Setting Up Review Monitoring: A Step-by-Step Checklist
Published: May 25, 2025 | Category: Best Practices | Reading Time: 5 minutes
Starting your review monitoring journey can feel overwhelming. With multiple platforms, different notification settings, and various response strategies to consider, where do you begin? This comprehensive checklist will guide you through setting up an effective review monitoring system that actually works for your business.
Pre-Setup: Business Assessment (30 minutes)
Before diving into setup, take time to understand your current situation.
✅ Audit Your Current Online Presence
Locate all your business listings:
- [ ] Google Business Profile
- [ ] Yelp business page
- [ ] Facebook business page
- [ ] Industry-specific platforms (TripAdvisor, Healthgrades, etc.)
- [ ] Better Business Bureau
- [ ] Local directory sites
- [ ] Current average rating on each platform
- [ ] Total number of reviews per platform
- [ ] Date of most recent review
- [ ] Percentage of reviews you've responded to
- [ ] Common themes in recent negative reviews
- [ ] Target average rating (e.g., maintain 4.5+ stars)
- [ ] Review volume goals (e.g., 10 new reviews per month)
- [ ] Response time targets (e.g., respond within 24 hours)
- [ ] Specific reputation issues to address
- [ ] Who will receive review notifications?
- [ ] Who has authority to respond to reviews?
- [ ] Who needs access to review analytics?
- [ ] How often will you review performance?
- [ ] Claim or verify ownership of your listing
- [ ] Complete all profile sections (hours, contact info, services)
- [ ] Add high-quality photos (exterior, interior, products/services)
- [ ] Enable messaging if appropriate for your business
- [ ] Set up Google Posts for regular updates
- [ ] Claim your business listing
- [ ] Upload professional photos
- [ ] Complete business description and hours
- [ ] Add special features (Wi-Fi, parking, accessibility)
- [ ] Set up Yelp messaging
- [ ] Ensure page is set up as a business (not personal profile)
- [ ] Enable reviews/recommendations
- [ ] Complete all business information
- [ ] Add call-to-action buttons
- [ ] Set up automated responses for common questions
- [ ] Manual checking (create calendar reminders)
- [ ] Platform-specific notifications (limited functionality)
- [ ] Dedicated review monitoring service (recommended)
- [ ] Set up Google Alerts for brand mentions
- [ ] Immediate notifications for new reviews
- [ ] Daily digest options for multiple reviews
- [ ] Separate notifications for negative vs. positive reviews
- [ ] Mobile app notifications vs. email alerts
Document current performance:
✅ Define Your Goals
Establish clear objectives:
Identify key stakeholders:
Phase 1: Platform Setup (45 minutes)
✅ Claim and Optimize Your Business Profiles
Google Business Profile:
Yelp Business Account:
Facebook Business Page:
✅ Configure Review Monitoring
Choose your monitoring method:
Set up notification preferences:
Phase 2: Response Strategy Development (60 minutes)
✅ Create Response Templates
Positive review responses:
Template 1 (Detailed positive review):
"Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback about [specific service/product]. We're thrilled that [specific aspect they mentioned] exceeded your expectations. Reviews like yours make our day and help other customers understand what we're all about. We look forward to serving you again soon!"Template 2 (Brief positive review):
"Thank you for the wonderful review! We're so glad you had a great experience with us. We appreciate your business and look forward to seeing you again."
Negative review responses:
Template 1 (Service issue):
"Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We sincerely apologize that your experience with [specific issue] didn't meet our usual standards. We'd like the opportunity to make this right. Please contact us directly at [phone/email] so we can discuss how to resolve this matter. Your feedback helps us improve our service for all customers."Template 2 (Product issue):
"We're sorry to hear that [product] didn't meet your expectations. Quality is very important to us, and we'd like to understand what went wrong. Please reach out to us at [contact info] and reference this review so we can work together to find a solution."
Neutral/constructive feedback responses:
"Thank you for your honest feedback about [specific aspect]. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, and we'll definitely take your suggestions into consideration as we continue to improve our [service/products]. If you have any other thoughts or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly."
✅ Establish Response Guidelines
Response timing:
Response quality standards:
Topics to avoid in public responses:
Phase 3: Team Training (90 minutes)
✅ Train Your Response Team
Core response principles:
Practice scenarios:
✅ Set Up Internal Processes
Review assignment:
Quality control:
Phase 4: Monitoring and Analytics Setup (30 minutes)
✅ Establish Tracking Systems
Key metrics to track:
Reporting schedule:
Tools and dashboards:
Phase 5: Proactive Review Generation (60 minutes)
✅ Create Review Request System
Timing strategies:
Request methods:
Review request content:
Email Template:
Subject: How was your experience with [Business Name]?Hi [Customer Name],
Thank you for choosing [Business Name] for [specific service]. We hope everything exceeded your expectations!
If you were happy with your experience, we'd be grateful if you could take a moment to share it with others. Your feedback helps us improve and helps other customers discover our services.
[Direct links to review platforms]
Thanks again for your business!
[Your team]
Phase 6: Testing and Optimization (30 minutes)
✅ Test Your System
Functionality checks:
Team readiness:
✅ Launch Preparation
Final checklist before going live:
Ongoing Maintenance Checklist
Daily (5 minutes)
Weekly (30 minutes)
Monthly (60 minutes)
Quarterly (2 hours)
Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Setting Up Without Clear Goals
Don't just start monitoring without knowing what you want to achieve. Set specific, measurable goals from the beginning.❌ Focusing Only on Negative Reviews
Positive reviews need responses too! They show appreciation and encourage more customers to leave feedback.❌ Using the Same Response for Everything
Customers can tell when you're using copy-paste responses. Personalize each response to the specific review.❌ Not Training Your Team Properly
Poor responses can damage your reputation more than not responding at all. Invest time in proper training.❌ Forgetting About Legal Considerations
Never admit fault or share private customer information in public responses. When in doubt, take the conversation private.Success Metrics to Track
After 30 days of implementation, you should see:
Next Steps
Once your basic monitoring system is running smoothly:
1. Expand monitoring to additional platforms and review sites 2. Implement advanced analytics to predict trends and issues 3. Automate routine processes to save time and ensure consistency 4. Integrate with other business systems (CRM, customer service, etc.) 5. Develop proactive reputation management strategies
Remember: setting up review monitoring is just the beginning. The real value comes from consistently engaging with customers, addressing their concerns, and using their feedback to improve your business.
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