Make the most of online reviews

If your company is not already utilizing customer reviews online, now is the time to get on board. According to the website Search Engine Land, studies increasingly find that online reviews have a major influence on potential customers’ buying decisions. Nearly 90 percent of customers surveyed said they trust online reviews just as much as recommendations from their family and friends, and that positive reviews make them more inclined to trust in the business being marketed.

This has started a new trend among consumers called “social proof” — proof that everyday people who could be considered peers like a product or service your company is providing. More reviews equate to establishing your company as credible and trustworthy.

Here are a few ways to maximize online reviews for your business:

• Quality. For maximum effectiveness, reviews should be more than a “star” rating or number ranking. Provide customers an opportunity to leave comments related to their experience as this boosts credibility even more. 
• Quantity. Customers tend to believe that companies with a high number of reviews warrant more trust. If you’re starting with zero reviews, start with a goal of getting 10 reviews and you should start to see an increase in conversions as well. Be sure to tell your customers where and how to leave reviews.
• Respond. With this process, there is the potential for negative reviews. While it might be tempting to censor, delete or ignore them, it won’t help your business. Turn these criticisms into an opportunity by responding in a constructive, helpful and efficient way.
• Repurpose. Once you have accumulated reviews, put them to use across various communication channels. Use them in your videos, on social media and email campaigns — or in any of your marketing efforts. You’ve earned the positive feedback, so use it.
• SEO. These reviews can — believe it or not — boost your search engine optimization in a few different ways. It will help you rank for long-tail keywords — any keywords specific to your business and left in the review comments — and by increasing your chance that your business will show up in search results for specific products and services.

Perhaps the easiest way to gather reviews is to embed a review form on your website. However, there are several other ways to get online reviews, such as setting up an account on Yelp, using your Facebook page and especially incorporating reviews into your Google business profile. These are all great for increasing your exposure, but Google is particularly important, because it is the primary search engine for all online searches. 

For additional information about branding your business and general marketing assistance, visit Marketing Minutes at ARArental.org. These short and to-the-point videos, along with accompanying links, can help American Rental Association (ARA) members develop or enhance marketing initiatives.