If you have any experience with digital marketing in the last decade, there’s a good chance you know about the importance of online reviews.
With the web becoming increasingly sophisticated and more people turning to online search engines for the information they need, reviews continue to provide consumers with reliable testimonials and a personal touch to their online queries.
In 2022, online reviews remain one of the most important factors for businesses looking to expand their reach and build credibility for their brand. If this sounds like what you are trying to achieve, continue reading to learn more about why you should care about reviews.
Here are 3 big reasons you need to get online reviews in 2022:
1. Online Reviews Directly Affect SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the name of the game when it comes to online marketing. It’s no secret that the overwhelming majority of internet users turn to search engines to find what they need online.
Google and other search engines are constantly tweaking their ranking factors, but reviews are almost near the top in terms of importance. Location-based searches are trending upwards, and more people are turning to places like Google to find local products and services. This means that Google is attempting to cater to its userbase by highlighting reviews and promoting top-rated businesses.
Quality and quantity are both important when it comes to boosting your SEO through reviews, so it makes sense to have a review generation strategy if you want to rank highly in your area.
2. Your Audience is Looking for Reviews
According to recent studies, about 93% of consumers claim that online testimonials influence their purchasing decisions—the majority of which also say that they trust reviews just as much as personal recommendations.
This means that your online reviews can have a tremendous effect—both positive and negative—on your audience. Managing your online reputation is a great way to improve your lead generation and conversion rate, especially if users see authentic reviews praising your business.
3. Online Reviews Help You Build Brand Equity
Although it’s easy to focus on the numbers and your place in the search rankings, online reviews also provide you with less tangible but just as important benefits.
Feedback from real customers allows you to build credibility with your audience. Nothing helps you earn trust quite like testimonials to the quality of your services or products. Plus, by taking your reviews to heart, you may find helpful suggestions about how you can improve your business. Reviews can be a treasure trove of insights into your customer base: what they want out of a business like yours. What they expect from a business like yours. What they appreciate about a business like yours. Even negative can offer an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, and responding to them demonstrates that you truly care about your business.
Bottom line? Reviews are a crucial component to any business’s reputation, and getting good ones is a monumental first step to building a stellar web presence. Before you do anything else to market your services or grow your customer base, you should ask yourself: Am I doing enough to get online reviews?
Need to Level-Up Your Online-Review Strategy?
LinkNow’s Here to Help
Whether you need help getting more reviews or managing your online reputation, the team at LinkNow is here to help. Our innovative digital solutions make getting reviews from customers as easy as clicking a button. Save time, money, and effort—and see your business soar like never before.
Call us at 1.888.667.7186 or email website@linknowmedia.com for a free consultation.