As an author I learned long ago the importance of a good book review on Amazon. But what about business reviews, do they really matter?
YES. Let me repeat that so you are sure to hear me — HELL YES THEY MATTER.
When you Google your business to the right your business entry comes up and that is where your reviews are shown.
Consumers see online reviews almost every time they search. So yes, they are important. But more important than most people realize.
Simply put, more reviews = more traffic from search engines.
The more positive reviews you have on both Google and Facebook, the better your SEO results will be.
Positive business reviews legitimize a business and that makes Google happy.
So how do you get them? Well according to a recent survey, 70% of consumers will leave a review for a business when asked.
It really is that simple. When a customer is checking out, thank them for doing business with you and ask them to Google your company and post a review.
Other interesting insight from the survey about business reviews ….
- 90 percent of consumers read just 10 reviews or fewer before they feel that they can trust a business (vs. 87 percent in 2015).
- 32 percent of consumers form an opinion by reading one to three reviews.
- 68 percent of consumers form an opinion by reading one to six reviews.
- 68 percent of people say positive customer reviews make them more likely to use a local business.
- 83 percent of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation — if they meet their requirements (vs. 80 percent in 2015).
- Just 16 percent of consumers surveyed said that they don’t trust online reviews (vs. 20 percent in 2015).
- Authenticity is essential — over a quarter of consumers trust reviews more than personal recommendations only if they believe the review to be genuine.
- After reading positive reviews, 54 percent of consumers will visit the business’s website (48 percent in 2015).
- 19 percent will visit the business directly.
- 17 percent will search for additional reviews about the business.
Anyway, the main point is this … if asked, approximately 70 percent of consumers will leave a review for a business.
So start asking every customer you do business with to Google your company name and then leave a review or to post a review on Facebook.
It’s great for your SEO and that will bring you even more business!
A simple review not only refers others to do business with you, but it gives you a bonus of free traffic (free advertising) from search engines.
Wouldn’t you like more customers without having to pay money in advertising to get them?
Then remember that next time a customer is in your store. Thank them for doing business with you and then ask for that review!