Online reviews are one of the most powerful tools for a small business. They matter much more than you might think. Online reviews can have a huge impact on the success of your small business. 

They not only determine how well people perceive your business, but they also influence future customers to check out your brand as well. If you own a small business and want it to thrive, then you need to act fast. 

Make use of the power of online reviews today by understanding why they are so important and how you can maximize their potential for your brand.

What are Online Reviews?

Online reviews are nothing more than positive feedback on product or service quality from people who have used them. These reviews are usually found on websites like Yelp, Google, and other social media platforms. You can also find them on local business review sites, product review sites, and other review sites. 

Anyone who has ever ordered from a business has the potential to leave an online review. Your potential customers might also see the review and be swayed to make a purchase. Everyone from consumers to small businesses should take advantage of online reviews. 

For consumers, reviews can inform their buying decisions significantly. A good review can make up for other shortcomings in a business. For example, if a business has terrible customer service, but the product is amazing, then the review will only have a small effect. The bad experience will still come to light. However, because of the poor review, the customer will not purchase again.

6 Benefits of Online Reviews to Small Businesses

1. Establish Brand

The importance of brand building cannot be overstated. Before you can get more customers, you have to first make more of an impact with the ones you have. Online reviews will help you do this by creating and solidifying your brand. If you own a restaurant, then the goal is to build a strong brand for your restaurant. 

This will help people connect your business to the food you serve them. Many people will only take their recommendations from established brands because they trust the name and the quality of service. A strong brand will also help you attract new customers in the future. Online reviews provide a great opportunity to establish your brand. 

You can use these reviews to explain your unique experience with your business, what you liked about it, and what you didn’t. You can also use these reviews to address any complaints customers may have. If you address complaints through online reviews, you can provide them with a solution instead of an angry response.

2. Build Reputation

Reputation management is crucial in the marketing world. One way to build your reputation is by consistently engaging with online reviews. Remember, online reviews can be both positive and negative. 

It’s important to address both. Responding to both positive and negative comments can help you build your reputation as a business that cares about its customers. When possible, you should try to address negative reviews with a positive comment. 

Many times, this will lead to a further positive review from your satisfied customer.

3. Boost Productivity

One of the benefits of online reviews is that they can boost productivity. If you are like most small business owners, you could probably use some help getting your business off the ground. 

Online reviews could be exactly what you are looking for. Many times, a lack of online reviews will cause productivity to decline. This can be due to a lack of confidence, or a lack of knowledge about how to use new software or technology. 

If you are experiencing this, or if your employees are, then online reviews can be a great way to boost productivity.

4. Reduce Advertising Cost

Online reviews can also save you money on advertising. According to a report by Google, online reviews are one of the most relied-upon sources of business information. This means that they are also one of the most important factors in a decision to buy a product. 

Since online reviews are so important, it makes sense that businesses would want to pay for them. However, many times they choose to save money by advertising instead. This is unfortunate, as online reviews can help improve the overall brand and boost productivity while reducing advertising costs.

5. Increase Sales

Finally, online reviews can also help you increase sales. Businesses spend a lot of time and money on advertising to get new customers, but what about retaining them? Do you want to keep all of your customers satisfied? Or, do you want to make the most of their buying power? 

Online reviews can help you achieve this goal. A satisfied customer is much more likely to be a loyal customer. They are also much more likely to recommend your brand to a friend.

6. More Customers From Digital Marketing

Online reviews can also be a great source of customers for your digital marketing efforts. If you already have a website and a Google Ads account, you can turn to online reviews as a way to drive traffic to your website. 

It’s important to note that you want to focus your marketing efforts on high-quality, review-rich content. You can also use these reviews to attract new customers for your email marketing efforts. 

Many people use online reviews to find out which email marketing service they should be using. If you have a high number of online reviews, you are more likely to appear on this list.

4 Ways to Get More Customers with Online Reviews

1. Presence on Every Platform

Online reviews are a chance to have your mark on every platform. Whether it’s a review on Amazon, social media platform, or a blog, customers can see your brand and reviews. The best part is that they can leave their reviews on every platform you maintain. 

With this, you can also easily drive traffic to your brand and increase the presence of your product or service.

2. Be Active in the Community

When you engage with your audience on online reviews, you can connect with them in a more personal way. They can ask you questions, and give you suggestions on how to use your products, and you can engage with them, as well. 

In return, you may also receive helpful feedback or suggestions on how to improve your product or service. 

By being active in the community, you can build a relationship with your customers and create a sense of belongingness. With that, the customers will feel more inclined to return to purchase your products again in the future.

3. Use a Review Management System

While it is recommended to write every review you can, you should also consider using a review management system. With this, you can easily schedule your reviews and track the statistics of your business. With this, you can also analyze your reviews and determine which ones are most effective. 

For example, are the 5-star reviews getting more traffic than the 1-star reviews? Or do 1-star reviews have more constructive feedback? The data provided by a review management system can help you see which reviews are the most effective for your business. With this, you can maximize your online reviews and drive more traffic to your brand.

Reliable Reviews

Reliable reviews is a software as a Service (SaaS) based solution that constantly adds and enhances features to grow with the internet and the industry. Small businesses, multi-location, and enterprises will find the right combination of features to drive your business up.

It is a robust resolution to cultivate and manage your customer feedback and online reviews. With dozens of options, and customizations, to satisfy your customer experience goals. Some of the options are:

  • Generating Review & Feedback
  • Reputation & Review Monitoring
  • Marketing & SEO

4. Keep Track of Your Reviews

Online reviews are very useful, but they are useless if you do not take care of them. You should be reading your online reviews to make sure that they are up-to-date. You should also be leaving and receiving new reviews so that you are not left out.

4 Tips for Maximizing Online Reviews

1. Make Sure to Write Your Reviews

Perhaps the most important rule when it comes to getting the most out of online reviews is that you should write them down. A lot of online reviews are not legible and will be thrown away if they are not properly managed.

2. What Not to Write in Online Reviews

Another important rule when it comes to getting the most out of your online reviews is that you should not write down anything that is not true. This means that you should not exaggerate your experience with the product, or leave any bad reviews.

3. Tracking with a Review Management System 

The best way to keep track of your online reviews is with a management system. A review management system will help you to organize your reviews, make them legible and increase their visibility.

4. Keep Reading Your Reviews

The best way to make sure that you are getting the most out of your online reviews is to keep reading them and managing them properly. This will help you to make sure that they are up-to-date and that they are not being thrown away.

Final Words

Online reviews are one of the most important tools for any small business to use. These reviews can help establish your brand and build repute among your customers. They can also help boost productivity among your team members, reduce spending on advertising, and more. 

There are a few things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your online reviews. The key is to keep reading them, using a review management system, and actively engaging with your customers. 

These tips will help you to maximize the potential of online reviews for your brand.

Articles You Might Want To Read:

The Benefits of Online Reviews in Business: How To Use them Effectively‍

The Ultimate Guide to Online Product Reviews for Your Business

How to Avoid Online Reviews Problems