Your customers’ trust is one of the most important factors that determines your online reputation, and by extension,
whether or not your business thrives.
Any business – your local landscaper, the dentist who has been treating your family for years, or your friendly insurance salesman – wants to be seen as credible by current and potential customers. Their credibility builds their online reputation, and in turn, establishes customers’ trust.
Why is your online reputation so important?
Your online reputation encompasses different factors: the quality of your website, the number of social media fans, your testimonials, and of course, your online reviews on sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp,
Here are some statistics that you should think about when considering how important your online reputation is to your business:
- Three-quarters of consumers look at online reviews before buying
- 7 out of 10 consumers trust online reviews – and many of these consumers trust online reviews MORE than those of family or friends
- Nearly 9 out of 10 consumers believe that a company’s reputation is tied into the success of that company\
- The bottom line? People rely on reviews, and the better your company’s reviews are, the more your company, your brand, and your products are trusted.
Learning to counter negative reviews
Most businesses serve some unhappy customers, and the longer your business has been around, the more likely you are to receive negative reviews. Yes, these reviews are common, but now that everyone can post online about their experience, people’s opinions can directly affect your company’s success. One negative review won’t sway too many people, but just three negative reviews will cause more than 4 out of 10 customers to turn away from your company or service. It all comes down to trust, and in today’s digital world, your trust is built not just through face-to-face interaction, but through great reviews.
Building up a repository of great online reviews will help to shield you against harm from negative reviews. Call Higher Images to learn more about Reputation Builder Plus, which helps businesses control and guide their online reputation.
Morgan Cushey writes SEO articles for clients who want to enhance their online authority and see their Google Rankings rise. She has written entertaining and informative SEO-focused articles across a wide range of industries, from dentistry and landscaping to tourism and pest control, giving her a comprehensive knowledge on a variety of subjects. Morgan has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism with a minor in political science from California University of Pennsylvania. She has been a lifelong writer and has extensive experience in many styles of writing, from SEO-focused articles and PR to non-fiction and feature news articles written for local newspapers. Morgan lives in Monongahela, PA, with her fiancé Aaron, where she spends her free time reading or snuggling with her two dogs, Biscuit and Ellie.
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