We live in a constantly booming digital age, which is making its influence felt across the globe; where the Word of Mouth is a strong forte, you cannot afford to miss. The digital world has been unified at our fingertips. In reality, online reviews today are a form of word of mouth marketing, and its impact can make or break your business.
Here are some facts which reflect the importance of Online Reviews:
- More than 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business.
- Approximately 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
- 39% consumers read reviews on a regular basis.
- 72% consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.
The impact created by online reviews, plays a significant role in every business, be it e-commerce, healthcare, ‘or’ Small ‘or’ Big Industries.
Let’s explore some key points on why you should focus on it:
1) There are many online review sites like Yelp, Google, and Trip Advisor which are laden with reviews which play a crucial role in determining the success of your business. In fact, the more reviews you get on sites like Yelp, Angie’s List, and Trip Advisor, the higher the chances of your business showing up on the first page of search engines like Google.
Accessibility to reviews is made easy thanks to search engines, mobile applications, and review features on platforms like Facebook.
The image given below displays reviews of a few IT companies:
2) Candidates / consumers today are tech savvy, and smart to make their own decisions; hence maintaining an online reputation of your company / business is a must. Websites like Glassdoor, contain anonymous reviews shared by current and former employees regarding their companies and its management.
As a business owner, it’s best to stay updated with your Glassdoor account, as you would not want candidates bailing on you because of poor Glassdoor reviews.
3) Be Consistent with your approach, Equate yourself with your competitors, Search your company / business on Google to see where you stand; & act accordingly.
Remember: you cannot please everyone. There will always be negative reviews, but that’s okay! Balanced reviews help make your business look legitimate, and dependable.
Always try to respond promptly, be real and admit your errors, rectify inaccuracies, and highlight your strengths.
Providing quality retorts to reviews will show that you care about your consumers, “people like to be heard”
Online reviews are gaining even more spot light in the world of digital marketing, so be an opportunistic & start actively working on your online reputation today.
So, are you going to start Implementing Online Review’s Strategies Today?