The Importance of Online Customer Reviews
by Lucy Greenaway
Online customer reviews have become an essential aspect of a business's success. They provide a platform for customers to share their experiences and offer feedback on products and services, which can be used to enhance the customer experience and increase customer satisfaction. Moreover, customer reviews play a crucial role in shaping a business's reputation as they serve as social proof and can build trust with potential customers.
Collecting Customer Reviews: An Effortless Task
Gathering customer reviews can seem intimidating, but with a few simple steps, it can be made almost totally effortless!
Start by providing a clear and user-friendly platform for customers to leave their reviews. Here at Trustist, we offer our clients custom QR codes and review links, which they can easily share throughout their customer journey to make the review process seamless.
Our review screens enable customers to leave a review on any site, including Google, which we highly encourage, as well as their own, white-labelled platform without clients having to log in or create an account!
Encouraging customers to leave reviews after they have made a purchase or received service is also crucial, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of effort - simply include the option for leaving a review at the end of the sales journey or make the opportunity available in any communication you have with your customers through your email signature.
Responding to customer reviews, positive or negative, demonstrates that you value their feedback and are committed to improving your business. When addressing negative reviews, be sure to remain professional and acknowledge any inconvenience the customer may have experienced. Instead of dwelling too long on the negatives, use the opportunity to resolve the issue and offer a solution that shows future customers how you’re prepared to help them.
Responding to positive reviews can also help build a strong online reputation, showing that you are engaged with your customers and appreciate each and every piece of their feedback.
Leveraging Online Customer Reviews for Improved Search Rankings
Online customer reviews can also be used to improve your search ranking. Search engines like Google give high value to customer reviews as they are a signal of the quality and popularity of a business. As a result, businesses with a large number of positive reviews tend to rank higher in search results, making them more visible to potential customers.
Customer reviews can improve the click-through rate (CTR) of your website, providing valuable information about your products and services and enticing potential customers to learn more. This increase in traffic to your website can also help boost your search ranking.
At Trustist, we assist businesses by displaying their star ratings against their listings in organic Google searches, making them stand out from their competition and increasing their CTR - which all come together to increase sales!
In conclusion, online customer reviews are a valuable asset for businesses, offering insights into the customer experience and impacting a potential customer's decision to make a purchase. By making it easy for customers to leave a review, encouraging them to do so, and responding to positive and negative reviews, businesses can establish a strong online reputation and improve their search ranking. Take the time to invest in online customer reviews, and watch your business thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can negative reviews on Google be removed?
Removing negative reviews from Google can be challenging, as Google aims to provide a transparent and honest platform for users to share their experiences. However, there are specific circumstances under which you can request the removal of a negative review. If the review in question violates Google's review policies, this is a perfectly valid reason to request a review to be removed - an exhaustive list of Google's review policies can be found here: https://support.google.com/local-guides/answer/7400114?hl=en-GB
How can I flag a negative review for removal?
Go to Google My Business and log in to your account.
Navigate to the "Reviews" section.
Find the review in question, click the three dots or flag icon next to it, and follow the prompts to report it as inappropriate.
What's the best way to repond to a negative review?
While you can't directly remove a negative review that doesn't violate Google's review policies, responding to it professionally and constructively is recommended. This doesn't remove the review but can help mitigate its impact by showing future customers that you take feedback seriously and are committed to resolving issues.
Can I contact someone who leaves a negative review of my business?
If the review is genuine but negative, another approach is to contact the reviewer directly, if possible, to resolve the issue. If you manage to resolve their concerns satisfactorily, they might choose to update or remove their negative review voluntarily.
Important Considerations:
Patience is Key: After flagging a review, it can take several days for Google to evaluate and potentially remove it.
No Guarantee: There's no guarantee that Google will remove a flagged review, unless it clearly violates their policies.
Focus on Positive Reviews: Encouraging happy customers to leave positive reviews can help dilute the impact of the negative ones. A higher volume of positive reviews can outweigh a few negative comments.
In summary, while directly removing negative reviews is not always possible, focusing on excellent service, encouraging positive reviews, and addressing any negative feedback constructively can help manage your online reputation effectively.
