As a business owner, we’re sure you’ve heard how beneficial online reviews are for your business— they can boost your reputation, brand loyalty, and bottom-line! But, do you really understand why? Here are 4 reasons why you should start tapping into the power of online reviews today.
1. Online Reviews Are Heavily Utilized
Research shows that 90% of consumers read reviews before visiting a local business, and nearly 60% check reviews while they’re in-store. And, they’re becoming more popular every year! According to research, 78% of consumers read online reviews in 2012, while 93% read reviews in 2017.
2. Online Reviews Influence Buying Behavior
Customers rely on reviews to make informed buying decisions. 74% of shoppers say positive reviews make them trust a business more, and they also encourage shoppers to spend as much as 31% more on their purchase. And, for the majority of customers— 85%-— online reviews carry as much weight as personal recommendations from acquaintances.
On the contrary, 40% of consumers report that they won’t visit a local business upon reading negative reviews.
3. Online Reviews Can Improve Your SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, is how visible your website and/or content is with online search results. A lot of factors go into how search engines rank results, and one of them is online reviews (according to a study, reviews were the #1 factor affecting results of local business searches in 2017).
When we say that online reviews affect how your business shows up in search results, there are several factors at play, such as: the number of reviews you have, the actual ratings, and what’s being said in the reviews (i.e. a popular word in your reviews can trigger results when people search for this word).
4. Online Reviews Provide Valuable Business Insights
Even the most attentive business owner can’t know with 100% certainty how all of their customers feel. Online reviews are a great way to measure what you’re doing right and what you could do better. Armed with this knowledge, you can take the steps you need to improve your customer service and products/services.
Ready to start growing your online reviews? Stay tuned for our next blog post!