Are you aware of just how much your negative reviews adversely influence your business reputation and bottom line? 94% of online customers say that an online review has convinced them to avoid a product or business (Review Trackers). On top of that, 4 out of 5 online consumers changed their minds about a purchase or a service after reading a negative online review. The statistics speak loud and clear; your reviews directly affect your sales and can completely determine how consumers see your business.
In this blog, we will shed a little light on 10 industries that could benefit from reputation management and review removal solutions. Here’s what we will cover:
- Why online reviews are vital to your business
• 5 essential statistics that you can use to manage your success
• 5 industries most influenced by negative reviews
• How to ramp up your reputation management and protect your bottom line
Why Today’s Businesses Need Online Reviews
Review platforms, like Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, dominate the consumer review space. The aggregate customer reviews so that other consumers rely on to make guided purchase decisions.
In order to be a successful online business in today’s marketplace, you need star-studded positive reviews that showcase your brand and empower your audience to engage with you. Online reviews are the vehicle that will drive prospects towards your brand and establish value through positive testimonials.
For many consumers, the first step in their shopping experience is scanning reviews to be sure that they make the right purchase for them. After all, 82% of online consumers will use online reviews as a tool to make a decision about a local business. Every business is at odds with its competition when it comes to online business reputation. Your business reputation will steer whether a consumer will choose you over your competition. That is why it is so important to manage what is being said about your business and make time to engage with your customers. Ultimately, successful customer engagement will lead to more prospects and sales
And now for the…
5 Essential Statistics That You (and your business) Can Use to Manage Your Success
Small business owners who make online reputation management a priority, in turn, helps them build consumer trust and make it easy for their prospects to engage with them. More engagement from consumers means a boost in rankings on local search engine results pages (a.k.a. SERPs). Furthermore, responding to genuine reviews (good and bad) and removing your illegitimate negative reviews will help a business become more visible in search results.
Here are 5 important online review statistics small businesses should consider:
- 93% of people between the ages of 35 and 55 read local online reviews (Bright Local).
- On average, a 3.3 is the minimum star-rating consumers would consider engaging with. Only 13% of consumers out there will consider doing business with a business that has a 1 to 2-star rating (Search Engine Land).
- 97% of online consumers will observe how businesses engage with their customers online (Bright Local).
- Businesses that have accumulated a fair number of negative reviews are at risk of losing up to 22% of online consumers after seeing a single negative review. If search queries yield 3 or more negative reviews, loss of business increases to 59.2% (Moz).
- Only 53% of online consumers would consider a business with less than a 4-star rating.
5 Industries Most Influenced by Negative Reviews (Online)
- RESTAURANTS
Restaurants are not just a place for people to pull up a seat and grab a bite to eat. A successful dining establishment knows that they are responsible for creating a complete customer experience. They entertain, create allure, and make something memorable so that the customer comes back for more. Restaurants in today’s business standards require special attention to detail and strict quality control by management so that they can deliver unparalleled food quality and customer service. Regardless, negative feedback is unavoidable no matter how good the business is at upholding its service standards. The only solution is to engage with your customers and find a way to resolve bad press.
A study by UC Berkeley reported for every half-star rating a restaurant loses, it is 19% less likely to fill their restaurant during peak dining times.
- HOTELS
Hotels, much like restaurants, champion their success by creating an unparalleled experience and deliver top-notch service in every aspect of their business. From the interior design to the all-you-can-eat buffets, the poolside beverages to the staff verbiage, the hotel amenities to the onsite entertainment. Guests expect everything that a hotel has to offer and more. They will share their experience with the world, and it is very likely that their shared experience will live on TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor is the largest curation of crowd-sourced content focused on travel destinations and is the go-to guide for authentic hotel reviews.
Vacationers and people traveling on business want to know more about a place before they make a reservation and book a trip. They will scour the Internet for past guest experiences to see if you’ll be a part of their traveling experience.
TripAdvisor stated that 85% of its users agreed that the reviews they read reflected their own experience accurately.
- RETAIL
The success of a retailer is contingent on in-store purchases and an easy-to-use eCommerce website, both used to win the trust of customers and ensure that they are confident enough to make a purchase. Retail product reviews act like an unbiased perspective that helps online consumers make a final decision on a purchase. This is why managing your online reviews and business reputation is so important.
A large part of managing your online reviews is detecting when you have an illegitimate negative review. These are negative reviews that violate the terms and conditions of review platforms, whether it’s on Google, Yelp, etc. It’s one thing to get a bad review from an authentic source, but there are many other forces at play in the eCommerce arena. Scammers, bad review bots, and competitors, just to name a few are notorious for leaving negative product reviews written to hurt your business and cause you to lose money. See Violations That Qualify Online Reviews for Removal.
More positive reviews have the potential of stimulating up to 31% more sales for retail products, according to G2.
- AUTO REPAIR
For many, the ownership of a vehicle is a necessity and a huge asset to them. Naturally, if you would like your automobile to last, maintenance and regular care is a must. But, where should one take their “wheels” to get fixed? How can customers find you and do you have an online reputation that your potential prospects can trust?
Customers select their auto repair shop based on proximity, for the most part. If their vehicle is likely to limp its way into the repair garage, they will travel the shortest distance possible.
As an auto repair business owner, you should invest more into local search engine optimization strategies so that prospective customers can find you easily and quickly. The best way to stand out from your competition is to make sure that you have as many genuine positive reviews possible and get illegitimate negative reviews removed. Your business’ SEO is a priority and will afford you more business. Don’t let fake bad reviews represent your business. Let authenticity prevail. More on how to get illegitimate reviews removed and how to encourage positive online reviews here.
In a 2018 online survey, it was found that 67% of those online consumers made a decision on which auto repair shop to take their vehicle to based on online reviews. Some of those consumers will go on to review the business. Around 35% of auto service customers will likely leave a positive review as a result of a great experience, which in turn leverage sales.
- 5. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
HVAC companies lose an average of 4 months of business due to the spring and fall off-seasons. During the months when business is booming, it is harder to focus on customer service and protecting your business from malicious negative reviews, and recovering dissatisfied customers. It may seem a little counterintuitive, but the slow season is the perfect time to focus costs on marketing and business strategy. With less “facetime” with your customers throughout the year, the less of an opportunity you have to retain their business.
When your customers do come your way for business, your authentic positive reviews will act as rich content and referrals for your future customers. After all, 90% of HVAC customers call only when an issue arises, typically during the summer and winter months.
According to an online study, in the HVAC industry, a 1.5 increase in your star rating has the potential of earning 13,000 more leads for your business.
Are you and your business influenced by illegitimate
negative reviews?
Is your business reputation on the line?
Company Review Solutions can help you take back control of your bottom line and get illegitimate negative reviews removed. Unwarranted negative reviews should not influence your business reputation and livelihood. We can help!
Discover how Company Review Solutions’ review removal technology is the right solution for your business.