6 Reasons Why Customers Prefer to Buy from Reviewed Businesses

Every business owner understands that customer reviews can have a positive impact on success. However, do you know the extent of that impact? Here’s a quick rundown:

 

As the numbers plainly illustrate, customers overwhelmingly prefer to buy from a reviewed business. Here, we’re going to look into the motivating factors behind this phenomenon.

 

1.   They know your business is legit.

The internet is overflowing with sketchy, scamming, and downright fraudulent businesses trying to hook unwitting customers. As a result, people are highly skeptical when searching for companies on the internet. Customer reviews are an effective way to help potential customers ease their guard. Seeing that real people have had a great experience with your business can work wonders for developing trust and legitimacy online.

 

2.   Curiosity gets the best of us.

People are naturally curious. Even customers who are already decided to spend money with your business might check out previous reviews just to see what others are saying. In this scenario, a bunch of positive reviews can work to solidify their conviction to buy your products or use your services. However, a general lack of reviews or a slew of negative customer testimonials can cause those near-customers to backtrack.

 

3.   Customers want to see businesses that care.

Long gone are the days when consumers only cared about the quality of products. On top of premium-quality goods and services, people want an excellent customer service experience too. Review can instantly tell potential customers how a business interacts with its current clientele. The content of the reviews can illustrate what it’s like to work with your business, and your company’s responses to those reviews demonstrate your willingness to engage with clients too. A gesture that might seem minor to you goes a long way when people are on the fence.

 

4.   It shows your business is alive and well.

What’s posted on the internet sticks around forever, but businesses come and go. Everyone’s had the experience of finding a company online only to find out it no longer exists in real life. Often, potential customers search for customer reviews as a lifeline to make sure a business is still kicking. It’s important to note that simply having testimonials isn’t sufficient. You need to have recent customer reviews to prove that your business is running strong.

 

5.   Customers trust customer reviews.

It’s somewhat of a truism to say potential customers trust reviews from your past clients. After all, this is one of the more foundational reasons for encouraging and curating testimonials. Still, the impact might not hit home until you crunch the numbers. One revealing survey found that 84% of customers trust reviews just as much as a personal recommendation. This is the virtual equivalent of super convincing word-of-mouth advertising. The best part is these positive online reviews are up 24/7, generating more trust and garnering more attention round the clock.

 

6.   They show the quality of your products or services.

The most compelling motivation customers have for scouring reviews of your business is to gauge the quality of what you offer. Testimonials make it easy for potential clients to determine the standard of your products or services without having to spend a penny. Plus, no matter how many times you claim your business is the best (which it probably is!), people are going to remain skeptical until they read customer reviews that echo those claims.

 

If you’ve been struggling to make the most of customer reviews, you’re in the right place! hapigood is redefining the way businesses manage, curate, and optimize client testimonials by making it possible to handle feedback from one convenient location.

 

 

 

SEO Basics: How Web Management Will Improve Your Search Engine Rankings

Search engine optimization is the fuel that rockets your website to the top of Google and other search engines. Without this fuel, sites are doomed to remain on the ground. The resulting lack of exposure translates to lower conversion rates, lost leads, and inevitably fewer sales.

Not only will users not be able to find your company through search engines, but they’re also less likely to work with a company without a professional site. Here are some ways web management will improve your search engine rankings and why your wallet will thank you.

 

The relationship between SEO and sales.

Before we jump into web management and SEO, it’s important to draw a clear connection between rankings and sales. Having a spot at the top of a Google search sounds nice, but is it really that important? Yes, it is! But don’t take our word for it. Let’s see what the research says.

On average, over half of the traffic your site receives will come from organic searches as opposed to other sources such as paid ads. What’s more, those leads directed to your site through SEO are 8x more likely to convert into paying customers. In other words, the more SEO you have, the more $$$ you’ll see. These are results earned through organic means which you won’t have to spend on ads to get.

 

Winning the virtual popularity contest.

