Forget what you think you know about reviews. The era of the professional critic is gone. Today, everyone who walks through the door is a critic. In fact, you can no longer avoid being reviewed—no matter what your business is. The reviews are already out there. The goal is to become an active participant in the review process.
There’s a real power in being reviewed—and that power is in your favor. First of all, it’s a point of differentiation between you and your competitors. Searchers prefer businesses that have been reviewed. It adds legitimacy and credibility.
Second, your reviews boost your odds of being found online. Although most search engines keep their search algorithms a secret, the general consensus of search engine optimization experts is that…
Businesses with reviews score higher in search results. In fact, there’s a power in the number of credible reviews that you have: the more, the better. Even having three to five, however, will increase your search ranking.
Reviews not only give potential customers information about your products or services, they also are proven to generate new leads, establish trust and credibility, boost same-product sales, increase average order value, and decrease returns.
I know what you’re thinking. As much as you might agree with me that you need to put yourself out there to be reviewed, when you actually start the process, you’ll have a nagging fear, a pit in the bottom of your stomach. “What if they don’t like me?”
Perhaps, like many, it stems from your high school experiences—not wanting to put yourself out there for fear of rejection or scorn. Let me assure you: not only is it the right thing to do, it’s something you must do. Unlike high school, with online reviews, you can confidently respond back, in a professional way, thereby improving your reputation.