In a recent interview, the controversial band Nickelback told an interviewer that had it not been for the word-of-mouth reviews from their fans they would never have become so successful. This can be seen as a pretty strong indication of how important reviews from friends and family can be, and a recent study indicates 84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. As a result, it is becoming apparent that online reviews aren’t just critical for consumers, but inbound marketing strategies as well.
Online reviews can speak volumes about the product or service they pertain too. Speaking about how an online review has caused trouble for a local business has become a common news story. Plus, with convenient search functions users can quickly see the best customer experiences and the worst as well. It is functions like these that can make or break a company’s public image, and therefore producing not only quality experiences, but also moderating reviews accordingly is essential.
Furthermore, people are often willing to take reviews at face value. A recent survey suggest that 68% of users will only read 4 reviews before making their decision. This means that having high ratings with good personal experiences showcased can increase the reputation of businesses even more.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is also majorly affected by positive or negative reviews. If a website has high quality content, keyword inclusion, easy-to-use design it does help search engines choose the website over competitors, but if the results on the first page show many negative reviews consumers will still shy away from the business. However, reviews can be moderated and maintained at a high standard with the help of a digital marketing agency . And when a business is rated highly, it actually increases the cumulative effects of SEO and helps businesses move closer to the top spot of search results. Encouraging reviews helps to get the ball is rolling and the more organic reviews that appear regularly, the better it is for a company’s reputation.
These are only some of the ways that online reviews can influence a company’s brand recognition. If websites don’t implement the most current design trends, or if they lack quality content, then it can still be difficult to grow an online presence. Working with a digital marketing agency makes this process simple and straightforward, so that clients can rest assured that the company image they want to portray is maintained while continuing to encourage new leads and digital growth.
