Before purchasing a product or enlisting the services of a company, many people go online to check out reviews. Because this preemptive research has become second nature to many consumers, online reviews can hold a lot of power when it comes to your business’s success. To learn more about the impact online reviews can have on your business, continue reading.
The impact negative online reviews can have on business
Negative online reviews can hurt companies by tarnishing their reputation, decreasing sales, damaging customer trust, and stunting growth. Even just one negative online review can impact the minds of potential consumers enough to drive away a good chunk of your business. For example, dozens of positive reviews could talk about how good the food is at a restaurant, but if one customer posts a review about how they got horrible food poisoning, people may choose a less risky dining option. As such, it’s important to find ways to minimize negative online reviews as much as possible. If you do receive negative reviews, quickly replying to them with considerate responses to help resolve the issue can help mitigate the negative impact.
The impact positive online reviews can have on business
Receiving positive online reviews can have a significant favorable impact on businesses. Potential customers are likely to believe the opinions of past customers. If online reviews regarding your business are largely positive, people will be more likely to view your business favorably and trust your products and services. As such, positive online reviews can lead to increased business revenue and improved website domain authority, online visibility, and brand image. Plus, customers are typically more likely to spend considerably more money on a product with exceptional online reviews because they view it as more trustworthy.
The impact of little or no online reviews on business
Having zero or a miniscule amount of online reviews isn’t much better than having negative reviews. If your business lacks online reviews, people will hesitate to purchase your goods or services because they won’t know whether or not to trust your company. Customers want to hear the opinions of past customers before making a purchase; if you have no reviews, people will be more inclined to bring their business to a more reputable source instead.
