Branding Business Marketing

How Much Transparency & Reviews Impact Online Businesses

The majority of consumers begin their shopping journey by reading customer reviews of products they are interested in. These reviews are usually published on the company website, independent review platform, social media or any other place. Regardless of the platform, their impact is becoming increasingly important. After all, what your customers say about you matters more than how you promote your business.

Up to 90% of customers will read an online review before they make a purchase decision. So, how much do transparency and reviews impact online businesses? According to this information, they have a tremendous impact on your customers. That’s why it’s crucial to focus more on building trust and establishing trustworthy relationships with your customers, both existing and potential.

Positive and negative reviews 

Every review your customer published about your product or business will impact you in some way. Obviously, positive reviews will encourage your prospects to make a purchase, but negative reviews also have a huge potential to turn your prospects into customers. The way you react to negative reviews will determine how they will impact your business. 

For instance, you could apologize, immediately solve the issue and publicly respond to that particular customer. Letting your prospects know that you know how to handle issues effectively and immediately can only be beneficial for your business. You can’t avoid negative reviews, but you can react to them in a way that brings more benefits to your business, especially your sales results.

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Encouraging customers to leave a review 

You should always encourage your customers to leave a review of your product or business. The more reviews you get, the more credible your business will seem to your prospects. People will act hesitant about the purchase if they notice there are not a lot of reviews about your products. 

They will probably not waste time on trying to figure out why that is so, but choose to purchase a product from one of your competitors. To prevent this from happening, start encouraging customers to leave a review after every purchase. Some companies even organize a review contest where they invite their customers to leave a review and win a prize. This can later be used for your future marketing strategies.

All the benefits of customer reviews 

So, now that you know your business truly needs customer reviews to grow, let’s take a look at the biggest benefits of having a lot of customer reviews. 

Of course, the biggest benefit is that it will increase the possibility of your potential customers purchasing your products, but there are many other benefits businesses are not even thinking about. For instance, customers who already made their purchase will more likely to do it again if they keep interacting with your business in some way, including leaving a customer review.

Since getting your website at top of the result pages on search engines such as Google, Yahoo or Bing is one of the top priorities of every online business, it’s crucial to understand customer reviews help you with SEO. When you generate reviews on your own website, it can increase your click-through-rates by 153%.

Moreover, customer reviews provide companies with an opportunity to establish long-term, meaningful relationships with their customers. By increasing their level of satisfaction, you automatically enhance your brand reputation. There is no better way to promote your business than with satisfied customers who love your products.

The importance of transparency

Customer reviews contribute to your transparency level. Companies that are transparent show they are honest and open about all aspects of their business, and that is something every customer will appreciate. 

A transparent company enjoys respect from its target audience. Expecting to build trust and grow your business while hiding certain information about your business or your products will seriously harm your business. 

Transparency of a business doesn’t just stop with reviews. It should be incorporated in each of your business strategies to engage your customers even more. Letting your audience see what your business truly is about, what values you cherish and how you build your products can help you achieve amazing results. 

When you’re transparent, your entire business will benefit from it. Today, when everyone can easily access information online, being secretive and holding back information about your company can lead to the end of your business story.

Conclusion

Customer reviews can be something that will inspire your business to grow. More importantly, it’s a terrific opportunity to let your customer service shine. Neglecting the value and potential of customer reviews is something you simply can’t afford. 

Paying attention to what people say about you has become more important than ever. It allows you to see your business from another perspective and hear suggestions on how to do better. After all, you create your products for your customers, so their opinion is what will determine your future. Be transparent and start a dialogue with them right away.

About the author

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Sam Hoffman

Sam Hoffman is a business and marketing consultant who helps digital businesses reach their exact audience. Sam is passionate about optimization, web hosting and analytics. His current focus is helping decision-makers design their perfect business tools. He frequently writes about the latest advancements in the tech industry.