Before we get started, let’s take a few moments to look at one or two review-related statistics.
– More than 90% of consumers read reviews before they visit a business
– 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
– Positive reviews can prompt more than 70% of consumers to take action
– Consumers will spend up to 30% more with businesses who have excellent reviews
The specific ranking factors that Google uses to organise its search engine results pages (SERPs) are constantly shifting, but it highly values the following factors:
– Relevance: content addresses a specific topic in ways that audiences appreciate
– Uniqueness: content has not been duplicated from another online source
– Value: content seeks to provide information that audiences are specifically searching for
– Helpfulness: content addresses search queries efficiently
– Shareability: content is easy for consumers to share across social platforms
– Readability: everything from the UX to the quality of the copy is easy to consume on every device
As you can see, there are many benefits to be gained from implementing a solid review strategy into your brand’s digital approach. Here are a few more.
Generate a consistent stream of fresh content
As reviews consistently create new user-generated content, they will boost your standing in SERPs and help your search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy gain more traction. It’s unwise to rely on brand-generated content alone, especially as user-generated content is now so influential.
Improve traffic from long-tail keywords
The language that your customers use within their reviews will likely be very similar to the language that your prospective customers are using to search for information about your brand. Your reviews will, therefore, help you to accurately target additional traffic using the long-tail keywords your own customers are using to describe your business.
Amplify social conversations
If you aren’t currently incorporating your reviews into your social strategy, this is something you should address immediately. Great reviews can increase the popularity and reach of your business and shout about the love your customers have for your product will further increase key metrics, create a buzz, and improve sales.
Place yourself in Google’s good books
It’s no secret that Google pays close attention to site ratings when organising its SERPs. Reviews enhance your brand authority and social proof, but it’s important to note that it’s not necessarily the number of reviews you receive that matters. Instead, utilise the feedback you receive to ensure that you are seeking to provide the best possible experience for every single customer.
Secure those all-important star ratings
The star ratings displayed on SERPs are used by consumers to immediately judge whether they have enough trust in your product or service to click through to your website. Solid star ratings boost traffic and conversion rates, but it’s not something that is particularly easy to achieve. Google utilises reviews on third-party sites and you must have gained at least 30 unique reviews with an average rating of 3.5 or higher within the last year.
Improve product rankings
As more people search for reviews of your products or services, you will gain more opportunities to secure higher ranking positions. This will ultimately help you to communicate with more of your prospective customers precisely when they are most receptive to your message.
To Find out more how we can improve your business with reviews with our reputation management service, visit our new netreview site www.netreviewservice.com or call us today to find out more 01782 524600
