Online sharing of experiences has increasingly made customers today go online to research a product or brand before any purchase is made. Online reviews and testimonials are a powerful ally when it comes to building brand trust. Whether you own a hotel, a salon or a restaurant, the truth is that your customers would have researched your service or product before arriving at your door – or website.
Online reviews have the power to make or break a business. What might seem like another challenge to brands has actually been a blessing in disguise. This opportunity that has been created can elevate your brand to a new level, setting you apart from the competition. What people are saying about you online is something you should be always monitoring and joining in the conversation too.
Here are some ways testimonials and reviews can impact your business:
Testimonials Help in Building Trust
Have you ever bought a product because a friend told you about it? Did you follow that advice? I’m guessing you did because you trust that friend and felt more comfortable making that purchase. People buy from advice they trust and no longer believe when brands are selling themselves. This shift in consciousness has given the rise of the success of influencer marketing. Usually directed to Gen Z influencer marketing has expanded to reach all age groups that have access to digital apps. Reviews from other customers are equally guarded as influential when the purchasing decision is made.
Testimonials Give Feedback for Improvement
All feedback is good feedback when it comes to businesses, as this is an opportunity to learn from mistakes. It’s important to build that community around your brand, and trusting their feedback opens doors to building that brand trust and ultimately brand advocacy.
Increase Revenue
The more people are happy with your service or goods, the more they will rave about it online, reaching further and with added value than any ad. Creating a buzz online will position your brand as a differentiator and that alone speaks for itself.
How to get reviews
Ok, now that you’re familiar with the power of reviews how do you get them? Businesses have to make this easy for customers and a good place to start with would be the basics such as Google Business Page and Facebook as well as having a CTA on your website, where customers can write about their experience and you can share it directly to your next customer. There are ways to take this to the next level with influencer marketing for example, but most of these are paid and if you’re just starting out it might be a little bit out of your budget.
There’s no point in having testimonials online if you’re not creating a top class customer experience. Customers who enjoy their experience are happy and eager to share it with their circle of friends or even on apps like Tripadvisor, for example.
How to share reviews
You can share reviews on your website and have them on your social media accounts as posts and call-outs. Remember to ask for permission before sharing, and you should be all good to go!
