Why Do Reviews Matter?
You may not think that Yelp reviews and Google reviews matter for your business but they do. As a small business owner, it is important to understand where your customers are active and what they like or dislike about your product or service.
Reviews help you manage your online reputation which in turn could mean big benefits for your business such as increased visibility, trustworthiness, and awareness. On the other hand, poor reviews can be detrimental and even ruin a company’s image despite its size.
Reviews Affect SEO Ranking
The biggest impact that reviews have on businesses is their influence over search engine optimization and rankings in Google and Bing. Because of this, it is becoming more crucial than ever to take advantage of these sites’ review tools to encourage customers to leave feedback about their experiences while they are still fresh in their minds within hours or days of doing business with you. This way, you can get more positive reviews, thereby improving your search engine ranking.
Reviews Affect Consumer Behavior
Besides affecting SEO rankings, online reviews affect consumer behavior in many ways. For one, they put products and services into context allowing consumers to make intelligent purchasing decisions by seeing what other people like them said about the product or service. Additionally, it gives businesses a chance to learn where they did well and where improvements can be made which directly impacts their bottom lines.
Reviews Build Trust Between Businesses and Customers
The problem is that only 37% of customers trust earned media (advertising) while 57% trust word-of-mouth so when customers take the time to leave reviews on review websites, this means they are willing to provide both unbiased and unfiltered feedback about your brand. This shows that you are committed to providing quality, dependable products, and services which is a good thing as it builds trust between businesses and consumers.
Reviews Open up Communication Channels with Customers
Aside from helping you improve your business, reviews also allow businesses to connect with their customers more thoughtfully by joining in on discussions or addressing concerns that they have. Some will even post contact information for those who would like to address anything they’ve experienced first-hand before leaving negative reviews. These points of communication can be used to not only delight customers but also to warn them of any issues that may arise so that they know what to expect when dealing with your company.
Reviews Help Customers Feel Heard Which Builds Loyalty
One of the best parts about reviews is that they help to build brand credibility and trustworthiness and because these online review sites let you see all aspects of what customers like and dislike about your business, this means that consumers will feel heard and their loyalty can be earned.
Reviews Increase Sales
The power of customer reviews has been proven to increase conversion rates by as much as 13% as well as average order values. This is because when people read positive reviews, they are more likely to make a purchase themselves especially if the product or service is relevant to them which also makes it possible for marketers to acquire new customers through third-party recommendations.