Why are Customer Reviews so Important?
Research shows that over 72% of consumers now look to online reviews before purchasing, clearly showing that customers trust what others say about you more than what you say about yourself! Tools such as google and social reviews are effective systems for collecting customer feedback; this is key when unlocking new opportunities and building your brand family. By understanding overall customer satisfaction, we’ll explore why customer reviews matter so much in today’s competitive marketplace and how businesses should use them to their advantage.
Here’s just a few key points:
- 9 out of 10 consumers worldwide rely on reviews when discovering a new business.
- 58% of customers are even willing to spend more or travel further for places with good reviews.
- When people want to learn more about a product or service, 59% of them expect responses within just half an hour.
- Reviews can have a big impact on sales, with an average uplift of 18%!
If you’re aiming for purchases, ratings in the range of 4.0 to 4.7 are where it’s at. - Believe it or not, nearly 30% of online reviews are fake, and consumers can’t always tell the difference.
- Do you know who’s got a keen eye for fake reviews? 89% of 18-34-year-olds!
- Negative reviews are no joke! In fact, 71% of survey respondents say they’re just as critical as positive ones when making purchasing decisions.
- Here’s something to keep in mind: a whopping 89% of consumers actually browse through a company’s responses to reviews.
What if we receive a bad review?
We all know how disappointing it can be when we ourselves have a negative experience – but it’s important to remember that customer feedback can be incredibly valuable! By prioritising customer processes and encouraging all customers to leave reviews, businesses can gain invaluable insights and use them to improve their services. We can’t get it perfect 100% of the time, so chances are you may receive a bad review, but this also adds to the integrity of your business. Imagine only seeing good reviews of a company; would you be suspicious? Are they genuine? You have access to free advertising, as reviews help customers make decisions about a product or service. How you respond will determine whether a bad review turns customers away. They can be used to tailor marketing efforts, such as creating targeted ads or offering special promotions. Reviews also help build trust with the people who love or will love your brand, and they can read about others’ experiences with the business when you give customers a voice. Their feedback really can be a goldmine for businesses, whether good or bad – so make the most of it!
How can I make sure our Customer Reviews are building?
- Create different avenues for customers to leave reviews & share the best comments you received. Make the option easy to find and keep it simple to fill out.
- Respond to reviews with empathy, confidence and urgency.
- Let your customers connect with your company by cultivating an online community on social platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
This is a great place to start.
