Every day people are giving reviews of your products. Some reviews are formal ratings, and some are informal shout-outs on social media. When you get negative reviews, you need to have a plan and support to be able to address them. But many can also be positive. Often, people breathe a sigh of relief when they see a satisfied customer and move on to the next problem. But positive reviews are some of the best marketing for your business.
Check out these numbers that show how important reviews are for your business:
- 85% of consumers say that they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. –BrightLocal.com
- 48% of consumers need to see up to 10 reviews before trusting the average star rating. –BrightLocal.com
- 97% of B2B buyers said that user-generated content, like user reviews, is more credible than other types of content. –ThisMoment.com
- Positive reviews make 73% of consumers trust a local business more. –BrightLocal.com
- Customers spend 31% more with a business that has “excellent” reviews. –Invespcro.com
At Riley & You, we know how to turn the tables on negative reviews, but we also have some simple tips for getting the most out of positive reviews.
- Encourage reviews – Make sure you have an easy way for customers to review your business. This can be as simple as having a review tab on your website where both positive and negative reviews can be seen. Keep the review form short so that customers can complete their feedback with minimum clicks.
- Use the reviews – Positive reviews don’t help you if no one sees them. So make them a part of your website and your email marketing – with the author’s permission, of course. These reviews make great copy for your marketing campaigns and can help build your brand reputation.
- Identify brand ambassadors – Your positive reviews are a great place to find brand advocates who can help bring your products to a wider audience. These are the people who can provide you with the best marketing for your brand because they already have credibility with their audiences.
- Stay on top of reviews – You need to have a plan to address negative reviews and to capture the positive reviews. When your customers see that you are responsive to what they are saying, they are even more likely to engage with your brand.
If encouraging, using, and addressing reviews to boost your business feels overwhelming, Riley & You can help. Our Reputation and Review Management program is designed to help our clients manage their brand reputations online. We can also create a marketing plan that uses your positive reviews and maintains and promotes your brand identity across all your marketing platforms. Don’t miss out on the best kind of marketing a business can have!
