One of the most effective ways to generate new business is by referral of existing clients to their friends and family. Often companies will focus on promotions and discounts to promote their business; however, without a good reputation or positive word-of-mouth, these promotions can be ineffective.
Interestingly, people will speak of their good experiences with a company when the topic comes up or if others ask for recommendations. When it comes to a negative experience, they hit the internet! Bad reviews can be troublesome for a company, but not all online reviews are negative.
A recent client once said after praising a team member, "everyone always makes time to leave negative reviews online, but no one puts in the same energy to give a positive review. So I just wanted to take the time to let you know how great your team is".
While this client gave this review voluntarily, often all it takes is politely asking your clients to leave you a review.
Here are seven reasons why it’s important to get online reviews for your business.
Timing is everything.
Research has shown that when looking, people will consider reviews within the past three months as the most relevant and accurate customer rating. While you may already have a decent number of reviews, they must be current. So keep them coming! Not only does it make them pertinent, but it also shows that you are an active company.
Established and trusted.
The more reviews you have reflects a large client base, further enhancing trust levels by new customers and showing greater expertise. People like to see that the company they are approaching is established, reliable and reputable, which can be easily reflected in your reviews.
Strength through loyalty
Brand loyalty has been around for years. From Harley Davidson tattoos to Apple stickers on everything a person owns, people are proud of the brands they choose! This is also true when it comes to reviews. The more loyal clients are, the more willing they are to leave a positive review. In addition, the client is more likely to return to your business to repeat a positive experience, especially if they have taken the time to leave a positive review.
Not just a business.
Irrespective of whether the review is positive or negative, it allows you to show your human side and thank the client for the review or respond to their negative experience. Responding to the reviews demonstrates to your clients that they have someone to talk to and that their comments are not simply ignored. Taking the time and effort to respond can go a long way, and it can help you learn more about what you should be offering your clients.
Google is watching.
Google's algorithms look at content, URLs, and page descriptions to determine how your website ranks in search results. Another major factor is your Google My Business page and the reviews on that page. Creating a Google My Business page with a high quantity of reviews helps you get noticed by Google and boost your search engine optimization.
The good kind of traffic.
The higher the number of reviews and the more positive they are, the greater the likelihood of increasing traffic to your website. The more people visiting your website leads potential customers to research other products and services you offer. Enjoy lead-generating traffic to your website by working on your reviews.
Google and Facebook rule the internet.
While there are many review sites, most people will trust Google and Facebook reviews before they trust others. While it is possible to redirect or pull reviews from other sites to your Google reviews, it is worth the effort to generate them directly from Google or Facebook to avoid any third-party issues.
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