The Impact of Online Reviews on Your Website

Since its birth, the internet has made the world smaller and has given us more access to information within seconds with just a few taps or clicks. Today, we turn to the internet for almost everything we need: directions, information, the latest updates on things that matter to us, and even things to buy or services to avail.

When buying stuff or booking services off the internet, we naturally want to give our money to the businesses who deserve it the most. So how do we find that out? We turn to reviews. 

Whether it’s buying a new gadget, booking a restaurant for a special occasion, or even picking out which one is the best store-bought Lamington, we read the reviews first because we all want to make an educated purchase. A buyer reads an average of 7 reviews before making a decision on whether to buy a product or not. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees, right?

If you’re a biz owner looking for ways to boost your online presence that will directly affect your sales, using your reviews and leveraging them to your advantage is your key to success. 

Here are ways that your biz can benefit from online reviews:

Trust and Credibility Building

One of the main reasons why online reviews are vital for your website is that they help build trust and credibility with your audience. Say you’re looking into buying tea and you did the usual online search. Different brands pop up and you start reading through the reviews to find out if their products are worth your money.

You then see a brand like Neo. As you go through its profile, you learn not only about their impressive tea selection, you also find out that they’re a certified B Corp company (a major plus!). But above all that, what you’ll instinctively look out for are the reviews. 

Upon checking out their Google Business Profile reviews, real customers chimed in that their tea flavours are exceptional and that they have fabulous customer service. One even went on to say that Neo tea makes great gifts to friends and family. 

With all your criteria ticked, you go ahead and make the purchase. Now, all you have to do is wait for your order to come in!

When potential customers see great reviews from real people who have used your product or service, it creates a sense of trust. Positive reviews are social proof, signaling that your website is reliable and trustworthy. This gives potential customers confidence in your brand and encourages them to engage and take action, which ultimately leads to a conversion.

Enhances SEO and Search Rankings

Customer reviews aren’t just for gaining customer trust. It also helps boost SEO and search rankings. If you’re a biz owner with a website that has heaps of great reviews, it’s time to leverage this asset. 

According to Kyra Sammis of SMX Next, “Reviews are a powerful marketing engine in their own right — they’re a way to build trust in your brand.” She further adds,  “You can turn that brand trust into measurable ROI through increased web traffic sales and revenue.”

Many search engines, including Google, take into consideration the quality and quantity of reviews when determining search rankings. Websites with positive reviews and higher ratings are more likely to rank higher in search results, leading to increased visibility and organic traffic. Online reviews also add fresh and relevant user-generated content to your website. This can boost SEO and help you rank for long-tail keywords related to your business.

In other words, online reviews not only build trust between you and your target audience, you get to build trust between your business and the search engines as well.‍

Provides Valuable Feedback and Insights

When a potential customer is on the hunt for certain products or services, online reviews provide them with valuable feedback and insights from other customers. Customers who have tried what you have to offer beforehand can highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your products or services. They can also identify areas for improvement, pain points and reveal customer preferences. 

Let’s say you’re a consumer looking into switching toilet paper brands. You find alternatives to the current one you’re using, but on top of your list is Who Gives a Crap. It may just be a toilet paper company, but they’ve done an amazing job in marketing it that it certainly caught your eye. 

But before taking the plunge, you make a beeline to their reviews. Since Who Gives a Crap has grown its following over the years, you see heaps of reviews that will guide you and help you gain insights on how strong and cost-effective these loo rolls are. Thanks to these reviews, you’ve concluded that WGAC really is going to be good for your bum, and great for the world.

Now on your end as the business owner, these feedbacks can help you make data-driven decisions to improve your offerings, improve customer experience, and refine your marketing strategies. 

By actively listening to customer reviews and responding to them, it gives you an opportunity to demonstrate how you value their opinions and are committed to providing the best possible experience. In turn, you’ll gain more brand loyalty.

Influences Purchase Decisions

Online reviews have a significant influence on purchase decisions. According to a Local Consumer Survey by BrightLocal, 94% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision, and 84% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. 

Since most purchasing decisions are done subconsciously, positive reviews can sway potential customers to choose your offerings over competitors. Meanwhile, negative reviews can have the opposite effect. By actively managing and leveraging online reviews, you can influence the purchasing behaviour of your target audience and drive more sales. 

Picture yourself as a tourist enjoying your visit in Australia. Come time to head back home, you wonder what true blue Aussie products you can bring back with you. Upon doing an online research, you learn that grabbing things like kangaroo leather products and wines are worth bringing back, there are Tim Tams!

With heaps of positive reviews for this iconic Aussie treat, you are then convinced to stock up on packets of Tim Tams that you can enjoy even after you leave Australia.

Encourages User Engagement and Interaction

Online reviews can also encourage user engagement and interaction on your website. When customers leave reviews, they are actively participating and contributing to your website's content. This engagement can lead to increased time spent on your site, higher user retention, and more repeat visits. Responding to reviews, whether they are positive or negative, shows that you value customer feedback and are responsive to their concerns.    

It also provides an opportunity for you to showcase your excellent customer service and resolve any issues, which can further strengthen customer trust and loyalty. 

It Builds a Community of Advocates

Positive online reviews can help you build a community of brand advocates. They’re satisfied customers who leave positive reviews and become loyal supporters of your brand and recommend your business to others.

They can share their positive experiences in different ways such as on social media, word of mouth, and other online platforms, amplifying your brand reach and driving more traffic to your website. 

Take Bossy Boots Early Learning Centre for example. This daycare centre opened its doors in 1995. One of the reasons that its community of families kept growing was because of the positive reviews it has received through the years. They have families coming in because they’ve heard of the many positive experiences their friends had when their own little ones were there.

By nurturing and engaging with your community of advocates, you can create a powerful marketing force that can positively impact your website's growth and success.

Conclusion

In today's competitive online landscape, online reviews are not just a nice-to-have feature in your website. It’s one of the key elements that will guarantee your business’ success. They build trust and credibility, enhance SEO, and provide unbiased insights. 

Today, many consumers have evolved into just leaving stars as ratings for products. Most of them now take the time to write reviews in the hopes of sharing their thoughts and how their personal experience was on whatever product or service they availed.   

As business owners, we certainly take the time and effort to market our offerings. Knowing the power of online reviews now, it’s a wise move to hold a space for them because they came from actual people who showed their support and put their trust in your product. Online reviews make the shopping experience more authentic, because it adds more human touch in your website, easily accessible for the next prospect to view.

Your business’ online reviews can serve you in more ways. Leverage their potential by reaching out to us at reviews@wqcreative.au to receive your complimentary report.