Each month we’ll be de-busting a common marketing myth to find out whether they are in fact TRUE or a TIME WASTER.
This month’s question:
“Nobody reads reviews anymore, they’re full of subjective opinions and cannot be trusted.“
This is definitely a Time Waster! As they say, the stats don’t lie…
According to a 2020 survey conducted by Bright Local, 82% of consumers read online reviews for businesses before making a purchase.
Pretty conclusive!
Why do small businesses need online reviews?
For many local businesses, having the right amount, and, the right quality of online reviews can be the difference between surviving or failing. Businesses that have five or more reviews increased the likelihood of consumers making a purchase by 270% compared to those having zero reviews (Bright Local). It’s already clear to see that reviews still play a pivotal role in a customer’s decision making process.
Not only do reviews impact a customer’s decision to purchase, but they are also a significant factor in terms of ranking locally, and ultimately help businesses be more visible on Google.
Here’s what Google say about reviews:
“High-quality, positive reviews from your customers can improve your business visibility and increase the likelihood that a shopper will visit your location.”
“Google review count and review score factor into local search ranking. More reviews and positive ratings can improve your business’ local ranking.”
What can you do to harness the power of reviews?
In order to get the best out of your reviews, you need to be getting frequent, positive reviews on your GMB (Google My Business) page. If you’ve not got enough reviews, then you need to be proactive in asking your customers to leave a review, whenever they use your services or purchase a product – a simple reminder to let them know it’s quick and easy to leave a review.
“48% of consumers only pay attention to reviews within the past 2 weeks” (Bright Local)
…so it’s really important to consistently have new reviews appearing on your GMB.
As well as asking for reviews, you need to be replying to your customers’ reviews in a timely manner. Your customers will take notice that you are valuing their time and input, potentially leading to more reviews in the future. This will help your business to become more trustworthy in the eyes of potential customers and Google.
If you don’t have any reviews yet, you may want to start the process of generating reviews – as we’ve seen, they are so important in building trust, ranking locally and getting more customers.
Alternatively, have a chat with our Digital Growth Experts to find out how our Known Locally team can help maximise your GMB page.
1. https://www.brightlocal.com/resources/online-reviews-statistics-2020/
2. https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091?hl=en-GB
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