Online reviews say a lot about your business.
Positive reviews can demonstrate the value of your products and services in a way that no advertisement ever can. On the other hand, negative reviews can damage your reputation and deter potential customers from contacting you or making a purchase.
Keep reading to discover why online reviews matter so much and what you can do to encourage good reviews and deal with bad ones.
1. They offer valuable, unbiased insights
One of the benefits of online reviews is that they give you the chance to see real-time, honest feedback from your customers. When you ask patrons for testimonials or direct feedback, they may not always feel comfortable sharing their true, unbridled opinions. But in online reviews, people are more likely to share their honest opinions in order to help others make informed purchasing decisions.
If you get a positive, five-star review after an interaction with a customer or client, you know you did something very right, and you can work to replicate this kind of service.
No one wants to receive a negative review. But even one-star and two-star reviews can offer important insights that can help you improve your products or services to better serve your customers.
2. They build trust and credibility
Building trust with your customers is vital for long-term business success. Authenticity is essential. It’s also rare.
According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 61% of consumers believe that business leaders intentionally try to mislead the public.
You should never attempt to censor or manipulate online reviews in any way. A positive review only helps your business if people believe it was written by a real customer without your influence.
By actively encouraging the open, honest exchange of information and responding authentically to your customers on review sites, you can show people you’re different.
3. They help you gather testimonials
Consider adding a “testimonials” section to your business website. This gives online visitors a chance to hear directly from your customers without having to jump through hoops to learn more. It also shows transparency and creates a sense of community.
You can incorporate customer quotes throughout your website or have a separate page solely for testimonials. If you have repeat customers, reach out to them to ask for a detailed review of their experience.
It’s a good idea to include names and photos to attach to your customers’ quotes, but you should always ask permission before putting them on your website.
You should also avoid simply copying and pasting online reviews from third-party platforms, as this could lead to copyright infringement. Fortunately, many of these platforms, like Google and Yelp, have free widgets you can use to embed reviews directly onto your site.
4. They influence purchasing decisions
Online reviews impact how people see your business and your brand. They’re important for your overall reputation. But they also affect individual buying decisions.
According to surveys conducted by Trustpilot, two-thirds of consumers in the US rank online reviews as the primary factor that influences their purchasing decisions. The most strategic ad campaigns can’t even come close to that kind of impact.
People tend to trust open review platforms like Yelp, Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and Angi more than they trust reviews on your website or social media profiles. By building profiles on these platforms and engaging with customers there, you don’t just boost your credibility – you may also boost your sales.
5. They demonstrate customer service
A single bad review isn’t the end of the world, especially if you respond quickly with understanding and kindness.
If a customer has had a bad experience or poses a question in an online review, your response matters. Not only can you change their opinion by offering a prompt, helpful response, but you can also demonstrate your dedication to customer service on a public platform.
6. They boost SEO efforts
Online visibility is key to any business marketing approach. Many businesses utilize blogging, online ads, and social media posts to boost their ranking on google and other popular search engines.
But did you know that online reviews can also improve search engine optimization (SEO)? Customers often naturally include high-ranking keywords in their reviews by referencing your products and services.
In addition, most search engines prioritize websites with lots of organic engagement. A large number of reviews signals that your business is legitimate and reliable.
What to do about fake online reviews
Genuine reviews can be an invaluable resource for people looking to make smart buying decisions. But fraudulent, fake, and manipulative online reviews are a growing concern for businesses and consumers.
Whether positive or negative, fake reviews can damage your reputation, harm your business, and hurt your customers. In order to protect the integrity of reviews and maintain trust, it’s important to know how to spot fake reviews and what to do when you encounter them.
Try the following to help identify fake online reviews:
- Consider the source – is the reviewer anonymous or do they provide their name and a profile image?
- Check to see if a suspicious reviewer has written other reviews in the past.
- Look for sudden bursts of reviews published around the same time; this is sometimes an indication of fake reviews.
- Keep an eye out for multiple reviews that use the same or similar language.
- Try a third-party tool.
If you suspect a review is fake, you should report the review directly to the platform. Sometimes this is as easy as flagging the post as inaccurate or pressing a “report” button. Other times you may need to contact customer service.
You can also report a suspicious reviewer to the Better Business Bureau through their scam tracker, or even get a court order if you’re sure the review is fake and the reviewer refuses to remove it.
How to get people to leave reviews
There are many reasons why online reviews matter. But there are lots of successful small businesses that have very few (if any) reviews online. If you want to reap the benefits of reviews, you may have to build an effective strategy to get them.
If you want to know how to get reviews from satisfied customers, try the following:
- Create profiles on popular review sites like Yelp and Google Reviews, and make sure you add photos and a description of your products or services.
- Politely ask customers for reviews at the end of positive interactions.
- Send out emails thanking customers for choosing your business and asking for honest online reviews.
- Show engagement and interest by actively responding to as many reviews as possible (even a simple “thank you for your review” can go a long way).
Create an authentic digital footprint and build trust with your audience
The more you have an open, honest, and positive dialogue with your customers online, the more you solidify your good reputation and minimize the impact of negative comments.
From creating profiles on open review platforms, to maintaining a great business website, to publishing informative blogs and social media posts, there’s a lot you can do to establish a strong digital presence. This also encourages positive engagement from your customers and readers.
At Pitkin Writing & Editing, we love helping businesses build authentic brands that resonate with their core audience. Reach out to us online to find out how we can help!
