For businesses, nothing is more important than their reputation. It’s a sign of the work you have done in your community, plus providing your customers with an overall sense of the services you provide. This can be helpful in driving business as well. Studies show that approximately 95% of customers read reviews of a product before making a purchase. This means that reviews of your business can serve as a huge benefit. Equally, if you have negative feedback, by correcting it and turning it into positive feedback, you can gain many of these benefits. Here are some of the advantages of using online review management.
Boost in Sales
One of the most obvious benefits of online reviews is that they can be a great way to drive business to your site. As mentioned earlier, customers take online reviews into consideration before deciding on a product to purchase. Having your reviews displayed prominently shows what previous customers have to say about your services and why people should use your products. Those businesses that have prominent positive reviews typically draw more business when compared to those with negative or unlisted reviews. By knowing how best to leverage positive feedback, you can increase sales and revenue.
Higher Brand Visibility
When review management is done correctly, it can draw people to your brand that may be unfamiliar with your company. As reviews of your business are shared online, a larger audience learns about your brand. Having solid review management helps drive word of mouth and ensures the values of your brand are displayed. Your brand’s image can also benefit. As it’s primarily driven by the perception of the products and services you offer, review management helps be allowing you to share positive feedback and mitigate negative ones.
Better Trust and Credibility
When it comes to customers, they prefer to do business with an entity that has a quality reputation. Review management, when done correctly, can help build the levels of trust and credibility you need to truly stand out. The evidence of the impact trust has on consumers stands out; 88% of shoppers trust reviews just as much as they do personal recommendations. Displaying a willingness to handle reviews of all kinds adds credibility to your brand.
Higher Customer Retention
You are likely aware that the better management of the reviews your business has, the better the chances of attracting new business. However, it can also help retain the client base you already have. By highlighting reviews of work done in the past, as well as having an overall strong online presence, you have the ability to make people more interested in your company and the things it has to offer. This can also be useful for clients that used your business in the past but forgot about the services you have available.
Increased Search Rankings
Having a positive response to your business can attract a lot of attention. When it comes to search engines, they notice complimentary reviews just as much as consumers do. These engines treat reviews in a similar vein as website content. When the number of positive reviews you receive increases, the ranking of your website goes up as well. This helps give you more visitors and increased traffic to your website.
You may not think of review management as a key element when it comes to developing a marketing plan. However, the benefits of having it are numerous. By incorporating review management, you have the opportunity to enhance the credibility you have with your current customers while attracting new ones, which can help increase your sales and revenue.