Reviews are essential to marketing, and their importance cannot be overstated.
Here are 5 reasons why:
Social Proof: Reviews act as social proof and provide credibility to your brand. When potential customers see positive reviews from other customers, they are more likely to trust your business and make a purchase.
Customer Engagement: Reviews provide an opportunity for customers to engage with your brand. When customers leave reviews, they are providing feedback that you can use to improve your products or services.
SEO Benefits: Reviews can help boost your search engine rankings. Search engines like Google take into account the number and quality of reviews when ranking websites.
Brand Reputation: Reviews can also impact your brand’s reputation. A high number of positive reviews can enhance your reputation, while negative reviews can damage it. Responding to both positive and negative reviews can help you build a strong brand reputation.
Sales: Reviews can also increase sales. According to a study by BrightLocal, 91% of consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Positive reviews can lead to more sales, while negative reviews can lead to lost sales.
The most important review platforms are:
- First and foremost Google (with a Google Business Profile, previously called Google My Business) Google is the #1 search engine and a good, optimized Google business profile will pop up in most cases showing Google reviews
- Yelp if you are in the restaurant/hospitality business and some types of service businesses
- Travel sites if you are in the hospitality industry
- Major shopping sites if you sell products
Overall, reviews are a crucial part of marketing that can help you build trust, engage with customers, improve your search rankings, enhance your brand reputation, and increase sales.