How to Ensure Your Online Reviews Get You Business

Every successful business relies on reviews.

In the past, it was word-of-mouth recommendations from friends or family.

If you wanted to go to the movies on the weekend, you’d pick up the local newspaper and read what film critics had to say.

In today’s digital world, it’s online reviews that people turn to when needing advice on purchasing decisions. By focusing your marketing efforts on acquiring more of the right reviews, you can grow your business without funneling more money toward expenses like paid ads.

The big question is, how do you improve your online reviews or even get people to leave reviews that lead to more sales in the first place?

Below, you’ll find everything you need to whip your online reputation into shape, from which review platforms to focus on to how to ask for reviews that’ll actually make a difference to your bottom line.

Why Are Good Online Reviews Important?

Online reviews play a crucial part in the success of your business. Eight-seven percent of consumers read online reviews to decide what to buy, where to stay, and which restaurant to visit.

If you’re neglecting your reviews, you’re operating with a major hindrance.

Here’s why:

Reviews influence search engine rankings: According to a Moz study, review signals make up around 15 percent of ranking factors. The more good reviews you have, the higher up your business will appear on local search results.
Social proof influences purchases and fosters trust: If someone else has had a good experience with a brand, we feel more confident in giving them our money. So much so that 78 percent of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a business more.
Reviews help with decision making: If you’re unsure which product to buy from two different brands, online reviews can help take the anxiety out of making the wrong decision.