Almost nine out of 10 consumers read reviews before making purchases. In fact, 97% read reviews while searching for local businesses. Over 70% say that reviews increase trust in a company.
Generating fresh reviews can help boost your company’s reputation. Without reviews, however, consumers might think you’re not worthy of their trust.
Not sure if you want to dedicate resources to online reputation management? Here are nine reasons managing reputation services are essential to your company’s success.
After reading this guide, you can make an informed choice for your business.
Read on to discover the importance of company reputation management today.
1. Make a Positive Impression
Think about the information consumers find when they first encounter your brand or Google your business. It’s important to make sure the information they find shines you in a positive light. Otherwise, they’ll turn their attention toward other brands.
Company reputation management services can help you make a strong first impression.
On-the-fence consumers can learn about your business through your recent customers. If people only have positive things to say, new shoppers will like what they see. They might feel comfortable enough to give your business a try.
Without company reputation management, you might not generate reviews. If consumers can’t learn about your business, they might think it’s a risk to trust you.
If you’re only generating negative reviews, they’ll turn away altogether.
Instead, you can make a strong, positive first impression with positive reviews. You can start impressing customers from the start. Once they give you a try, they’ll understand what everyone was raving about.
Then, they might decide to give you a positive review, too.
2. Boost SEO Rankings
About 92% of consumers will pick a business on the first page of local search results. Meanwhile, nearly 70% of activities online start with a search. As many as 50% of all Google searches are local, too.
When someone searches for your product or service, your Google Business profile could appear. Consumers can post reviews on your profile. Generating positive reviews could help boost your search engine rankings.
Higher search engine rankings will ensure consumers see your brand before any other during a search. Improving your rankings will also help you generate:
- Brand awareness and recognition
- Website traffic
- Brand trust and loyalty
- Credibility and authority
Without online reputation management, your Google Business star rating might drop. As your star rating drops, your search ranking might as well.
Instead, you can use company reputation services to respond quickly to consumers who leave you reviews. You can find new ways to generate fresh reviews, too. As you engage with customers and generate more reviews, Google will take notice.
It might boost your rankings, benefiting your local search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Then, you can appear in front of more consumers than ever before.
When they see your Google Business profile, they can read reviews to learn about your business. They can also click on links to visit your website, get directions to your store, or call you. Then, you can generate even more engagement and leads for your business.
3. Increase Brand Visibility
Consumers won’t start shopping from your business if they never learn you exist in the first place. Online reputation management services can help you generate fresh reviews. As more people talk about your business, your search engine rankings will improve.
Higher rankings could help boost your brand visibility.
When consumers search for your product or service, your business might appear as a result. Then, consumers can read reviews to learn about your brand.
As people post reviews that feature relevant keywords, their reviews might pop up as search results, too.
Each time you appear in front of a consumer, brand awareness will grow. With repeat exposure, awareness can grow into recognition. Then, you can begin remaining top-of-mind with shoppers.
The next time they need your product or service, they’ll recall seeing your brand online. They’ll remember the positive reviews they read, too. Then, they might decide to go straight to your website.
Boosting brand awareness and recognition can help your business grow.
4. Learn From Your Customers
It’s difficult to learn about your customers if you’re not hearing from them. Gathering insights from your customers could prove crucial to your success. Otherwise, you might struggle to make informed changes to your business.
Online reputation management services can help you learn from your customers.
For example, you can determine whether or not they’re happy. If they’re not, you can determine what problems they’re experiencing. You can hear their opinions to determine how to ensure their happiness, too.
If you’re not making these improvements to your business, customers might take notice. They might think you’re unwilling to change.
If consumers think you don’t care about their wants or needs, they might turn away from your business. They’ll choose a brand that better understands their expectations.
It’s important to respond quickly when consumers voice problems and concerns, too.
Reputation management services will ensure immediate responses. Consumers will feel more confident in your brand if you’re willing to help. You can improve your customer service and show consumers you care about their experiences.
5. Gain Brand Trust
Consumers might decide not to trust your business if they can’t learn more about you. Generating positive reviews can help foster brand trust. Consumers might feel more inclined to trust you if others have trusted you in the past.
Generating brand trust can help you gain first-time sales. In time, trust can grow into brand loyalty. Consumers will keep coming back to your business over the years.
Boosting brand loyalty and your customer retention rate can boost your ROI.
Without company reputation services, you’ll lack the social proof consumers need to learn more about you. Instead, you can use reviews to boost your brand’s credibility.
Ranking ahead of your competitors on search engine result pages can boost your credibility, too. Consumers might feel more inclined to trust you if you appear at the top of a page for a search.
6. Boost Site Traffic
Remember, your Google Business profile will display your website. If your profile appears for relevant searches, you can generate website traffic.
Google will recognize you’re generating traffic before boosting your ranking further. When you reach the top of a search, consumers will see your brand first. They’ll visit your website before any other.
Generating more website traffic could help you generate more leads and sales.
You can also generate website traffic through other websites.
For example, consumers might post their reviews on Yelp or online forums. If they link their review to your website, you can generate referral traffic. Referral traffic could boost your rankings as well.
With company reputation management services, you can attract more customers to your site than ever before.
7. Keep Competing
If your competitors already have a strong reputation in the industry, you might struggle to compete. Managing reputation services can help you get ahead.
You can continue generating fresh reviews throughout the year. Consumers will notice you have more five-star ratings than your competitors. They’ll start comparing you to bigger businesses in the industry, too.
Small businesses will have an easier time getting ahead of long-established businesses as a result.
Meanwhile, you can track the latest reputation management trends to find new ways to get ahead.
You can learn more from Peter Dodge Bridgehampton today.
8. Maintain Transparency
Consumers are growing increasingly concerned about transparency. Show consumers you have nothing to hide with company reputation services.
First, it’s important that you not delete your negative reviews. Instead, reputation services will ensure you respond to those reviews right away.
Remember, fast responses will show consumers you care about their needs and concerns. You can offer a solution to remedy the problem.
If consumers wait too long for a response, they might get even more frustrated.
If you fix the problem, however, they might decide to change their review. In fact, they might even thank you for offering a solution and caring about their needs.
Online reputation management services will show consumers you care. Meanwhile, you won’t have to find time to respond to every review. Instead, a professional team can handle the process for you.
With their help, you can maintain the brand trust you’ve generated, too.
9. Increase Your ROI
When products generate five reviews, the likelihood of purchases increases by 270%.
If a business has over nine current reviews, they earn 52% more revenue on average. Businesses with over 25 current reviews earn 108% more.
Customers even spend 31% more when a business has positive reviews.
Improving your online reputation can help you generate more leads and reviews. You won’t have to rely on costly outbound marketing services, either. Instead, you can use a cost-effective strategy to boost your ROI.
Improving your ROI will help your business grow!
5 Stars: Enjoy the Benefits of Online Reputation Management Today
Set your business up for lasting growth and success. Consider investing in online reputation management services this year. Improving your company’s reputation can help you attract new customers.
Meanwhile, you can stand out from the competition, impress consumers, and boost your ROI!
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