TripAdvisor for restaurants

Do you want to know how to register on Tripadvisor restaurants? Do you know how to modify and improve your profile on the platform? How can you take advantage of this service? Is it free? Can you delete bad reviews? In this definitive guide to Tripadvisor for restaurants we will clear up these and other doubts so that you can make a stellar debut with your restaurant.

In many ways, Tripadvisor has managed to become a first door through which many potential diners go through. If your hospitality business does not have a profile registered in this restaurant showcase, you are missing great opportunities. How will all those undecided customers who seek information online before choosing where to go out for lunch, dinner, cocktails… find you?

Tripadvisor restaurants helps you to have more visibility on the web. It does not replace your web page, in fact in many occasions it is the means through which they reach it, but it is a very recognized service for its opinions. And taking into account that 80% of people research on the network before making a purchase decision (according to a study by Deloitte), it is not unreasonable to think that the same happens to find new restaurants, and hence the saying of Tripadvisor “no reviews, no reservations”.

It is virtually unthinkable to book flights, hotels and restaurants without consulting the Internet. According to studies by PhocusWright, 82% of hotel bookings are made online. A high percentage of people also use the networks to share their gastronomic experiences, locate new places and consult the ratings and opinions of others. This information is often an important factor in making the final decision.

Keep reading this guide and you will clear all your doubts about how to get the best out of the service offered by Tripadvisor to restaurants and hotels like yours.

Tripadvisor restaurants: history of an internet giant

Tripadvisor is a website of reviews on travel and related topics, including restaurants. It began its adventure in 1999 and, today, it is one of the giants of tourism in the networks.

With an approximate traffic of 315 million unique visits per month and more than 200 million comments, its worldwide influence is indisputable.

The idea for this website, which has become a worldwide reference, came from a personal experience of one of its creators, Stephen Kaufer, when he went to a travel agency with his wife. When they searched the web about the places they were going to visit, they realized that they could only find neutral information about addresses, schedules and descriptions written by the owners of those places.

At first, they started modestly with the publication of their own experiences, but little by little the site grew into theuser-generared content portal it is today.

The project has not been free of controversy during all this time (fake reviews, deleted comments, blocking in China, data protection violations), but despite all the campaigns that could have damaged it, the usefulness of the site for those seeking information about hotels and restaurants, has been able to overcome everything.

How Tripadvisor restaurants works

Tripadvisor works by means of a series of variables that serve to determine the positioning that each restaurant will have after a search. Below we will describe the variables that affect its algorithm:

Quality

This is a bubble rating system that ranges from “1” to “5”. This means that those restaurants that reach between 4 to 5 bubbles will be positioned above those with lower scores (values of 4.5, 3.5, etc. are included).

It should be noted that Tripadvisor has improved its rating system over time. Therefore, it now also takes into account the age of the ratings and the number of reviews of the same establishment.

The number of reviews

As mentioned in the previous point, Tripadvisor’s algorithm gives importance to the number of reviews on the same establishment. The more positive reviews, the more certainty there is that the restaurant can really provide travelers with a great dining experience.

Age of reviews

Tripadvisor’ s algorithm gives higher priority to current reviews than to older ones. This is because, although a restaurant may have provided good service in the past, it does not mean that the service is still the same in the present, and vice versa.

That is, the algorithm is able to differentiate that it is not the same to have 300 reviews with 4.5, than two with a 5. Even the relevance of the first two months old and the second, four years.

How to register a restaurant on Tripadvisor

Currently, Tripadvisor has the largest digital community of travelers in the world. It has over 300 million monthly visitors and 60 million official members, making it an essential portal for hospitality businesses.

Joining this platform with your restaurant is very easy. We explain how to create a restaurant profile on Tripadvisor in a few minutes:

1. Check if your restaurant is already registered

The first thing you should do is check if your restaurant has already been registered by a third party. Since there is a possibility that a traveler has entered the name of your business on Tripadvisor previously.

To do the verification you must carry out the following step by step:

1. Access www.tripadvisor.es/Owners
2. Once inside, enter the location and name of your restaurant.
3. If your establishment appears among the results, it is because a traveler has already opened a profile.
4. To take control of the profile, select your business from the list of results.
5. Then click on “Take control of your profile for free”. Remember that Tripadvisor only accepts one profile per restaurant.

2. Add your business

If the Tripadvisor search returns no results associated with your restaurant, you can begin the process of creating a new profile without any problems:

1. Log on to www.tripadvisor.es/GetListedNew
2. Choose your business type from accommodation, one thing to do, restaurant or vacation rental.
3. Select yes to the question, “Do you have ties to this location as an owner, employee or official representative?”
4. When you do so, a drop-down will appear to choose your position in the business(owner, manager, agency, accounting, customer service) and the date the location will open (if the opening has not yet taken place). As you can see, it is usual to create the profile before opening.
5. This will take you to a new page where you will have to fill in a form with information about your hospitality business.
6. You must then add the location of your restaurant on the map. Make sure to place the marker near the entrance of the business.
7. When you have finished filling out the form, click “Submit“.

