A well-established reputation has long been the most powerful marketing tool for businesses in any industry. Previously, developing goodwill involved providing quality goods or services to encourage positive feedback via word of mouth.
Nowadays, social proof mainly takes the form of online ratings and reviews. These are far more powerful than many business leaders realize. According to industry research, 91% of 18-34-year-old consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
These online reviews are powerful because they provide the consumer with information without much research. Why take the time to look into the product when you can read someone else’s experience with it?
Positive reviews can lead to substantial increases in revenue. If someone is willing to write a positive review for the product, it reassures the potential buyer interested in it. Negative feedback, however, can cause irreparable damage.
While consumers may eventually forget to remove bad reviews, bad reviews remain highly visible for years — and when information about the competition is so readily available, few customers are willing to give poorly-rated businesses the benefit of the doubt.
Strengthen your customer loyalty, improve your online reputation, and increase your sales!