Key Takeaways for 2021 Trends for Review Management:
- Reviews play a significant role in local search and local search leads to sales
- Personalized responses to online reviews build customer trust
- Online customers value peer feedback that comes from reviews
- A review management service will help you monitor reviews and show authenticity
As we move further into 2021, the stats from last year offer a clear message: review management is more important than ever before.
Research shows that 92% of people trust recommendations from people they know, which makes sense. But, here’s a shocker, according to the same source, 72% of consumers trust online reviews just as much as recommendations from people they know.
This means what people say about you and your brand—no matter who they are—plays a significant role in how people view your company and whether or not they will buy from you.
As you consider your review management strategy for this year and fine-tune how you plan to respond to reviews, here are the top trends to consider.
1. Local targeting and local search will be more critical
The demand for brands to have outstanding local search results is pressing. Over a billion people use Google Maps every month, and more than 5 million apps and websites use Google Maps core products every week.
Not only is Google a widely used platform, but how many local reviews a brand has plays a leading role in how high Google ranks its website.
This year, focus on capturing more positive reviews for all your physical locations, not just at the brand level.
As an added incentive, remember 50% of consumers who conducted a local search on a smartphone visited a store within a day.
2. Responding to online feedback continues to build customer trust
Reviews play a critical role in how customers view your brand. But, it’s important to remember that customers don’t control the narrative of your brand. You do.
Responding to feedback is proven to improve customer trust in your brand. In fact, 96% of customers read businesses’ responses to online reviews.
Responding to negative and positive feedback matters. Brands that prioritize timely review response will win in 2021.
3. Customers expect personalized experiences
Did you know 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase when brands offer personalized experiences?
Improved customer relationships aren’t just excellent customer service; they are essential to your business.
One way to offer personalized customer service is to respond to every, individual review, both positive and negative. Investing in a review management service in 2021 will make the difference between providing rote responses and offering excellent, personalized responses.
4. Online consumers value peer feedback
Consumers place immense value on peer feedback, especially in the form of reviews. The reason? Reviews offer customers insider feedback from other buyers that either reinforces their decision to buy or deters them from buying.
Not only is it critical to elicit positive reviews, but how many reviews your brand acquires plays a role in your success.
Stats show if two products have similar ratings, consumers will most often opt to buy the product with more reviews. This year, work to capture more reviews across every online platform.
5. Star Ratings Matter
Star ratings also play a role in how customers view your brand. For example, in the auto industry, over 70% of car buyers are likely to look for dealers with star ratings between 4 and 5.
Interestingly enough, though, some reports show that a rating of 4+ may even be better than a perfect 5-star rating since the occasional less-than-perfect rating shows authenticity.
To provide an authentic experience this year, you need someone to monitor your star ratings every day. One way to accomplish this is to get help from a review management company.
Get help with review management from Let Us Respond today!
As you work to solidify a positive brand image this year, pay attention to the top trends that are guiding success this year.
The best way to stay on a positive course is to invest in review management services from Let Us Respond today.