2.8 min readPublished On: January 26th, 2022Categories: Advice, Website

Online reviews have never been more important. With a constant battle of business competition, we all know that reviews share the deciding vote on who our prospective clients lean towards. A recent study from Igniyte found that a staggering 91% of consumers in the UK trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

Here’s a few reasons why you should be thinking about online reviews as you grow your businesses digital presence in 2022.

1. Customers base their trust on your online reviews

When looking for a service we haven’t used ourselves, we tend to check out what other people have to say about it. An organisation can tell you about their services as much as they like, but if they have poor reviews, they speaks louder than anything else.

Customers are far more likely to trust their peers, which is why online reviews are such a valuable marketing tool.

2. Get your business found online

Get found through your reviews. Online reviews are also know to improve your SEO, especially if you are a local business.

The importance of local SEO is a key reason to prioritize online reviews as a small business owner. When customers are making local searches, Google tends to display the organisations with the higher rated reviews first. So getting more quality reviews and more stars than your local competitors is a must!

3. Market your business for free

We all want some free help creating digital content that gets our business seen. In this stat from Moz, we are shown that up to 13% of companies online presence come from reviews.

Online reviews turn regular customers into unbiased brand advocates. Instead of shouting about your services or products, let your customers do the hard graft for you.

But, how do I get online reviews?

Now you know you need to get more reviews, but where do you start? Here are a few tips to get your reviews up.

1. Make it easy for your customers

If it takes too long or it’s difficult to find a way to leave a review, people won’t bother. So spoon feed the idea of leaving a review into your customers hands. Google reviews are the best for your digital presence, but depending on your organisation type, TripAdvisor, Yell, or Houzz are other review boards that may be perfect for you. Create an account and add a link to leave a review in a convient place for you customers. On your website homepage, in your email confirmation or an email signature even.

2. Ask for feedback 

Once a service has been given, there is no harm in asking for feedback. Whether positive or not, this feedback can help you to better understand your customers views. Simply ask them over the phone, in an email or direct message them if social media is your thing.

3. Offer an incentive

So you have asked for reviews, and they’re just not biting. Time to offer an incentive. Whether its 15% of their next order or a £10 voucher. Offer something for their time and your customers will be more than willing to help you out.

For more blogs about online reviews visit my blog here.

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