Consumers look at 10 reviews on average before making a decision. If you aren’t actively soliciting reviews and achieving 4–5 star ratings, many customers will look somewhere else.
Reputation management is the work of getting customers to write new reviews, addressing negativity and misleading reviews, and presenting your company in the best possible light. There are many online outlets where happy and disgruntled customers share experiences. The easier the access to your reviews the more likely the conversion. Ignoring or trying to hide online reviews really isn’t an option.
- 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business
- 49% of consumers need at least a four-star rating to do so
- 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation
Content and average ratings that appear on a search engine results page, positive reviews on social media, and the manner you respond to any negative comments significantly influence a consumer’s first impression. Your online reputation is one of your most important marketing assets, as important as content marketing, paid search advertising, and search engine optimization.