, location, and 24/7 availability for emergency situations.
What matters most, though, is authenticity. Keyword stuffing or robotic replies can undermine trust and wipe you off search engine results pages. Your responses should always sound natural, professional, and sincere while referencing your services and providing your contact information when appropriate.
Reviews and Retention: What’s the Relationship?
Who knew that simply responding to reviews could also yield collateral cost savings?
When you reply to customer reviews, the customer will likely be notified. This is your opportunity to boost customer retention. Happy clients who see you’ve acknowledged their comments and responded with appreciation will likely turn to you again in the future and recommend you to friends and family. A customer who left a negative review will also feel acknowledged and see that you’ve offered a resolution.
Your reviews management is about more than driving new business; it’s also about retaining current customers. After all, the cost of acquiring a new customer is 25 times that of retaining a loyal, happy customer base. When customers are acknowledged online and publicly appreciated, they are more inclined to continue working with you.
Reviews Create Social Proof
Customer feedback provides one of the most persuasive forms of marketing available today: social proof. It’s well known that consumers are far more likely to trust recommendations from other customers than they are traditional advertising.
Customers leaving positive reviews, particularly on Google or Facebook, act as your business’s ambassadors, reassuring potential customers of your quality of work and outstanding services. This helps drive conversions. When genuine customer reviews address aspects of your services such as punctuality, cleanliness, price transparency, and, of course, quality of work, it boosts your credibility, helps potential clients overcome any apprehensions, and leads to a phone call or a completed online form.
Professional Reviews and Reputation Management Services
Managing online reviews promptly and appropriately can be time-consuming, especially for busy trade businesses focused on completing projects and preparing for new ones.
At GoEpps, we provide online reviews and reputation management services that strengthen visibility, credibility, and customer trust. We have the tools and experiences needed to motivate satisfied customers to leave reviews and provide strategies for neutralizing negative content and having false or defamatory content removed.
