Seamless access to online platforms and communities means we can easily share information about nearly all aspects of our social lives. These days, almost everything we purchase can be verified via reviews and online ratings. Most customers will read evaluations and appraisals of products before they commit to purchasing them.
Any reputable digital marketing firm will tell you that a crucial component of brand marketing is your brand’s online reputation. How can you cultivate a strong online reputation? Well, robust and accurate online reviews are a good way forward. Here are some of the best reasons why testimonials are instrumental in effective brand marketing.
Add to your online visibility
If your products, brand name, or things associated with your business are dropped into positive reviews, then you can expect your online visibility to ramp up. If you encourage your customers to provide feedback, then a steady flow of content will ensure that your brand name is well-received by the algorithms of social media sites. However, you can’t force your customers to write positive evaluations, especially if they aren’t overly impressed. Ask them to be honest and then follow up negative feedback with additional measures to ensure your customers are satisfied.
Bolster your sales over time
In addition, reviews have been positively correlated with increasing sales. The empirical data improves this point – and a lot of it has to do with the increasing product awareness. Even a small improvement in your ratings and public perception could have a massive impact on sales revenue in the long run.
It allows for two-way dialogue
Remember the business adage “the customer is always right”, well reviews enable product designers to change their products to be more practical and useful. By providing a space where customers can espouse their views on certain products, product designers can follow up on this feedback and make changes to their products. This is critical if there are any defects or problems associated with your brand or product line.
As outlined earlier, littering your website with positive reviews and testimonials can help augment your brand’s credibility, success, and overall status in the industry. This is because customer feedback can be a terrific source of social proof and validation. Customers are more likely to be drawn to your products if there are words of affirmation surrounding them. If anyone doubts the viability and use of your products and/or services, then the testimonials stand as a point of proof.
They are becoming more and more essential
In terms of the buyer’s decision-making process, reviews are becoming a more critical component of that process. In fact, most shoppers admit that they consult online rating platforms, like Facebook, Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, before choosing to purchase a product or service. Social media remains an excellent tool for fostering brand awareness and visibility; however, only ratings on those platforms are only growing in importance.
So, if you think your brand needs to enhance its scope, check out how online customer feedback can be the building blocks for change.
