How Can Online Reviews Affect Your Business?

As anyone who’s spent any time in online marketing can tell you, online reviews can be a huge crux point for your business. Previous and current customers can list their experiences for all to see, and these areas can often make the difference between attracting that big new client and seeing them go to a competitor.

At SEO Werkz, one of our primary SEO services is managing and coordinating online reviews. Google and other search engines incorporate reviews into SEO rankings, and we know how vital this is for your business. Let’s go over some of the particulars of online reviews – how they’ll benefit you or hurt you, and some general statistics.

Positive Reviews

Positive reviews are obviously a good thing, and highlighting these both on the reviews page and elsewhere on your site can go a long way. If a customer leaves a particularly glowing quote within their review, maybe you insert it in a prominent location on your homepage to draw attention to it.

Doing this also shows customers that you value their input, and may subconsciously cause them to trust you more as a company. If your company has a large social media following, be sure to promote positive reviews there as well for these same reasons.

Negative Reviews

Negative reviews, especially those from a large or recurring client, need to be addressed immediately. Positive reinforcement for clients who were already happy is great, but for clients who aren’t and may be considering the competition’s services, it’s absolutely vital.

In reality, negative reviews should be viewed as an opportunity. You have a chance to correct an element of your business that may have been affecting more than just this single customer, plus you get the opportunity to show the individual client that you’re willing to go out of your way to directly prioritize their needs.

Fun Facts

Still unsure of just how huge online reviews can be for your business? Let’s look at a few of the stats:

• 40 percent of online consumers now form their opinion based on reading just one to three reviews. This is up from 29 percent just two years ago.
• Just 12 percent of consumers are willing to read more than 10 reviews, meaning your top results are of paramount importance.
• 26 percent of customers say it’s important for a business to respond to its reviews.
• Just 14 percent of consumers would consider using a business with only a one- or two-star rating.
• By comparison, 94 percent of consumers would use a business with a four-star rating.
• 88 percent trust reviews just as much as a personal recommendation.
• Reviews influence up to 10 percent of local search rankings.
• Reviews produce an average of an 18 percent increase in sales.

Want to learn more? At SEO Werkz, we love putting your online business in the best possible position to succeed. Contact our friendly staff with any questions today.