As a business owner, you know about the power of online marketing. Social media, quality content, and even banner ads all increase your revenue by drawing in potential customers. Do you about the power of local reviews, though?
It’s an area of the online realm that business owners tend to ignore. However, it happens to be one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. Recently, owners have begun to harness the power of reviews to boos their revenue to new heights. Here’s why local reviews matter and how you can make them work for you.
Consumers Rely on Reviews
You might not think that a lot of people read reviews, but studies show otherwise. In a recent survey, 84% of consumers turn to your five-star rating before deciding if they want your business. They rely on the experiences of others to determine if you provide quality customer service and products. Within that 84%, the majority range in age from 18 to 34.
No matter what your target audience looks like, you should count on the majority of those individuals reading what other customers say about your business. The 18 to 34 group is also more likely to treat a review like the recommendation of a friend.
Today, reviews act like word of mouth marketing. Instead of turning to a friend or neighbor, people trust the experiences of your previous customers. However, that word of mouth effect is multiplied by ten in the online realm. One person has the ability to reach a thousand or more. It’s a massive domino effect that you can begin to take control of.
The Local Umbrella
If you’re still unsure of the impact local reviews have, take a look at these Schoenberg Family Law Group reviews. The San Francisco Bay Area is flooded with law firms, but Schoenberg stays ahead of the crowd by maintaining a rating above 4.5 stars. Even better, they have 51 five-star ratings out of all 66 reviews. Anyone searching for a lawyer in their local area is going to see and trust the positive feedback they receive.
Making Reviews Work for You
Now that you know the power of local reviews, it’s vital that you learn how to take charge of this valuable tool and make it work for your business. That’s something that used to be impossible, but companies like Bird Eye are giving business owners the edge.
With today’s latest tech, you not only have the power to encourage consumers to review your brand but to get ahead of negative feedback as soon as possible. You can customize templates to send to consumers after they purchase a product or service thanks to the ability to see their ratings and comments in real time.
Even better, you can reach out to dissatisfied customers immediately. The ability to remedy a negative situation is invaluable. Having potential business see your proactive customer service approach is vital to bringing in new business. In some cases, reviewers even change their rating based on how well you handle the situation.
While it’s true that a handful of negative ratings can impact your potential business by up to 70%, you have the ability to take the power of local reviews and make them work in your favor. All it takes is a single tool and a proactive approach to quality customer service.