Image credit: samedaypapers.comWhy Reviews Matter: Leveraging the Power of Reviews for Your Business
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Picture this.
You and your family have just returned from an incredible trip to the Caribbean. Your resort was lovely, the staff was kind and the vacation completely exceeded your expectations. After unpacking, you hop online to leave a glowing, 5-star review of the resort you stayed at on their Facebook page. You are more than happy to share your great experience with other potential customers and let the resort know you had a great time.
Why is this situation any different from what your customers’ feel after your team has successfully completed a big project or installation, or launched a new product to market?
It’s not.
Regardless of what products or services your business offers, it is important for potential customers to see real people engaging and talking about your brand. Social media reviews give customers the opportunity to share genuine experiences and information about your business and potential customers the chance to learn more about your brand and the services and quality of work you offer.
So why do online reviews matter for your business? Here are three reasons why you should care about social media reviews and encourage customers to post them:
Online Reviews are Trusted
According to Search Engine Land, 88% of consumers trust online reviews more than a personal recommendation. Potential customers know that you cannot buy Facebook reviews and that the ones that exist have been left by real, genuine users. People are coming to your page to leave authentic accounts of their experience with your brand and to help others make the choice to use your business.
Customers Make Purchase-Making Decisions Based on Reviews
Most customers will go to a business’ Facebook page and read through reviews before committing to a purchase. These reviews offer a sense of credibility to your business and potential customers can tell that real people left these reviews and chose to share their experience with your business online. The more reviews you have, the more customers will feel confident spending their money with you.
Opportunity to Provide Good Customer Service
If a customer ends up having a bad experience with your business, they will likely take to social media first to voice their concerns, as it is so easily accessible and they can post right from their phone. While a negative review can be alarming at first, this is actually a great chance to engage with that customer and address the issue head-on instead of shying away from it. Not only will it give you the opportunity to make things right with the unhappy customer but it also shows prospective customers that you take customer service seriously and are willing to tackle any problems they may have faced.
Social media is a great way to strengthen your customer relationships online.
Ready to get started? Learn more about how to leverage Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for your business by enrolling in our Social Media Master Class at Caster Academy .