You’ve probably seen the statistics: Depending on which source you consult, somewhere between 90 and 97 percent of customers read online reviews before making any kind of purchase. Even if you accept the most conservative number, there’s no getting around the ubiquitous, make-or-break importance of online review sites, which directly affect consumer behavior and thus affect your bottom line, as well.
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Thanks to the Internet, the days of making blind, uninformed purchasing decisions are largely behind us. Whether you’re looking for a new dentist, a new Wi-Fi router, or a new donut shop, it’s easy enough to do your due diligence on the Web, tracking down reviews from previous customers in order to feel confident before you buy.
Before committing to most purchase decisions—whether that’s buying a new TV or simply trying out a pizza spot that just opened—consumers like to have some sort of social proof. That is, they like to see that other consumers have spent their own hard-earned money on the same product or service and found the transaction to be worthwhile. This social proof can sometimes take the form of a testimonial, but more often it is delivered via online reviews, posted to Google, Facebook, or Yelp.
- Marketing
- Review Services
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The Internet has fundamentally transformed how we shop. For example, consumers no longer have to make their major purchases “blind.” Instead, they can take as much time as they want to read reviews from other buyers, developing a more fully formed opinion about how to spend their hard-earned money.
It’s tough to overestimate the significance of online reviews. Google reviews, in particular, help to establish your brand’s trustworthiness, and engender the goodwill of consumers. They provide greater confidence to those who are on the fence about making a purchase. They also help increase your brand’s online visibility, and can even help you rank in local search results.
Every business owner likes to see positive reviews from satisfied customers. Good reviews can be a real encouragement, helping you to see the ways in which your products or services have made someone’s life better.
Do online reviews have a real-world, bottom-line impact for your business? Or, are they simply there to bolster your pride? Some new research from BrightLocal leaves little question that online reviews matter a great deal. According to the data, an astonishing 87 percent of consumers read online reviews for small businesses before they make their purchasing decision. And nearly as many (79 percent) say they trust online reviews just as much as they trust personal recommendations!
Among its many benefits, the Internet has made it incredibly easy and convenient for consumers to conduct research. Before parting with their hard-earned money, shoppers can spend a few minutes on Google or any number of other sites, ensuring the product, service, or brand in question enjoys a prestigious reputation. In particular, consumers can seek out social proof: Testimonials, recommendations, and reviews from other consumers, verifying that the purchase they’re considering is a sound one.
There’s no way around it: If you want to convince consumers to spend money on your product or service, you first have to convince them that you’re trustworthy. Proving trustworthiness can be easier said than done, but in today’s consumer landscape, there’s one very basic currency for credibility… and that’s online reviews.
Nobody likes to receive criticism, nor to be told that their work comes up short. When you’re a business owner, however, this is all part of the job. You may have customers express dissatisfaction to your face, but even more troublingly, you may have them air their grievances in a public forum, such as an online review site.
