Everyone has their own unique opinion, and online platforms are making it easier than ever to share those opinions with people across the globe. With online presence playing such a big part in business development, the benefits online customer reviews have continues to grow, especially as part of a company’s digital marketing strategy.
By building and managing online reviews, companies can gain insight into their accomplishments, make necessary changes, and build their company with the help of consumers.
Assessing customer reviews can strengthen a company’s online presence as well. Here are three benefits online customer reviews have on your business.
Increase Brand Trust
Credibility
Customers trust the opinions of people who share their interests. When it comes to researching a product or service online, reading previous customer reviews allows potential new customers to make an informed buying decision. These online reviews give your company credibility, allowing real customers to prove you’re just that good.
Transparency
In addition to credibility, online customer reviews also create company transparency. Multiple positive reviews across various platforms and websites build brand trust so potential customers can view your company as trustworthy, reputable, and reliable.
Shopping Experience
Online reviews also help potential customers gain insight into the experience shoppers like them had with specific products and services.
Company Voice
Additionally, responding to reviews—both positive and negative—further improves your online reputation by giving your business a voice. As you express appreciation for positive reviews and promptly address unsatisfied customers, you’re able to strengthen the trust current and potential customers have in your brand.
Increase Local SEO
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is important for a number of reasons. With reviews across numerous platforms, companies can also grow their local SEO, and as a result, their entire digital marketing strategy.
Boost Online Exposure
When customers are curious about a product, service, or company, they run a quick search. Positive reviews improve organic search results rankings. When customers see your company on the first page of a search, you’re boosting brand awareness and online exposure.
Improve Competitive Advantage
A higher position on the search engine results page (SERP) places you above competitors, which can positively influence buyer decision as customers are choosing a company to shop from.
Increase Product Rankings
Customers can gain insight regarding your product or service directly from the SERP. Reviews can influence purchase decision while simultaneously increasing the position specific products have on SERPs, so customers see your products first.
Develop Prominence
A company’s prominence, based on Google review count and score, also impacts overall SEO. A business can increase their local ranking with more reviews and positive rankings. Google favors sites with high ratings, so they’re a great way to have your website featured higher on the SERP.
Acquire User-Generated Content
Even though we’ve heard the phrase “content is king” a thousand times, companies still need to consider the various types of content available to benefiting their marketing strategy. With online reviews, companies gain content directly from consumers—which impacts SEO while simultaneously influencing potential customers.
Leverage Long-tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are a string of words that together form a search term. When customers write reviews that contain long-tail keywords associated with specific products or services, companies can organically come up for those searches.
Business Growth
The most impactful benefits online customer reviews have on a company, however, concern business growth.
Make Improvements
With online customer reviews, companies can see what’s working in the buying process versus what requires improvement. By tracking and monitoring reviews, companies can recognize what needs attention so they can continue to build and develop the business.
Gain Customer Insight
When considering changes for improving the customer’s purchase process, there’s no one better to ask than the customer themselves. Reviews help companies understand their customers so they can make informed decisions for future changes. After all, customers are most likely to identify problem areas or pinpoint their preferences and priorities while they’re shopping.
The New Word of Mouth
Online interactions are the new word of mouth. Friends tell friends about favorite businesses, and even strangers influence one another online. By responding to reviews, you show customers you care about their experience. Interactions after a sale also grow brand trust, and friends are likely to share their satisfaction with others.
Enjoy the Benefits Online Customer Reviews Deliver
The list of benefits online customer reviews provides continues to grow, allowing companies to grow as well.
With a review management platform, companies can monitor and manage their online reviews across multiple websites and platforms. As a result, companies can respond to their customers, make informed decisions concerning the company, and ultimately grow the business.
Interested in building your business by leveraging the benefits of online customer reviews? We have just the doohickey you need!