This is a question many businesses have, especially local companies that don’t necessarily do any selling online. How much of a difference can online reviews actually make for your company if most of your business is conducted offline?
The truth is, they make a LOT of difference:
- 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
- 72% say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more
- 92% of users will use a local business if it has at least a 4-star rating
People love voicing their opinions on the products and services they use and the internet has made it extremely easy for them to do so. The popularity of smartphones and tablet devices has also made it easy for consumers to search for information for local businesses while on the move.
Although it’s impossible to please every single customer, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Even when you do manage to keep the majority of your customers happy, satisfied customers don’t usually go out of their way to write a review. That means if you want one, you’re going to have to ask.
Online reviews don’t just help you to get more leads for your business; they are also extremely powerful when it comes to converting those leads into customers.
Some additionalt benefits of online reviews include:
- People trust what others say about businesses
- Allow you to attract more serious leads
- They boost click through rates & lead generation
- They provide free word of mouth marketing
- They increases customer engagement, loyalty & retention
- They enhance local SEO performance
- They provide valuable market research
- They build trust & credibility for your brand
- They allow you to gain an edge over the competition
- They create brand awareness & long-term brand value
Overall, online reviews are an extremely important tool for local businesses. As you can see, they provide all kinds of benefits and have the power to really influence the buying pattern of consumers. Of course, they also have the potential to really damage your business too.
Negative reviews can’t always be prevented, but how you respond to them will make a tremendous difference in how they affect your company. Remember to respond to ALL reviews quickly and politely. Not only will this minimize any potential damage of a negative review, but it will also encourage more customers to leave one.
Not sure how to encourage more customers to leave a review? Why not benefit from professional help? Contact us today and we’ll help get you started on the right track to gaining positive, glowing online reviews.
