84 Percent of Online Customers Trust Online Reviews, New Survey Says

84 Percent of Online Customers Trust Online Reviews, New Survey Says

Here’s a good reason to pay extra attention to your online reputation.

According to a new survey, 84 percent of customers trust online reviews as a personal recommendation.

Customers Trust Online Reviews

Online Reviews Matter

What’s more, 74 percent of online customers say positive reviews make them trust a local business more.

These astonishing insights have come from the Annual BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2016. For the survey, BrightLocal interviewed 1,062 people.

Among other things, the survey has revealed 54 percent of people visit a website after reading positive reviews about it. In other words, a positive word of mouth can help you draw potential customers to your site.

Take Negative Reviews in Your Stride

While everybody loves to receive positive feedback, negative reviews are also a part of life. Instead of getting too defensive or nervous, you should approach them with maturity.

“Negative reviews are the most useful because they continue to challenge our methods, and teach us more about what our customers want,” Charlo Carabott, managing director of Mazuma Mobile, a mobile phone recycling company told bbc.com.

Boost Your Online Reputation

As the survey reveals, a lot rides on your business’ online reputation. It’s therefore a good idea to spend enough time and resources to build a positive image.

Are you optimizing online platforms to connect with your audience? Are you actively seeking feedback from them? How prompt are you in responding to their queries/complaints?

With the right strategy, you have no reason to be afraid of online reviews. Check out these tips that can provide further guidance.

Image: BrightLocal

This article, “84 Percent of Online Customers Trust Online Reviews, New Survey Says” was first published on Small Business Trends