5 Reasons Why Reviews Are Good For Your Brand
Internet sensation and Barstool Sports founder, Dave Portnoy, has made his mark on the pizza industry. Every day he goes to a different pizza restaurant across the country and tries their cheese pizza, leaving brutally honest reviews for his millions of followers on social media. The impact? Greater than any pizza restaurant could ever imagine. The Dave Portnoy Effect, which it is often referred to, can make or break any pizza establishment. His effect can even be felt in the frozen pizza world. Portnoy reviewed an Atlanta-based frozen pizza company, Carlo’s Pizza, and gave it a phenomenal review. Carlo’s released a statement to its consumers the next day, stating they received over 4,000 orders with 20,000 pizzas to make and ship out! Pizza places now treat him with the utmost respect, knowing the major impact he has had on establishments and could potentially their own establishment. It also brings businesses back to reality to what really matters in the business world—what customers have to say about your company!
The same effect can be felt across all types of businesses, no matter how big or small, from online customer reviews on platforms, such as Google and Yelp.
1. Increase credibility
One of the most obvious explanations for the positive impact’s reviews can have on a business is the credibility factor that’s created. Credibility builds brand loyalty for many customers and keeps them coming back. Continuous positive reviews can not only solidify your loyal customers but brings in more curious customers that want to try a new experience. But the question is, does a negative review have a large impact on that credibility you worked hard to build? In a sea of positive reviews, a few bad reviews will not be a huge blow to your established credibility. However, ignoring them isn’t recommended, because it’s important to recognize flaws and correct them to improve your credibility for the future of your business.
2. Makes you visible
In a world where every business has some sort of competition, it’s crucial to set yourself apart from them. This can be done with an abundance of positive reviews. As consumers, we are all guilty of looking at reviews when deciding between 2 or 3 different restaurants or stores to go to, and without a doubt, we always choose the one with the better reviews. They make your business stand out and make you visible in a competitive market.
3. Social proof
Trends are engrained in our society and making your business on the right side of a trend has its perks. Whether we recognize it or not, we are more likely to purchase something if others around us are, even if they are complete strangers. Positive reviews create social proof consumers crave—being part of a trend or socially included. If everyone is saying great things about a company, business, or product online, everyone wants to have their own opinion and be a part of the movement. Thus, being on the right side of social trends has its clear and obvious perks.
4. Boosts SEO
SEO or otherwise known as “search engine optimization”, makes you more visible through search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. When consumers discuss your company, brand, and products through reviews, it only improves your SEO. Although the increase in positive reviews is ultimately better, the more reviews in general, the better for increased SEO and visibility.
5. Open line to consumers
When a customer leaves an online review, whether it’s positive or negative, it makes them feel validated, and even more so when they get a response from the business. Reviews are an open line of communication with consumers and can improve your business by responding to negative reviews to improve service, while creating trust between the consumer and your business. Responding in a professional manner while offering a solution to the problem, allows the business to get ahead of the commotion that generally follows negative reviews.
How Do I Get Online Reviews for My Business?
Although reviews are great, you may be asking “how do I get my business to receive reviews?” Well, the answer may be easier than you think. There are multiple services out there that allow you to monitor them, respond to them, and watch your progress. Here at DDL Advertising, we have experience with integrating customer reviews into our clients work and make it a priority. One of our value clients, Dent Concepts, started enforcing the importance of customer reviews and implementing many strategies to hear their customers voice and opinions. Since March of 2019, they have progressed from 5 reviews, to close to 300 between Google and Facebook. Customers that have received their services are asked to share their experience on one of the two platforms. The voice of real customers validates their service as well as increased their sales since then.
Take a look at the raving reviews that Dent Concepts has received across several platforms.
