In search engine optimization and digital marketing, user reviews are extremely powerful. Reviews can act as a powerful tool for promoting a website, on top of being more likely to rank well on Google when websites receive positive user reviews.
Social proof is still as powerful as ever for influencing consumers now. About 92% of consumers will read a review before they purchase a product. Any business wishing to maximize conversions should use reviews as a highly effective tool. In this short guide, you’ll learn how to harness the power of user reviews for your business.
Create a profile on review platforms for your business
A free Google My Business (GMB) profile should be claimed by whoever manages your digital marketing. Users can easily find all your business information, including Google reviews, local information, and contact details, in one place using this tool.
In addition to allowing you to optimize your reviews, GMB can also help you improve your local ranking. Your site will not appear in Google’s local 3 pack in search results or on Google Maps if you don’t even have a Google My Business account.
Besides Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Yahoo Local, other user review platforms include Foursquare, Yelp, and TripAdvisor.
Provide an easy way to leave reviews
If you want your clientele to leave reviews for your business on the platforms that matter to them, you must make it as easy and convenient for them to do so.
Your marketing team can add a link to your site that customers can click on to go directly to your Google review page. Positive Yelp reviews can also be embedded into your site for potential customers to see.
Even though social media sites aren’t intended to be review platforms, they are increasingly being used as proof of trust by potential customers. Social media has become one of the most powerful tools for digital marketing, second only to email for customer retention.
Thus, it makes sense to add Pinterest buttons as well as Twitter buttons to your website. To encourage your users to become advocates for your brand, you should place these buttons on your product pages and blogs/news items.
Positive and negative reviews both need to be addressed
Positive reviews can make you feel as though your job is done regarding that customer once they have left a review. The good news is that your company’s reviews can be an excellent bonus marketing tool since a portion of that whopping 92% of consumers likely view them. Additionally, the customer who gave the review will feel more appreciated.
It is also possible to write negative reviews. Researchers from The Journal of Consumer Research found that politely worded negative reviews can actually help sell an item or service when you provide them with specific information.
The best way to boost your business’s reputation is to respond to negative reviews. In addition, you can find that 70% of the time a customer will return to your business if they feel that your business has resolved their complaint.