If curating a website feels more like a popularity contest than a business strategy, it’s because that’s exactly what SEO boils down to: building the most attractive and well-ranked site. Taking this analogy a little further, the algorithms set forth by search engines are the judges which determine the quality of your webpages. Your company’s site receives an overall score based on several factors that ultimately determine your ranking in the search results. The most attractive and well-dressed sites are going to end up being more popular.

 

How a management team will improve your SEO.

Hiring a team to manage your site’s SEO would be like hiring an experienced coach to help you win that frustrating popularity contest. These experts not only know how to build an attractive site for visitors, but they also understand the factors that help it rank high in search engines. Here are some specific things a management team can do to improve SEO on your company’s site:

  • Running a blog.

Blogging isn’t just important for holding the interest of repeat visitors, it also plays a major role in determining your site’s ranking. In fact, companies with an active blog see 55% more visitors  than those with an empty site. Google views blogging as a badge of credibility and activity. With web management, you’ll have a team churning out high-quality content on a regular basis to help maximize these benefits.

  • Managing reviews.

Customer interaction is another metric search engines use to determine your site’s SEO ranking. When you’re busy dealing with the business side of things, a team managing your site will be working around the clock to organize customer reviews and respond to questions. All of this interaction helps to establish your site as a reputable authority.

  • Maintaining links.

Search engines like to see an interplay of links between your company’s site and reputable webpages. This gives your site a sort of “credibility by association”. A web management team knows how to maintain enough links both internally as well as externally to catch Google’s attention.

  • Integrating social media accounts.

Social media has a big impact on your site’s ranking. Being active on these platforms is a great way to strengthen link-building and can even convert visitors to your site. Using a team of experts will make it easier to integrate various social media channels into your company’s site to take full advantage of what these accounts have to offer.

  • SEO optimization.

There are a bunch of other ‘tweaks’ that a web management team would handle to further boost your site’s ranking. These smaller changes, typically thrown under the umbrella term SEO optimization, include image descriptions, the use of keywords, page summaries (a.k.a meta-descriptions), and much more.

 

If you’re finding it difficult to transform that napkin doodle into a real business, consider working with HostDoodle (a service of burnett media group) to handle all of your web-based needs. Our team will tackle website hosting, development and design, domain registration, and everything in between so you can focus on building your business in other areas.

6 Ways a Professional Social Media Team Can Boost Your Business

Business owners who understand the importance of a social media presence may still question the efficacy of outsourcing this work to a professional team. Many people worry that this investment won’t yield sufficient returns in order to make it worthwhile. While it depends on the quality of the team you hire, social media has proven to have a significant ROI. Instead of accepting that with no proof, let’s take a look at some tangible areas where your company can benefit. Here are 6 ways a professional social media team can boost your business.

 

Increased exposure.

The foundation of a good marketing scheme is getting your company’s name in front of as many people as possible. Employing a social media team to handle your marketing efforts will successfully tap your company into some of the most active, flourishing, and attractive online communities. A professional social media team will know exactly how to market to your niche audience in order to raise brand awareness and establish your company as an authority.

 

Improved customer relations.

Social media platforms are excellent resources to boost your customer relations when leveraged properly. The 42% of social media users who expect companies to respond to comments within 60 minutes illustrate the climate of immediacy and connectivity required online. Small businesses without enough time or manpower inhouse can still meet these expectations by outsourcing to a professional social media team that can help improve the customer experience.

 

More spare time.

Small businesses that are reluctant to join the social media bandwagon often cite time limitations as their primary obstacle. Even those that dabble still feel they’re wasting time when no results are produced. And with 58% of businesses spending less than 1 hour each week on Facebook, it’s not surprising why. By outsourcing all of your social media strategies to a dedicated team, you can avoid this problem without missing out on the myriad benefits that social media marketing can offer your company. You’ll have more spare time to focus on other aspects of your operation to keep things running smoothly.

 

Customized plan.

When working with a reputable social media team, your business will receive a customized social media marketing plan. A one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to cut it in such a crowded market. These professionals will take the time to understand your services or products, your target audience, and your voice. They’ll tailor an entire plan around these parameters in combination with their expertise in the field for a more effective social media strategy.

 

More website traffic.

