Why Online Reviews Are Essential For Your Small Business

Online customer reviews matter more than ever for small businesses because they play a major role in buying decisions. Research shows that 75% of consumers read online reviews when browsing for a local product or service.

You've heard the popular business quote, "People do business with people they know, like, and trust."

When potential customers read the positive comments that your customers have written, they are getting to know you. Reading your responses builds trust in your customer service.

While almost half of consumers don't trust paid advertising, they do trust customer reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family. That's great news for small businesses because it levels the playing field to compete with larger competitors with a more robust marketing budget.

Conversion rates increase with volume and customer spend. Five recent reviews can increase conversion by 190% and double that at a higher price point.

Increased Trust and Credibility

Potential customers are more likely to trust your small business when they see the positive feedback you've had from customers.

Elevate that trust when you respond to all reviews because it shows that you truly care about customer service!

Search engines also like the positive feedback you receive from your customers, boosting your business's search engine optimization (SEO) and making your business more visible to prospective customers.

More than 60% of consumers look at 2-3 review sites before deciding to use a business. Not putting all your eggs in one basket when asking customers to leave a review benefits potential customers and your business's SEO.

Enhanced Online Visibility

Better visibility increases traffic, which increases sales and revenue.

Customer reviews contribute by building trust and credibility with potential customers, especially in local searches, increasing click-through rates. This is also very important to SEO because it signals search engines that a website is valuable and relevant to users.

Fresh content with relevant keywords in frequent customer reviews is another big bonus to SEO. Responding to every review doubles that fresh content while demonstrating to potential customers that customer service is a priority. It's a win-win!

I recently did a Google search for "RV Park Rockport Texas", where there are more than 90 RV parks. One of the parks that has been open for only a couple of years appeared on the Google Local Pack with 232 reviews and a 4.8 star rating. While this park does not have a Sponsored Ad, it's getting excellent exposure.

With more than 80% of travel planning happening online, appearing in the Local Pack is a big advantage over competitors that don't.

Other parks in the area have similar star ratings, and a couple have a similar volume of reviews, but they do not appear in the Local Pack.

This RV park has positive reviews across multiple review sites. They do a great job of getting their customers to leave reviews, as reflected in the volume and frequency. Reviews are displayed on their website. Very importantly, they respond to every customer, which says a lot about their customer service.

More than 90% of consumers expect a business to respond to their review. Often, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and a business only addresses those with an issue while missing out on the incredible opportunity to show how much they value all customer feedback.

Higher Conversion Rates

With 66% of consumers trusting a brand as a result of online reviews, it's easy to see how reviews have a significant impact on conversion rates.

• Businesses with more than 9 recent reviews (posted within the past 90 days) earn 52% more than average

• Businesses with more than 25 recent reviews (posted within the past 90 days) earn 108% more than average

There is no doubt that stars equal sales!

How To Make It All Work For Your Small Business

1. Get your customers to leave reviews across multiple sites. Fortunately, 77% of consumers will write one for a business if asked.

2. Responding to every review is critical to brand reputation.

3. Showcase reviews to increase visibility and credibility.

Small business owners are pulled in many directions. You may be thinking, "This all sounds great, but I don't have time in my day for another task."

Or perhaps you are already asking your customers to leave a review and just aren't seeing the volume that you should? Consumers are also busy, and most often, if they did not leave a review, it's because they were too busy at the moment and simply forgot to do so later, or they just didn't know how.

You may benefit from using an Online Reputation Management (ORM) service.

We offer a service that simplifies the process for your business and customers, increasing volume and boosting business visibility.

Contact me for a free Review Report Card and Competition Analysis.