Word of mouth and foot traffic used to be two of the ways for small companies to market themselves and grow. These days, instead of visiting the business itself, customers prefer to look them up online and research what others are saying about it.
After doing their online research, according to HubSpot data, over 70% of consumers choose to visit the physical location of the store, when it’s within a five-mile radius of their own location. Local businesses searches play a part in helping customers make a purchasing decision.
However, there are still plenty of other things that can influence a customer’s decision to buy from any business, even after they do their research online. User reviews is one of them. User review has become the new word of mouth promotion: the more reviews a business gets, the more influential that business becomes in the search results. For businesses that are doing good work, getting those user reviews is relatively easy.
Companies should claim their Google My Business profile, which is free and allows companies to have complete control over their listing in the Google searches. It also enables businesses to update some basic information about the company, like the address, business hours, website, and add photos of the company.
Reminders
Customers don’t leave reviews immediately after making their purchase because they need to experience the service or product fully. Businesses should remind them of their transaction via email, and request a review a few days or even a week after the customer has made the purchase.
Sharing reviews
After receiving a positive review, businesses should maximize their reach and share them with the public on their social media profiles. It’s a great way for businesses to grow and improve their SEO, and many people like seeing their opinions and comments being shared and supported by the businesses they are supporting.
Responses
It doesn’t matter if the review is positive or negative, companies should do their best to respond to every single one they receive on Google. Often, this is what leads to even more reviews.
When responding to negative reviews, it’s smart to be careful and offer the customers help to make things right, which can lead to the customer changing their review. Arguing with them could make things worse.
Over the top
Going above and beyond customers’ expectations is the best and a surefire way that businesses can receive a positive online review. It’s also a great way for businesses to build a strong relationship with customers and gain their loyalty and trust, which can really make any business grow.