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If you run a business, you know the importance of a great reputation. Competition is cutthroat and your business can easily fail and never be heard of again. You don’t want this to happen. You have worked hard to build your business and you want to maintain a great reputation. This helps you remain in the industry and helps you get ahead of your competition.
So how do you keep up your reputation? The answer lies in online business reviews.
This is often neglected by many businesses. If you want to know why are reviews important, we’ve prepared this guide so that you don’t disregard the power and necessity of online ratings and reviews.
Why Are Reviews Important To Your Business
If you have difficulty finding reviews for your business, the first thing you need to do is reach out to your existing clients. Ask them for testimonials and reviews. You can also offer them incentives such as discounts for your products/services in exchange for reviews.
You should also consider the option to buy online reviews so you can guarantee that great reviews are written about your brand.
Here’s what else to know about the importance of online business reviews:
1. They’re Always Read
While many brands ignore the importance of online business reviews, the fact is that consumers do spend time reading reviews before engaging with a business. If your brand has no reviews, a few reviews, or worst of all — extremely poor reviews that show your brand in a negative light.
You must work to accumulate as many positive reviews as possible. You also want to make sure that reviews are published on a regular basis. Positive reviews that are over a year old are irrelevant.
2. They Are More Powerful Than Influencers
There are many important forms of marketing for promoting your brand. But nothing beats customer reviews. Potential customers trust existing customers more than a celebrity influencer or any other marketing campaign.
You might see your favorite star advertising a product. But if your best friend had a bad experience with the product, you probably won’t buy it.
You want to make sure that your brand has great reviews. These should be shared on popular review sites, on services such as Google My Business, as well as on your website and landing pages.
3. They Improve SEO
One of the most important aspects of marketing is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This refers to using strategies to increase your website’s ranking in search engines.
If your brand has great reviews from review websites and online business listing services, it will greatly increase the chances of improving SEO. Thus, you will likely have a greater chance of appearing on the first page (and toward the top) of a search engine results page.
4. You Show Up Prominently On Review Sites
Review sites have become an authoritative source on the credibility of a brand and what it offers. Any business can show up on a review site. But it takes time for a business to show up prominently on a review site. You want to make sure that your business doesn’t get pushed to a back page of a review site.
The more favorable reviews your brand has and the more frequently these reviews are published, the greater the likelihood of it showing up prominently on a review site.
5. You Show Up On Content and Directory Sites
There are many websites that share recommendations on brands, products, and services. Your brand could be written about on one of these websites. It can be written about in a positive or negative light.
Some websites will recommend your brand if the webmaster sees many positive reviews. Likewise, if the webmaster sees many negative reviews, don’t be surprised if there are disparaging blog posts written about your brand.
A directory site will also share recommended brands based on their positive reviews. Directory sites are places where users can search for a category and see the best brands in that category. If your brand has great reviews, the webmaster will feel happy to include it in their online directory. If your website gets constant negative reviews, they will not include it or remove it if it’s already there.
6. They Detail Your Products/Services
A customer is likely to write a detailed review about your brand and your products/reviews. This tells potential customers everything they need to know about your business, its professionalism, and what it offers.
For example, if you spend too long responding to a customer support email, you will see that this will have an online review written about it. Customers will write reviews about poor customer service.
An online review will discuss the specifications of a product and how they work. These reviews might also include comparisons to similar products offered by your competition.
If your services aren’t satisfactory, the online reviews will detail this. For example, if you run a restaurant and your patrons have to wait long for the food to come, there will be a discussion of this in a review. If the food is too cold, this will also be mentioned.
On a positive note, if you offer a great product/service this will also be in an online review. If your product works well, your customer will discuss every concern that a potential customer might have. If your brand offers great service, your customers will write an enthusiastic recollection of how they felt ecstatic with your service.
7. Engagement With Customers
If you have online business reviews, this gives you a chance to engage with your customers. You should always strive to respond to as many customer reviews as possible.
If a customer expresses satisfaction, respond to their reviews with a ‘thank you’ message. If they leave a negative review, respond to them with an apology, and offer to alleviate the issue. If you engage with your customers after they leave a review, this will help your business thrive.
Start Getting Reviews
Now that you know why are reviews important to businesses, you should start seeking reviews. Reach out to your customers, hire a reputation management firm, and start building your online reputation.
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