The successes of many businesses in the antiquated years of ink and paper are partly because of the positive reviews they receive. That is a fact. When one says something good about a product, naturally another person will want to prove it either right or wrong. Especially from a person or from an entity with strong credibility for a specific business type, the reviews are likely to be perceived as more convincing.
Online businesses have also become a fad for the past few years. They have been existing in such a manner that we almost cannot imagine the Internet without them.
Online or offline, businesses are like a pile of books stacked on a second-hand book shop shelf. In order to be handpicked by a meticulous reader, a specific book needs to stand out from the rest – by the synopsis of its content, by the integrity of its author, and by its starred reviews.
Today, in order to establish a sturdy list of positive reviews, businesses make use of social media services where apparently more number of people frequent. Perhaps the best way to generate more reviews is to create a business page on any of the more popular social media sites. By the end of this article, a person will know more about that plus the following:
- How important are online reviews to your business
- How to get more positive reviews for your business
- Top sites to collect online reviews
The Significance of Online Reviews for Your Business
Businesses have been relying for the longest time on newspaper reviews and magazine reviews. Today, do online reviews make the same amount of difference? Yes, in fact, even greater. Why is it important for your business to have an arsenal of positive online reviews? Just take into consideration the following facts from the Local Consumer Review Survey (2012):- 52% of consumers reported that positive customer reviews make them more likely to use a local business compared to just 28%, who make their selection based on other factors like location and price.
- 52% of consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations -- provided they look authentic and less spammy, or with real people as authors.
If those are still not enough, consider the following quick facts:
- 89% of consumers viewed online sources of product and service reviews as trustworthy.
- In 2011, 85% of those surveyed said they’d be more likely to purchase if they could find additional recommendations online.
How to Get More Positive Reviews for Your Business
Positive online reviews can be a boon, while the negative ones can put a ding on your business. Learn how to bulletproof your business from inevitable online attacks with these simple steps and tips:Build a social media page and/or website for your business. But don’t just build it, update it. Fill up the About information, showcase your products and services, make it look professional and everything that a business website should be. For cheaper value, you can always opt to avail of social media services and create a Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ pages.
Consider asking for reviews. Not necessarily good reviews, but just honest reviews. Buying a fake review will never work. And remember, it’s better to receive a good number of positive plus a few negative than just a singular positive review.
Acknowledge positive reviews. It’s the least you can do.
Respond to negative reviews in a nice and quick manner. While most of the time, businesses’ reaction will be to defend themselves, it is always more appropriate to respond as quickly as possible and answer their concerns in a modest, but not apologetic manner. A negative reaction to a negative review may even cause greater complications.
Contact negative reviewers that go overboard personally. If the negative reviews are too much to handle publicly (i.e. spamming your review section or getting too personal with their reviews), then it’s the time to handle them personally but still with modestly. Netizens can get overboard sometimes, so make sure they know their limitations.
Top Sites to Collect Online Reviews
If you want to check out how your business is doing in the online realm, it’s best to know what others are saying, no matter how good or bad they might say. There are a number of sites (and social media sites) where your business can take its first stepping stone towards making a reputation online:- Yelp
- Google+ reviews
- Yahoo local listings
- Angie’s List
- Insider pages
- City search
- Consumer reports
Make a name for your business in online realm by availing of social media services in Birmingham now.
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