Websites play an important role for small businesses in lead generation, list building, sales, and much more. A boost in traffic to a company’s site almost guarantees an increase in all associated metrics. Through the promotion of related content and direct links, a social media management team can help increase the number of visitors to your site. This boost in traffic can come from your current social media following or through the use of dynamic and targeted ad campaigns available on these platforms.

 

Using the best tactics available.

As a business owner, you understand the unpredictability of the market. Social media platforms aren’t an exception to this turbulence as algorithms are subject to change, competition increases, and new platforms are always emerging. A team of social media professionals can help keep your company stay ahead of the competition by implementing the best tactics available and always staying abreast of the most recent changes. Since these professionals focus solely on social media, they’re able to create dynamic strategies guaranteed to yield a competitive ROI.

 

Even if you understand the importance of social media, that doesn’t mean you have the time to dedicate to it. If you’re short on staff or know-how, consider outsourcing your social media strategies to an expert in the game. Burnett Media Group has a division that specializes in customized and effective social media services. The Burnett Media Group “Soshily” is a dynamic social media management team with the right programs to fit your needs.

 

How Customer Reviews Can Improve a Small Business’s Reputation

As a small business, reputation is one of the most effective tools you have for maintaining current customers and attracting new ones. Every positive customer experience has the power to improve how people view your company. The more positive things people hear about your business, the higher the likelihood they’ll use your service or buy your products. There are plenty of ways businesses can boost their reputation, but customer reviews are among the most powerful. Unfortunately, they’re often overlooked or underutilized. Let’s look at some ways testimonials can improve your business’s reputation.

 

Customers want to be heard.

In a world of outsourced call centers, endless dial tones, and faceless customer service, customers are craving to be heard. Small businesses are actually at an advantage here when compared to large corporations that constantly search for ways to spend less at the expense of customer experience. Small businesses that actually encourage customers to share their thoughts will instantly stand out. It might seem like a small gesture, but it means a lot to customers who constantly feel as though their opinions don’t matter to companies This can create improved customer relationships overall.

 

Reviews build brand awareness.

A whopping 95% of people read customer reviews before spending their money with a business. This is how a company with decades of experience and better products can lose out to an inferior company with more reviews. A small business with a significant number of customer testimonials online is instantly viewed as more trustworthy and higher quality than the competition. A wealth of customer testimonials describing the amazing experience clients had when working with your business lends a level of credence that’s difficult to achieve in other ways.

 

They improve customer service.

Many small businesses fear that a single negative review will eviscerate everything they’ve done to keep clients satisfied. When handled properly, negative reviews can actually work to boost customer service instead of harming it. The key is to get in front of critical reviews before they’re broadcasted to the world so you have a chance to resolve them. Businesses that can reach out to customers who had a negative experience will develop a reputation of being proactive, helpful, and caring. Contrary to popular belief, negative reviews are a great opportunity to gain a happy and loyal customer. Which brings us to the next point.

 

Testimonials instill brand loyalty.

Most small businesses rely heavily on repeat customers for their success. As a result, the value of customer testimonials isn’t limited to their ability to convert new customers. When leveraged properly, customer feedback can establish, solidify, and increase brand loyalty among your business’s current clientele base. People are going to feel more comfortable spending their money again with businesses that openly and actively encourage reviews from customers. This commitment to quality is mirrored by an increased customer loyalty that makes a business even more attractive to potential clients.

 

They boost business SEO.

There are countless factors that determine how high your business ranks on search engines. One of the most overlooked and powerful drivers of high ranking is actually customer reviews. When curated effectively, every customer testimonial has the potential to become a unique piece of content. And the more relevant content your business publishes, the higher it shows up on search results. On top of that, Google prefers to show potential customers reputable and authentic businesses. Real customer reviews can prove to search engines that your business is dependable and real.

 

Are you having a tough time making the most of customer reviews? You’re in the right place! hapigood is a one-of-a-kind customer reputation and review management solution that puts business owners like you back in the driver’s seat. Instead of keeping client feedback out of your control, hapigood brings testimonials back into your sphere of influence where they can be properly handled and curated. Feel free to contact us today to learn more about what we offer.