Have you ever heard the saying, “You are only as good as your customers think you are”? Maybe not, because we kind of put that together ourselves based on our experience. The fact is, it’s true. When people are talking about your business, either with word of mouth or word of mouse, what they are saying will lead others to form an opinion about your brand. Around 90% of consumers look for and read online reviews before visiting a business, and of those people, over 90% of them trust those reviews (Search Engine Land). We know that gathering and having reviews are key for your business’s success, but we should dig a little deeper. What do your reviews say about your business?
Why is Gathering Online Reviews Important for Your Business?
As we referenced above, the vast majority of people look for and seek out online reviews before doing business with a company. That alone should help you understand how important reviews are, but if you need more persuading, we have got you covered.
Reviews are a way for consumers to feel a human connection to your brand, and know you are real, and to also help them understand what other people’s experiences are, giving them more faith to engage in business with you. More reviews means increased trust in your brand. According to BigCommerce, 50 or more reviews per product can mean a 4.6% increase in conversion rates.
Consumers trust reviews so much that 50% of them say they are more likely to be motivated by an online review than a discount offer (invesp). Not only do reviews help consumers make buying decisions, they can help you and your business. Reviews can help a brand better understand their customers and improve their experiences and give them what they are looking for, create customer loyalty and brand awareness, improve a brand’s search rankings, allow consumers to help do your marketing for you, and more.
What do Your Reviews Say About Your Business?
We know people are reading them, and actually looking for them, so what do your reviews say about your business? Are negative reviews a bad thing? Can good reviews help you?
Excellent and good reviews are obviously what you are looking for as a business, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a negative review is a bad thing. When it comes to positive reviews, 72% of consumers say that they make them trust a brand more and 92% of consumers will use a local business if it has an above average rating. So, yes, good reviews do help your brand.
Keep in mind, too many good reviews can also be a red flag that you are receiving fake reviews. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cited more than 700 businesses for deceptive endorsements in 2021 (FTC), so be sure to stay away from gathering dishonest reviews. Consumers know this is a problem and with fake reviews increasing across all platforms, nearly seven in ten consumers now say authenticity is a growing problem.
In truth, a negative review is not actually a terrible thing. Having some bumps in the road from time to time helps to build your businesses credibility and show that your positive reviews are actually real. The key to negative reviews is handling them quickly and publicly, to show that customer satisfaction is your number one priority. Customers understand that mishaps happen and that you can’t always please everyone, so don’t be scared to gather reviews just because you may get a few less than stellar ones. No one likes to receive undesirable feedback, so in fear of getting a “bad” review, businesses sometimes shy away from asking for reviews at all. Negative reviews not only show truth, they also can help you gain insights so you can improve your business.
How to Gather Reviews for Your Business
What your reviews say about your business really depends on the reviews, but in general, the fact that you have reviews says that you are real, you care about what your customers have to say, and you are always looking to improve. This can mean a lot to online consumers.
When it comes to gathering reviews, it is all about asking for them in the right moment and with the best method for your consumers, being consistent and current, asking open-ended questions, and making it easy for consumers to provide feedback.
At Water Bear Marketing, we can help. We can help you gather reviews for your business and manage them.
At Water Bear Marketing we believe that in today’s world, there is no room for guessing with your advertising dollars. We help our customers get a return on their online advertising dollars and prove the results. Our team has managed thousands of online marketing campaigns and has over a decade of digital marketing experience.
Contact us for a free consultation and to learn more about how you can grow your business with digital marketing.