If you are in the e-commerce business, then you will definitely appreciate the importance of online reviews. You are selling to customers that you do not physically meet and you cannot talk them into buying your product all they can see are the products descriptions and the products reviews. In today's digital age your online reputation can either build or destroy your brand.
According to statistics, 90% of customers read online reviews before making any purchase. Over 67% say that the reviews affect their purchasing decisions. Currently 84% also trust online reviews more than personal recommendations and 74% will trust you if you have positive reviews. This means that if your consumers cannot trust you then they are most likely to take their business elsewhere.
Customers want to trust that before they make any purchase, that they are buying from the best and that is why they will take their time to go through websites, social media sites and also online stores to look for what people are saying about the product or service that they intend to buy.
This applies to both online stores are physically located stores. While it takes time to build trust with your customers, it is very easy to destroy it and this is more challenging when selling online.
What They Are
Online reviews can be described as the voluntary comments made by consumers regarding their experience with you, your product or your service. They serve as the customer's feedback and are posted on a review site like Yelp. They can be in the form of a written opinion, evaluation, and also a rating which can either be positive or negative.
Here are some of the importance of customer feedback.
Drive Purchases
Consumers are more likely to buy if others even if they are strangers have used the same product before. Online reviews are the biggest source of social proof and they impact sales. It is important to encourage your customers to post reviews by offering a discount on a second purchase after they have posted a review.
You should also make sure that your website has all the relevant information that can help a customer learn about the product. For example, if you are a Cryotherapy Manufacturer, you should display the machine on the website together with its description.
Reviews Will Give You an Open Line to Your Consumers
Customers appreciate a response to their reviews, they want to know that someone is listening to them. They want to feel important and the best way that you can do this is by responding or commenting on their reviews. You need to respond in a quick manner and be ready to answers all the questions that they have.
Remember to be honest. Many companies today have dedicated employees whose work is to manage the website and social media pages. Make your consumer feel as though they are part of your company and part of the decision-making process. Friendly and open feedback will do wonders to your brand.
Increase Your Visibility
Shoppers look for products on Google, Facebook, Instagram, and also Bing when they want to buy. The websites have their way of indexing content. Customer’s reviews come in handy in feeding the content machine that will keep your brand more favored by algorithms.
The algorithm will see your website and the best in your industry and therefore, increase your visibility.
Online Reviews Build Trust
Your brand will be trusted if you have a steady flow of positive reviews. Consumers do not trust business or products with ratings that are below 4. There is no space for error when it comes to online business. If your customers are talking bad about you everybody else will see you as a joke.
Trust grows sales. This is one of the importance of online reviews.
Impact the Overall Sales
Online reviews have the potential of driving your sales up. When customers are happy they will comment and are more likely to also come back from more. This means you will have a trusted customer base. You should also identify your repeat customers and give them a reason to keep coming back to you.
Customers today appreciate quality more than quantity and are even willing to pay more for it.
Expand the Conversation About You
Reviews spread very fast whether they are good or bad. Social media has a way of making the news go viral with hashtags and sharing of information. This will get more and more people talking about you and increase your online presence. Happy customers will not only share their views on your website but will want to spread the news around but don’t forget the same goes with bad reviews too.
Reviews Influence Decision Making
Once you are visible, consumers will be drawn to you and this can affect their decision on whether or not to buy from you. There are consumers who solely lie on reviews to decide if they can trust the product or service. With a steady flow of reviews, your website will definitely show up when a consumer is looking for what you are selling.
These are some of the importance of customer reviews. Marketing your brand is quite important. When you have people talking positively about you, marketing becomes easier and the message you are trying to put across enhances. Encourage reviews and positive conversations about you and you will market effortlessly.
Importance of Online Reviews Apply to Every Business
Whether you are an online store or not you still need to worry about the importance of online reviews. Customers post reviews about their experiences on a hotel they visited while on a vacation, a restaurant they visited, their experience in a barber shop, salon or spa, As long as you are selling you must strive to be the best and get as many positive reviews as you can.
If you need to learn more about how you can grow your business in this digital era then visit our website and we will help you grow.
