Online Reviews: Why Are They Important?

Online Reviews: Why Are They Important?

Picture this: You’re interested in visiting a town in the US for the first time. You read about the tourist attractions, search for the best transportation methods, and ultimately, start the quest to find the best hotel in the city. However, the one that caught your eye first has little to no reviews, and one that you aren’t highly interested in has an outstanding amount of customer feedback. 

Chances are that you’ll end up booking the one that didn’t get your attention first because you read how past customers highlight how great it is and how the staff is one of a kind. You decided because of reviews. That’s why we’ll talk about how important online reviews are and why you should pay attention to them here. 

An Introduction To Online Reviews

Reviews have been part of marketing strategies for decades. Word-of-mouth marketing was a prominent resource for marketers in decades previous to the 90s. With the introduction of the Internet, marketing saw changes. New concepts like SEO and email marketing became popular among marketers, and reviews gained protagonism. 

As mentioned in the video above, “(…)73 percent of decisions are made on a mobile device before committing to a business or service that you provide.” this is one of the many statistics that show how reviews play a main role among potential customers

Why Online Reviews Are Important

Fake Google Reviews and how to stop them
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89% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business. More follow-up that set in, 49% of consumers need at least a four-star rating before they choose to use a business.” 

Reviews are one of the most crucial factors for decision-making. Potential customers will search for client feedback to know if it is worth it to invest in the product or service you offer. As shown in the quote from the video above, 73% of consumers will trust a local business if they have positive reviews. 

Even large-scale enterprises pay attention to the reviews they get. Apple is one of the in-demand technological companies in the world, but if one of its newest launches gets negative reviews, its sales could still be impacted. So, to keep reviews and brand reputation on the good side of customer service, you must dedicate time to review management. 

Review Management For Businesses

Review management is essential when taking your business to the online world. Most business owners want to get positive feedback only, but we know that this is an almost impossible task. However, there are things you can do to manage reviews: 

Reply To The Feedback You Get

It doesn’t matter if you get more than a hundred reviews in a month if you don’t answer them. Sure, replying to negative feedback isn’t easy, but it is necessary. Most potential customers will pay more attention to how you respond to those comments. 

Replying to positive reviews is just as important, as they are a great way of solidifying a customer-business relationship and showcasing how much you care about your clients. 

Ensure Your Reviews Meet The Guidelines

One crucial aspect we must highlight is that reviews cannot be deleted. Logically, platforms ensure that potential customers have the most realistic idea of a business they’re interested in. 

However, you can stay on top of the feedback you get to ensure they meet the guidelines of the platform you’re working with. If you find malicious reviews (and hey! Be mindful that malicious reviews are not the same as negative ones), most platforms allow you to flag or report them and ultimately get the platform to delete them. 

Of course, not every reported review will be deleted, as the platform could find that they don’t violate any of their policies, so knowing what the platform’s guidelines are will make this an easier ride for you. 

Take Reputation Management To A Higher Level With Accelerate Marketing

As you’ve seen so far, review management can be a challenging task. Keeping your eyes on every comment your business gets can be time-consuming, especially if it’s just you working on it. 

Accelerate Marketing offers reputation management services for your business. Our team will help elevate your online reputation and get your business to the next level in your local area. Furthermore, if you’re interested in other local SEO factors like Google Business Profile optimization or Google Local Service Ads, you’ve come to the right place. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do We Need Reviews?

We need reviews to ensure the product or service we’re interested in is worth our investment. Likewise, reviews help potential customers trust what your business offers and are a crucial decision-making factor. 

Do People Believe Online Reviews?

Yes, they do. 86% of people trust online reviews almost as much as they trust a recommendation from a friend or family member, and 73% of people trust local businesses with positive reviews. Simply put, customer feedback can be a convincing element for people becoming acquainted with your business.

What Are Examples Of A Positive Review?

Positive reviews will most likely include some praise regarding the business. Whether the customer chooses to emphasize the excellence of one of your employees or give their cheer to the entire company, they will let you — and potential customers — know how pleased they are. 

The Bottom Line

From helping convince customers to choose your business, to boosting your local SEO ranking, online reviews are important. Don’t neglect their relevance in the online world, and ensure you work with experts when hiring personal reputation management services. Thank you for reading!