7 Reasons Why Online Reviews Are Crucial For Your Business

We all know the internet is the “go to” place when consumers are looking to buy their stuff nowadays, whether it’s for products or services. The trouble is, whatever product or service you provide, there are other businesses offering it too. That’s why you need to give customers a reason to trust you over the competition, and online reviews can help you do it.

Online reviews really matter, and with 84% of consumers saying they trust them as much as a personal recommendation (Forbes), you could say they’re essential. And they show you’re a trusted company that provides what your customers need. So here are our top 7 reasons why online reviews are crucial for your business.

1. They can increase sales

Online reviews are integral to increasing your sales as they give potential new customers the information and validation they’re looking for. Whatever service or product you sell, consumers are always much more likely to buy if it’s already been recommended, so make sure they buy from you.

2. They help customer relations

If you’ve done a great job for your customers, they’ll probably tell you. If you do a bad job, they’ll definitely tell you – and everyone else as well. Reviews, good and bad, will help you improve your service overall, while helping you resolve any issues quickly if they arise.

3. They can boost your rankings

While online reviews are great for your customers, they’re also a major bonus for you in the search results. The more reviews your business has shows Google that you’re being talked about positively. And the more you’re being talked about online, the higher you’ll appear in relevant searches.

4. They can include organic SEO

When someone leaves you a review, it will often include keywords or phrases that could help your site appear in someone else’s search results. This sticky SEO is always attached to your website, and will help it appear when they’re looking for products or services you provide.

5. They can encourage more reviews

Reviews encourage more reviews, and having plenty of reviews already, will act as a magnet for others to add their own comments to the list. Ask your customers to leave a review, and the chances are they will – you might not even have to ask at all.

6. They can encourage customer engagement

When customers leave you a review, it’s always good PR to leave a “thank you” comment in return. And if your review platform allows multiple replies, it can keep customers coming back to see if others have added to the discussion. This will create a bond between your customers and your business.

7. They can provide priceless marketing

All your positive online reviews are little nuggets of priceless ‘and free’ marketing. While they can be displayed on your website, you can tweet them and share them on Facebook, time and again. Each one will help build and maintain your brand awareness as being a trusted supplier.