If you're very active online, you'd have severally received emails or seen popups prompting you to follow a link to review a product or service you recently tried out. In fact, might have wondered why those online reviews mean so much to most businesses nowadays.
Truth is, online reviews help businesses to grow quickly. By encouraging your customers to review your product or service, you'd attract more customers and generate more profits.
Here are some reasons you should encourage your users and clients to leave reviews about your business and products.
1. Online reviews build trust
A staggering 90 percent of customers have their buying decisions influenced by online reviews. This explains why popular review sites attract several thousands to millions of daily visits.
No one wants to risk their money on a mediocre product or service. So, before paying for any offer, consumers go online to see the reviews that previous buyers have left about it. If the reviews are good, that’s enough proof that the product or service can be trusted and is worth paying for.
2. Online reviews increase conversions
Conversion rates are 105 percent higher for customers who interact with online reviews. A prospect who has read several positive reviews about your business is already sold on your product or service. And such a prospect will readily buy your product or service without any persuasion from your end.
Without online reviews of your product or service, prospects won’t be reassured about it, and they will most likely continue their search for alternatives they can trust.
3. Online reviews aren't expensive
Getting online reviews doesn't require money or much effort. If your product or service is top-notch, then customers would gladly leave a review or testimonial. However, to get that from your customers, you need to ask them—preferably just after the transaction.
For every three or four customers you ask, one of them will give you a review—provided the process is simple and straightforward. So, by requesting reviews, you get recommendations of your product or service at no cost.
4. Online reviews are great for SEO
If you frequently use Google to find products and services on the web, you'd have noticed star ratings in some search result listings. Those links usually redirect to review sites. Google favors such pages because they contain fresh and authentic information about your business—as provided by real customers.
So, the more you collect online reviews, the more your business name will appear in search results for queries that are closely related to your business name as well as your products or services.
5. Online reviews reveal your flaws
No product or service is perfect. And customers are in the best position to tell any flaws in your product or service. So, you should expect negative reviews from disgruntled customers.
These negative reviews are helpful to your business because they tell you where to improve on and what you need to do to satisfy subsequent customers. Most disgruntled customers prefer to share their thoughts through online reviews.
Now that you understand how online reviews can help grow your business, start devising tactics for encouraging your customers to review your product or service online. You'd be amazed at the benefits they'll bring to your business.