The internet has transformed the business landscape. Today, it is impossible to imagine a productive business without an online presence. It does not matter what you sell, a blog that explains your brick-and-mortar business is crucial. The online reputation that a business cultivates is as important as that developed in the physical realm.
Usually, businesses gauge their online reputation by the kind of reviews they attract. There are numerous websites so far where users share their experiences with different brands and top it up with a rating. Interestingly, this might seem insignificant, but in actual sense, the reviews affect sales and revenues.
According to a Spiegel Research Center report, close to 95% of shoppers use other people’s experiences to decide on what to buy and where to do it. The shoppers read online reviews to get information on the nature of services offered and the quality of the products. Notably, the report found that online reviews are critical for items that are expensive and risky. Further, the report established that businesses benefit a lot from verified buyers, who attract many anonymous buyers. However, businesses that attract perfect ratings raise eyebrows and, probably, may turn some customers away.
Why should you care about online reputation?
The online reputation of businesses is critical since it builds trust between virtual shoppers and the business. If you have a physical store, some shoppers might want to find out how you handle online interactions to ascertain the seriousness of your business. For new customers, they are highly likely to be persuaded to engage further if they see reviews displayed on the page. According to the Siegel report, displaying reviews is likely to create up to 270% conversion rate.
The higher the conversion rate, the higher the sales. As such, it is prudent to ensure that all reviews are posted on the business’ online platform. However, ensure that you balance the reviews since perfect reviews are fishy, especially to new shoppers.
Online reputation cannot take care of itself. Online reputation management takes a lot of time to build. As part of the process, you might n
