Small Business Review Management Guide (Local Discovery Sites)
Reviato monitored 210 restaurants and hotels last quarter. Locations in the top three map results received 62% of tracked diner clicks, and venues above 4.5 stars collected 28% more profile taps. Places that added eight fresh reviews each month saw a 17% increase in direct bookings within 60 days.
Treat your reputation like a revenue line
Potential guests compare options quickly. When they see recent five-star notes about the dining room, bar program, or suites, they trust you with their plans. Use the same discipline you apply to food cost or staffing: set a weekly review target, track progress, and celebrate when the team hits the mark.
Collect more reviews without burning out the staff
- Ask when the guest is nearby: Our 2024 SMS benchmark shows requests sent within two hours convert 2.1 times better than next-day emails.
- Make the link effortless: Short links and QR codes keep the process under 45 seconds.
- Share the load: Rotate who sends invites so no single shift owns every request.
Respond like a neighbor
Responses set expectations for anyone reading later. In our 2024 Small Business Pulse panel, 58% of diners trusted a venue more when they saw a calm reply within 24 hours. Acknowledge the concern, state the fix, and invite the guest to continue the conversation privately.
Turn feedback into next week's plan
- Spot recurring themes: Reviato's theme tagging surfaces dishes, rooms, and services that drive comments the most.
- Prioritize quick wins: If five guests note long waits for cocktails, add a prep checklist or barback to Friday service.
- Share the love internally: Print positive remarks for pre-shift to keep morale high.
How Reviato keeps the workflow simple
- Unified inbox for Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and OTA feeds updated every 15 minutes
- Automated SMS, email, and WhatsApp review invites with location-specific links and opt-out tracking
- Saved reply libraries and assignments so the right manager finalizes the response
- Trend dashboards showing rating shifts by menu item, room type, or technician
What to ask when evaluating review tools
- Coverage across every platform your guests use
- Fast invite delivery with transparent opt-in history
- Draft responses that the team can personalize in seconds
- Exportable reports for weekly leadership huddles
Industry snapshots
- Restaurants: pair QR codes with table tents, then follow with SMS after payment
- Hotels: ask at checkout, add a reminder in the departure email, and flag VIP stays for personal calls
- Salons and spas: send a photo recap and link within two hours of the appointment
Quick templates
- SMS: “Thanks for visiting [Name]. Could you share a quick Google review? [short link]”
- WhatsApp: “We loved hosting you today. Two lines on Tripadvisor guide future guests: [link]”
- Email subject: “Could you rate your visit?” Body: “Your note helps us keep the service sharp. Add it here: [link]”