Gathering reviews from customers is a vital component for every company now. Turn the clock back 10 years and word of mouth was really the only form that benefited from having a glowing review. However, with numerous places outside of listings such as Trustist, Proven Expert and other review aggregator, it has become much easier to gather them and show them.
Word of mouth is one of the oldest and most effective forms of marketing, and its influence is on the rise as traditional marketing becomes more expensive and less effective. In the past, word of mouth was limited to person-to-person communication. Today, the viral nature of the internet allows conversations to quickly spread around the world and influence millions of people. This fact, coupled with a growing distrust for traditional advertising, has made online ratings and reviews one of the most powerful factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions.
Benefits for Customers
- Established more trust in the product and company
- Gives consumers a voice
- More interaction on the website
Online reviews give ordinary consumers a voice and are particularly important since an online customer can’t go into a physical store to ask questions or test out the product. The shift in shopping from in-store to online has made consumers wary from the very beginning. Reviews help to reduce this apprehension and re-establish the trust between consumers and merchants that is lacking in the e-Commerce marketplace.
- Enhances customer service
- Increase sales
Ratings and reviews provide tremendous value to merchants as well. They provide businesses with valuable market research and help them better understand the opinions and needs of their customers. Ratings and reviews are also critical to customer service. They provide the merchant with an opportunity to monitor customer satisfaction and address any problems that are brought up in a review. Lastly, ratings and reviews provide your customers with the information they need to feel confident in making an online purchase, and in doing so, can dramatically increase your sales.
Benefits for Placement on Google
- Improve rankings
- New and unique content about your company
- Keyword rich
Ratings and reviews also enhance your search engine optimization efforts. Look at some examples below of listings online to see spots for reviews and feedback of customers.