Back before the Internet, when people needed to buy a product or service, they were often left to their own devices. In many cases, purchasing decisions were made based on which company had the best and biggest ad in the Yellow Pages. Or, in some cases, decisions were made based on which companies had enough cash to buy billboards and/or TV and radio ads. However, with the rise of the Internet, the landscape has shifted dramatically towards relying on online reviews for business as a primary factor in consumer decision-making
Today, (thanks to SEO optimization) lots of things have changed. The Internet doesn’t rank companies based on their annual revenue or how much money they spend on advertising. Instead, companies are ranked based on their SEO optimization. This has helped to level the playing field between local small business owners and larger, national companies.
If you’re wondering if online reviews can also help grow your business, the answer is a resounding yes. Providing high-quality customer service is one thing—but having a platform where past customers can share their experiences in working with your company- is another.
Starting from the top
If you don’t have a Yelp, Google+, or social media pages- now is the time to set them up. If you’re not especially computer savvy and you’re worried that you might not have the technical skills to do this, you can rest assured that you won’t need a high level of computer/ Internet prowess to get this done.
The reason that these types of accounts are important is because each one gives prior clients a chance to talk about the type and level of customer service they received when they worked with your business. It’s also worth noting that data suggests that more than 90% of consumers check out a company’s online reviews before doing business with them.
A WBN staff member story
Late last, a WBN employee’s windshield wound up with a pretty hefty crack in it after it got struck by a rock on the freeway. She had been out of town on that particular day, and she knew that if she didn’t get it fixed immediately, she’d run into some problems. First, if she so much as hit a pothole on her way home, the crack was bound to get a lot worse. Second, if she was spotted by law enforcement, the ticket was bound to be expensive.
What did she do?
She hopped on Yelp, found a local car windshield repair place that had more than 300 five-star reviews, and they told her to come right in.
In closing
Word of mouth reviews are great, but online reviews are worth their weight in gold. It’s also worth mentioning that online reviews can help boost your search engine rankings, which can also help enhance your bottom line. Are you ready to learn more about how online reviews can help you grow your business? Call our office today to speak with a local expert.
