Online reviews have been called the new social proof, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that these can make or break your brand.
While good reviews can drive hesitant buyers into action, bad ones may even push away your most loyal customers. That’s the power of customer reviews.
A 5-star review by a customer is the dream, isn’t it? However, a lot goes into making it come true.
A stellar review means that you were courteous at your job, solved their issues flawlessly, and that they returned from your business with a smile on their face. It means that your exceptional service or product drove them to proactively visit a review site to say good things about your business.
Reviews & Future Prospects
Do people really scan through reviews while making a purchasing decision? Yes, an overwhelming number of them clearly do. According to a poll conducted by Trustpilot, 9 out of 10 customers read reviews before buying something. They consider reviews of your previous customers as authentic testimonials.
But that’s not all. With an increase in the number of positive reviews, brand perception gets a favorable boost. At the same time, how you respond to reviews also matters a great deal. This gives customers an insight into what kind of an experience and treatment they can expect from your business.
In this scenario, it is important to acknowledge bad/scammy reviews and to flag fraudulent ones that have the potential to harm your business’s online reputation. Not responding to customer feedback may lead to the creation of a negative impression amongst prospects in the long run.
Reviews & Brand Messaging
Did you know that your customers can tell you a lot about the highlights of your brand through the reviews they leave on third-party sites? That’s right. Through the positive ones, you get to know your strengths, which you can use in your marketing campaigns.
If you have a lot of great reviews, you will clearly spot a pattern. For instance, there may be words such as, “fast,” “on time,” or “professional.” Clearly, for most of your customers, a few things helped you stand out.
These words can be the foundation of your online marketing campaigns, which will inevitably draw the attention of more such prospective customers. In addition to this, you can also use such information to develop relevant blog posts, brochures, and FAQs around your products and services.
Summary
All in all, reviews help your customers to know that your business is a credible and trustworthy one. It has the power to influence opinions and, therefore, holds the key to boosting sales in a short span of time. But you can also go a step further with customer reviews. By approaching them as valuable datasets that give you an outsider’s viewpoint into your business, you can leverage them to improve your offerings and to surge ahead of your competitors.
Faisal Abidi
