How Do Customer Reviews Help Your Online SEO?
Customers value customer reviews because they consider genuinely shared experiences from other customers more than what you say about your business. Why?
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It is undeniable that customer reviews help other customers find your products and business since 92% of potential customers real online reviews and 68% trust a local business with positive reviews.
When looking to make a purchase or become a client, customers value online reviews because they consider genuinely shared experiences from other customers more trustworthy than information the business creates for itself. Search engines agree with them. Google’s goals are to provide accurate but easy to find information. Online customer reviews provide your business with micro-targeted relevant keywords pushing it higher on search engine rankings.
Search engines like Google are very picky about businesses they show and they want extremely relevant results. Every new search becomes more and more specific as the customers become informed and aware of their potential results. By the time a customer comes across reviews, they already know what they are looking for. They just need to find the best company to provide the service or product they need.
When does a customer see online reviews for a business?
Due to mobile searches exceeding desktop searches worldwide we have seen a downsize for who is on page 1. Now it matters more about who has the highest ratings from the most reviews. You have just a few seconds to impress your potential customers. So, not only do you want to appear at the top of the listings, but you want to have the best reviews and highest customer satisfaction rating.
Reviews also show up in Rich Snippets. When they are coded correctly, search engines will display the text and the star ratings beneath the business. This draws your potential client’s eyes in and helps with your click-through rates.
If your business has a higher rating but may be further away than a lower scoring competitor, you still have the possibility of landing a new customer. Is has been proven that customers searching for a service or product will drive an additional distance for businesses with a higher review star rating.
How does customer reviews help drive my online reputation?
Think about this, Google gives preference to websites that are linked from high-authority websites. Most review websites are pretty high on this list. The most sites you have reviews on, the better. Also, what better way to prove relevance and authenticity to search engines? If you have a business that has similar, good testimonials posted across the internet at high-authority websites then you tell Google that your customers rely on you and endorse you. Let your customers help explain to each other and Google what your company is and how working with you has helped them.
Search engines also prioritize fresh, unique content, and new customer reviews keep company pages updated with zero maintenance.
Customer reviews also lower bounce rates. Since customers trust online reviews more than company posts, they will likely spend more time on review pages actually reading content rather than skimming for facts in formal business articles. Further, reviews will prompt readers to explore the website to learn more about products and services mentioned by the reviewer. Longer time periods spent on your site with lower bounce rates lead to higher search engine rankings.
The easiest way to generate a steady flow of customer reviews is to automate the review collection process. Next, as you start collecting reviews, prompt customers to share their feedback to top review sites. Customer feedback is the most cost-effective form of advertising. A positive testimonial is more convincing than even the catchiest tagline.
Not sure which sites your customers care about most? Look up “[your industry] + reviews” to find out where most customers are posting and reading reviews. A brand identity fueled by the voice of the customer is both powerful and sustainable. Amp up review management efforts, launch to the top of search results and watch as your positive business reputation promotes itself.
How Do You Get Started?
With Future Design Group, it’s easier than ever to get new authentic customer reviews, building trust that leads to more sales. In today’s reputation economy, Future Design Group provides the eyes, ears, and algorithms necessary to create the five-star customer experiences that keep your business at the top.
To learn more, go to reputation.futuredesigngroup.com or call toll-free 1-888-964-4991. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
If you are interested in learning more about how this topic can help your business, please contact our agency on our contact page or call us at 1-888-964-4991. We publish a new article once or twice per month so make sure to follow us on social media and allow for push notifications if you want to stay in the loop with our agency and digital marketing.
Posted In: Branding, Business Reputation, Customer Reviews, Information, Marketing, User Experience