Top reputation management builder tips and tricks in 2021? Case studies and theory can be misleading. Reality doesn’t always follow a logic, and there are always outliers. But there’s a growing body of benchmark data that proves that reviews do empirically lead to increased revenue. A study by the Harvard Business School found that online reviews can demonstrably impact your bottom line. Brands that are viewed positively have better sales, but even improving your star rating can have a positive effect on your sales. According to the study, a one-star improvement on Yelp.com leads to a boost of 5% to 9% on sales in the short term. Even a small improvement can have a massive impact. In a 2016 study, Revoo found that online reviews drive an average of 18% sales uplift, with benefits including increased conversion rates, order sizes and repeat order rates. And a landmark Berkeley study from as long ago as 2011 found that a half-star improvement for a restaurant made it 30% to 49% more likely to fill up at peak hours. If readers like what they see, they’ll show it with their wallets.
With so many platforms on the internet, where do consumers go to read customer reviews? Google is by far the most popular channel people turn to for reviews, with approximately 57 percent of shoppers using it (Bizrate Insights, 2019). This is followed by a business’ own website at just over 40 percent and Yelp and Facebook at around 20 percent each. However, featuring reviews on your own ecommerce website may not be sufficient to convince customers. Only one in five consumers say they fully trust the reviews on brands’ websites, while a staggering 70 percent say they “somewhat” trust them. The importance of reviews cannot be denied. But as these online review statistics show, it’s also crucial to diversify the places where customers can read reviews about your products and business.
Engaging with online reviews — the good and the bad — can help you win new prospects. An article on Reviewtrackers.com gave some great examples of how you can respond to positive reviews and negative reviews. One of the best approaches to take when responding to comments is personalizing your replies. Prospects will notice your commitment to providing the best customer service and appreciate that you are not just cutting and pasting a generic response. We recommend moving conversations involving negative reviews offline. Whether by email or phone call, the best way to create a positive outcome from a negative review is by speaking with the reviewer directly and addressing the manner in a more immediate fashion.
Get a second chance with unhappy customers? A simple system to proactively collect and use feedback from all your customers. Solicit happy customers to share positive experiences on sites of your choice using automated email and text/sms.? Avoid negative reviews on social media and review sites with our easy to use system.? Reach unhappy customers before they leave a review by directing them through our review funnel.? A simple dashboard to manage all your customer reviews! See extra details at review reputation builder software.
Your brand is your reputation. And in today’s digitally driven world, news about your business—both good and bad—travels fast. No matter your marketing strategy, consumers are more likely to trust their peers. That’s why online sellers should think of customers as potential brand advocates, not one-off transactions Customer service expert Bill Quiseng put it best when he said “You do not define your brand. Your customers do,” meaning that treating your customers right and offering the best possible experience is key to defining your brand. This is where referral marketing (or word-of-mouth marketing) comes in.