It usually takes about five business days for Tripadvisor editors to verify the information submitted. You will then receive an email confirming your account.

3. Verify your account

At this point you have already created your Tripadvisor account. However, it is strictly necessary that you verify your relationship with the restaurant. To verify your account, you will have three options:

1. Verification via Facebook: this is a quick and easy process (although sometimes it doesn’t work).
2. Credit card verification: don’t be alarmed, it won’t generate any charges.
3. Customer service verification: will require you to send information confirming your relationship with the restaurant.

4. Using the Tripadvisor Management Center

Once you have your profile up and running, it’s time to efficiently manage the “Tripadvisor Management Center”. From this center you will control aspects related to the search engine listing and you will also be able to:

• Monitor and update listing information.
• Respond to user reviews.
• Implement a button to make reservations in your restaurant.
• Access free marketing tools
• Have additional assistance through the “Help Center” and the “Owners Forum”.

How to get more popularity in Tripadvisor restaurant

Achieving a prominent place in the Tripadvisorranking is one of the longed-for goals of many restaurant entrepreneurs. Especially because this is a good way to connect with thousands of potential customers and differentiate yourself from direct competitors.

But what should you do to make your restaurant stand out on Tripadvisor? Simple! Put the following five tricks into practice:

1. Offer excellent service

The best reviews come from the best experiences. It is important that you offer excellent service so that your customers feel motivated to leave good reviews about your restaurant on Tripadvisor. So that the image of your brand climbs high in all the digital terrain.

2. Be true to your brand

Make sure you stay true to your brand and be clear about what exactly you want to communicate to your diners. This way, it will be easy for people to search for your restaurant again on the portal when they want to satisfy their dining needs.

3. Train your staff

Satisfying customers is the key factor in ensuring a restaurant’s success on platforms like Tripadvisor. And, to ensure that level of excellence, you will need to have employees who have the necessary skills to work in front of the public and with a positive attitude.

4. Reduce negative reviews

To reduce negative reviews, we recommend implementing customer satisfaction surveys on Tripadvisor. This way you will collect all the information you need about what the customer thinks of your restaurant. Then, you can use all that feedback to turn your weaknesses into strengths.

5. Listen to your customers and encourage them to leave a review

It is imperative to listen to your potential customers to improve their overall experience and satisfaction. Also, train your staff to know how to encourage the diner to leave a review on Tripadvisor.

For example, when the waiter brings the bill to the customer you can take the opportunity to suggest it or leave a card that invites them to leave a review on the web.

If you take into account all these tips you will be on your way to be the first on Tripadvisor with your restaurant. This will get you more visits and possibly more bookings.

Can Tripadvisor reviews be answered as the restaurant?

All hospitality establishments receive both positive and negative reviews. Yours will be no different, so it is important to know how to manage them.

First of all, in a positive way: take them as constructive criticism that can help you grow and improve. Secondly, you must learn to answer the reviews you receive, especially if they are negative. Before this type of comments, it is advisable to remain calm, meditate on an effective response for a few minutes and always respond truthfully, politely and courteously.

how to answer bad reviews on Tripadvisor?

Responding to negative reviews is even more important than responding to positive ones. The reason is clear: it is a way to show that your brand cares about what diners think of your service. It’s also an opportunity to make it clear that you will do everything you can to improve the situation.

However, when answering bad reviews on Tripadvisor we recommend you:

Apologize and say thank you

It is extremely important to start with an apology for the upset caused and end with a thank you for leaving your review. This helps to dissipate tensions and shows that in your restaurant you take the customer’s opinions very seriously.

For example:

Greetings!

We are truly sorry that your experience in our restaurant was not up to your expectations… we thank you for taking the time to leave us your comments, we take good note and hope that on your next visit we will be able to offer you a better service…

Mention the customer’s problems to show that you care about them

When responding to a negative review, it is important to show the customer that you have paid attention to their comment. The best way is to make direct reference to the specific details and discomforts of the user.

For example:

… It is true that the restaurant can get a bit noisy when it is crowded. We will work on playing background music at a lower volume to improve the atmosphere…

Think of negative feedback as an opportunity

Responding to negative feedback can be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your hospitality. This way, you can humanize your brand image in front of your potential consumers.

For example:

Good morning dear customer!

We would like to apologize for the inconvenience caused. Certainly the day you visited our restaurant the service was a little slow because it was the first day of work after expanding the business.

We appreciate your constructive criticism because it helps us to improve our customer service, we hope you come back soon!

How to delete a review from Tripadvisor

A bad review should be accepted with sportsmanship, as it may point out a weakness that you need to improve. However, if you come across a review that doesn’t seem to fit your restaurant (maybe they got the wrong place?), you can initiate a process to delete a review from Tripadvisor.

This happens more often than it seems. Suddenly you have a comment where someone criticizes your cold burgers or overcooked rice? but you’ve never served those dishes on your menu!

Here’s how to remove fake reviews on TripAdvisor.

Ask the user for proof of their visit

Send a message to the user who wrote the review. Politely, politely and professionally ask for proof of their visit to your restaurant. It can be something as simple as a copy of the payment receipt.

