Objection! How to fight a negative online review outside the courtroom

Objection! How to Fight a Negative Online Review Outside the Courtroom

Not many lawyers can claim a 100% win record in the courtroom. The same applies to the court of online opinion where a downbeat review by an unhappy client will snap the streak of five-star ratings posted by satisfied clients. So, how to fight a negative online review that can harm your online reputation?

Lawsuit? Think twice.

Your first instinct may be to sue the reviewer, the site, or both. But before you fork over that filing fee, you may want to reconsider. Suing the review site probably won’t work because Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act gives immunity to — among other things — online review sites for their users’ content. It’s been on the books since 1996, and despite creative arguments to the contrary, courts have consistently held that sites like Yelp and Citysearch are immune under CDA 230.

Suing the reviewer for defamation may not be worth your while either, since, as you know well, the vast majority of lawsuits settle out of court and result in little or no monetary damages. The suit could also draw unwanted publicity, in which case you run the risk of being portrayed as a bully who wants to silence public discourse.

Reach out to your dissatisfied client.

You’d be better off spending your time and energy on the things you can do to restore and improve your online reputation, like how to fight a negative online review. Put your problem-solving and negotiating skills to work and reach out to the client who slammed you online. Hard as it may be, let your client know you appreciate the feedback and that you’re sorry your services fell short of expectations. When you engage people this way, they’ll often soften up and view you more favorably.

If you can resolve your differences, clients may post a favorable update or delete their reviews. The stats are on your side: Simply by responding to negative reviews, businesses have turned 18% of detractors into loyal customers, while 67% of once-disgruntled customers delete their reviews or post positive ones, according to a poll by Harris Interactive.

Don’t discuss your client’s case on a review site, of course. Instead, reach out to your client by phone or email. This is a great option for how to fight a negative online review.

Monitor your online reputation.

Set up Google Alerts to monitor what clients and other lawyers are saying about you. Participate in these conversations but, again, keep the details of your cases to yourself. When you encounter negative or inaccurate content, form a thoughtful response and maintain your courtroom composure. Keep to the facts and be professional but address these inaccuracies head-on to keep them from gaining further momentum.

Proactively manage client expectations and solicit feedback.

At the outset of any new client relationship, encourage your clients to provide continuous feedback. Of course, issues like billing disagreements may arise after the case is closed. In those cases, make sure you round up all your records and documentation and be ready to defend your logic and actions.

Continuously strengthen your online profile.  

A great way on how to fight a negative online review is to dilute negative content is to create a strong, positive online presence. If you don’t have one already, consider creating a dedicated website that describes your practice, including your credentials and areas of specialization. When people do a Google search on your name, your website will likely top the list of results, giving a lesser voice to the negative content further down the page where most people rarely look.

Be present and active on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and make your posts relevant to your practice. Use your real name when you set up your account, or something as close to it as you can. Don’t proffer any legal advice, which could land you in hot water, but share articles and other content that your followers might find helpful.

Consider blogging and other ways to share your expertise. For instance, you may want to follow ongoing cases in your practice area, providing insightful commentary as they develop; or compile a “Top 10” list of legal pitfalls that people — i.e., potential clients — should watch out for.

The final verdict: By taking the offensive to build and protect your good name, your reputation will be well positioned to withstand a few whacks.