Businesses are slowly realizing without investing in online review management they will not be able to compete with those that do. Positive online presence and reviews help in trust-building and can bring in more customers and revenue.
What people say about your business matters, customers are using online websites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor to determine where they will take their business. In today’s market, online reviews are affecting traditional businesses. People use online reviews to find a place to eat dinner, to hire a plumber, and even to find their next dentist. Positive customer reviews can build your business and attract new customers, and if handled properly, so can a negative review. Online reviews and comments should be used as a place to connect with your customers, this can improve your business internally – which can lead to better experiences and reviews. They want to be heard, so respond to the good, the bad, and ugly.
These are various statistics to persuade you to take online reviews seriously: 77% of people read online reviews before buying or paying for a service, 87% of women post online reviews often, 71% of all consumers say online reviews are important and impact where they take their business, and only 1% of consumers believe that online reviews are not important at all. Typically, consumers like something new and exciting, but tend to stick with old favorites because they are used to it. Due to online reviews, 88% of consumers now have the confidence to purchase an unfamiliar brand.
Online reviews are vital to a business in this society, they help bring in new customers and can improve your current business strategies. Again, don’t panic when you receive a bad review it is a part of running a business – just remember that communicating with the customer and letting them be right can turn it positive.