Report the review on Tripadvisor

To formally report a review on Tripadvisor you must follow the following procedure:

1. Log in to your Tripadvisor user for owners.
2. Locate the review and report it.
3. To report it, click on the little flag icon at the bottom right of the review.
4. Then click on “Any problems with this review?”
5. and that’s it!

Receive the confirmation email from Tripadvisor

After submitting your complaint you will receive a confirmation email from Tripadvisor. In that email you will be assigned an ID number and a contact email for you to send further evidence to support your argument.

Send the evidence to Tripadvisor

Reply to the contact email from the review portal and specify why you are requesting the removal of the review. To support your request you must:

• Attach a screenshot of the review in question
• List the reasons that have led you to consider that it is false, erroneous or inappropriate.

Wait for Tripadvisor to remove the review

If the editors of the portal consider that the reasons given and the evidence provided show that there is fraud or error in the review, they will proceed to remove it. After several scandals of manipulated reviews and false opinions, the veracity of the comments is something they take very seriously).

You will not be able to remove a bad review just for the sake of it (we have already given you a few tricks to answer them above), but you can always report a review that you think does not speak about you or that is not true.

How to modify the profile of my restaurant on Tripadvisor

A change of opening hours, an update of photos or descriptions, a new phone number… there are many reasons why you should update your Tripadvisor profile from time to time. While it is true that it is advisable to be attentive to the reviews to answer without much delay, if you do not have much time, at least the information on your profile should be up to date.

One of the most common changes is the opening hours.

How to change the opening hours of my restaurant on Tripadvisor?

It is common that at some point your bar or restaurant will change its hours (seasonally or permanently). It is important to update this information in your Tripadvisor profile so that your customers can check your current hours and do not come when your establishment is closed.

To do this, you have to follow these steps:

1. Go to www.tripadvisor.es/Owners and log in.
2. Once there, look for the “Manage profile” tab and choose the “Opening hours” option.
3. Add or edit your restaurant’s opening hours by clicking on the appropriate time slot.
4. Make sure to edit the closing time first so that you can edit the opening time later.
5. If you are open 24 hours a day, just check the “Open 24 hours” box.
6. Once you have entered the new hours, click the orange “Submit” button.

Please note that it takes about 24 hours for the changes to take effect.

How much does it cost to promote a restaurant on Tripadvisor?

Creating a profile on the review portal is free. Simply register to access a number of free tools that allow you to create/manage your restaurant’s profile.

This is done through the Management Center and for free you can upload photos of the premises and the star dishes of your establishment. You can add all the services offered and manage reviews (rate, respond).

Other marketing tools that Tripadvisor offers for free are widgets and buttons for social networks, tips on your blog or stickers for your establishment.

To these free options, Tripadvisor adds other paid options to help promote the profiles and ensure an extra inflow of capital, in addition to advertising.

The portal has two paid solutions for restaurants:

• Tripadvisor Premium: changes the appearance of the restaurant in internal search results, gives access to a carousel of images for the front page called Storyboard and adds new sections such as “Top 3 reasons to eat here,” “Featured Photos” or “Favorite Reviews.”
• Ads: promoted spaces within the platform to drive more traffic to your restaurant’s section.

how do I know if my restaurant on Tripadvisor is Premium?

When you sign up on the platform a basic profile is created, free of charge. The Premium must be contracted separately.

As a premium profile you will have access to new tools in the Management Center that did not appear before. If you decide to subscribe to the paid option, take advantage of all the tools and reserve some time to manage your page well, since you are going to pay, make the most of it.

How to indicate on Tripadvisor that I have closed my restaurant

If you are wondering how to remove my restaurant from Tripadvisor, you should know that a restaurant can only be removed if it has closed its services permanently. Otherwise, you will not be able to remove the profile from the platform.

To report the permanent closure of your business you must follow the steps below:

1. Log in to the “Management Center” of your Tripadvisor profile.
2. Select “Manage profile“, located in the top menu.
3. Click on “Name and Description“.
4. Click on “Profile Help“, located on the left hand side.
5. This will take you to a window where you must click on “Report Closure”. You will need to add a comment.
6. Finally, click on “Report Closure” again to submit the request.

Note: Tripadvisor editors will verify the request by checking your official website. They will also check your restaurant’s presence on social media and online travel agencies.

If your hospitality business is still available on one of these online platforms, your closure request may not be approved. You will receive an email with a response within approximately 3 to 5 business days.

Final Conclusions

Tripadvisor has managed to become a very present source of online restaurant reputation for your potential customers. Practically, if your hospitality business is not on Tripadvisor you run the risk of looking like it doesn’t exist. And that is something you should keep in mind, especially if you are devising a strategic plan to ensure the competitive future of your business.

Believe it or not, a good image on Tripadvisor can make your restaurant increase the number of reservations. However, you must dedicate some time to the reviews (motivate them, answer them and analyze them).

The downside is that having the best Tripadvisor tools implies an additional cost (Premium). However, it is a price that each manager knows whether it is convenient or not to pay.