11 Aug Why Reviews Matter
In today’s world it’s easy to get an opinion for just about anything… scratch that not just an opinion but a recommendation. From a body shop to a local restaurant, you can search for any service or business at the tip of your fingers. But what we choose and why, is usually swayed by the online reviews we read. Google, Facebook and Yelp are just three of the review giant’s many consumers use and businesses should capitalize on. Ranking the sentiment of your products and services is the most natural way to stand out and get noticed. In fact, according to a BrightLocal study, 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. As a business owner this stat alone should push you to solicit more reviews, but also take the time to respond. Of those who read reviews, 97% read a business’ response to reviews.
So the goal for every local business? The more reviews, the better. Reviews don’t just help your reputation by gauging sentiment, they also help your local SEO. Happy customers are repeat customers and become your best source of referrals. Understanding how your current customer feels about the service they receive and the experiences they have with your brand is central to building the best business. Here’s our simple 4 step process to capitalize on your reviews.
Capture
Solicit reviews! Don’t be afraid to ask customers for their feedback. We’ve run into clients who’ve said they don’t want to ask every customer. Why? They fear someone saying something negative. If you are that concerned about what people will say then there might be a deeper issue with the quality of your service or product. If you believe in your business’ ability to provide quality work then you should absolutely be asking for reviews.
Manage
Here is where many people fall short. With the variety of review platforms out there it can be hard to keep up. However, if you focus on the main and more popular platforms (aka the ones you keep an active profile on) then you can manage. The biggest misstep is not reading and responding to every review. We mean every. If someone takes the time to praise your work then you should show that gratitude. Even worse is leaving a negative review unanswered. Take the time to manage your reviews.
Analyze
The natural next step is to analyze the sentiment in your reviews. What do people think of your business? Is there a glaring problem? For many it may boil down to customer service or perhaps pricing. Looking at these commonalities should help you to make some changes internally or at least examine what could be improved. It can be a tough pill to swallow but this is the best way to really analyze your operation.
Market
Share your reviews! Boast a little. Share those 5 stars and recommendations proudly. Don’t be bashful; there’s no shame in promoting the quality of your business and your reputation. How? Share this on social media, display on your website, add to your newsletters, the possibilities are there. You just have to make them work for you.
You may be thinking sure that all makes sense but I don’t have the time. Who does these days? Reputation management is invaluable to a business but we know better than anyone that the time to dedicate to is a job in and of itself. So if you need help tying it all together, or even taking it off your hands completely, let Moon 38 help!