Online reviews give customers immense power. This power should be used responsibly. In the past, negative reviews of a business barely made it out of our immediate circle of influence. Today our reviews influence buying decisions of people we will never meet at a magnitude we could have never envisioned. Given the power customers now yield there are a few rules for effectively utilizing online reviews, especially when providing a negative one. 

The overarching rule of thumb in writing a negative online review is “Be Fair.”  Companies employ people, friends and family. Your negative review can cause irreparable damage to a company putting the livelihood of its employees at risk. Regardless of your experience, extend companies the courtesy of an opportunity to make things right. 

1. Be Fair  Give the company an opportunity to make things right. A negative online review should never be the first step taken when resolving disputes with a company. Most reasonable companies welcome customer feedback and understand the importance of resolving conflict. Try contacting the company directly.  
2. A Question of Taste  When reviewing restaurants it is important to remember that tastes vary widely. Leave actual culinary reviews to the professionals who have the vocabulary to make them work. It is appropriate to review the decor, experience, ambience, staff or service.  
3. Gold Stars Matter  Gold stars are a beacon for customers who lack time to read entire reviews. Place as much consideration in the number of gold stars you allocate to your review as the words you write. At a minimum the number of stars should be congruent with the message you are trying to convey. When awarding a single gold star, make sure that your written review has the credibility that backs up your one-star ranking.   
4. Be Objective  Being objective increases your credibility. Words and phrases like all, everything, every time, everyone, worst, etc., erode your objectivity and make your review less reliable. Be factual and informative, not angry and confrontational. Your goal should be to inform the next customer so they can make their own decision, not yours.
5. Revisit Your Review  If a company addresses the concern in any manner go back to the service where you posted your initial reviews and write another review. Let others know what the company did to fix things. Regardless of the result, providing additional information always helps. If the company corrected the problem, consider posting a positive review in addition to commenting on your initial review.

Reasonable companies welcome feedback of all types. Even negative feedback, carefully articulated, provides an opportunity for a company to gain a loyal customer and improve their business. In an online environment where snap judgements are made, online reviews provide an important window into a company.

• Dave Jabas - Local Search Engine Marketing Expert
• Gold Star Feedback - The Easiest Way to Get Positive Review of Your Business on Google