The global marketplace has gone digital, and this gives small business models wider access to that marketplace. Using SEO (search engine optimization) tactics, digital marketing experts like ours can help your small business rank higher in results when a consumer searches for products like yours. One way to improve search engine ranking is through customer reviews.
The modern consumer is educated. People no longer make big purchases based on prime-time television commercials or banner ads. They want the facts about products and services, including what other customers are saying.
At Outreach Digital Marketing, we work with customers across the country to develop and streamline customer ratings through our unique review management services. Here, we will discuss the top 5 reasons small businesses benefit from online review management.
1. Customers are Looking for Reviews
If you want to develop a positive reputation for your brand, reviews are a significant step in the process. Taking advantage of online review management with your digital marketing company makes your reviews more visible and visibility is key. Customers are looking for reviews. In fact, 93% of online shoppers will read product reviews before trying something new.
If your small business doesn’t have reviews, but a nearby competitor does, it could mean you end up losing sales.
2. High Ratings Equal High ROI
Your digital marketing company knows what consumers are looking for and can help you get the reviews you need to push your brand to the top. Research shows that the average online shopper won’t even bother with a brand displaying customer ratings under four stars. So, for every review you have with only three stars or less, you need to tack on extra four to five-star reviews to bring your average up.
The key to increasing ratings is reaching out to happy clients. Customers who have enjoyed your service or product and would recommend you to friends and family may not always remember to review your service. You and your SEO team can determine the best way to reach out and get those ratings naturally.
3. SEO Experts Get Consumer and Commercial Reviews
Today, you need more than just a few customer reviews to land yourself at the top of your game. Consumers are looking to ensure you are an authority in your field. This is where having other businesses and local partners reviewing your services can be beneficial.
Whether you are a landscaping company that partners with local pool maintenance businesses or a real estate brokerage partnering with a local bank, these connections can pay off if they lead to online reviews and backlinks.
4. Speed of Review Accumulation
At Outreach Digital marketing, we like to focus on quality over quantity in a lot of ways. However, where review management is concerned, it helps to have a high velocity of review accumulation.
The speed at which your business brings in reviews reflects on your relevance within your industry, your community, and your authority as a small business in your field. Working with an SEO company can ensure your reviews are not only coming in quickly but consistently, proving to potential new customers and search engines that you are still doing your best to give customers what they need.
5. Assortment of Reviewers
Diversity matters in online reviews. Otherwise, your business page will look like a well-manicured ad for your small business. What you need is a wide range of reviewers from local to global customers. Men, women, younger, older, working individuals, stay-at-home parents, all of the above should be visible in your reviews. Why? So that every customer feels represented in your brand and in your ratings.
We can show you how to extend review requests to the clients you need to hear from, while still obtaining an assortment of diverse responses. The world is not made up of one type of customer, and it’s important to hear from multiple shoppers to give an honest picture of your small business and how it serves your loyal clients.
Contact Outreach Digital Marketing for Small Business Online Review Management
At Outreach Digital Marketing, we use a bespoke approach to search engine optimization and review management. We work with you to fully understand your brand’s voice and purpose, curating a digital marketing plan based on your individual needs.
If you are a small business looking to improve SEO and digital marketing, we can help you manage your online reputation! Get in touch today.
* Do Consumers Read Online Reviews For Local Businesses & How Often Did Consumers Use The Internet To Find Local Business Information In The Last Year images credit goes to: Bright Local.