Online reviews? They don't matter, do they?

Our answer may surprise some: it's a qualified 'Yes' where product reviews are concerned. You are probably better off consulting the likes of Which? or an expert blogger if you need a new washing machine. But where high-value services are concerned? A managed and proactive review strategy is essential, and it is this that we address in this article.

We still hear this - the headline comment - on an almost daily basis. Or variations on the same theme...

• No one ever refers to our reviews
• All our new business comes as a result of referrals anyway
• What kind of person writes reviews anyway?
• What kind of person takes any notice of reviews?

To answer these points one by one to give us the answer to the question posed in our headline...

1.  No one ever refers to our reviews

Spend a minute studying this screenshot. It provides conclusive evidence that consumers of high-value services - wealth management in this instance - do read reviews, especially Google reviews, and that they value negative as well as positive opinions. It is estimated that for every 'Thank You' - the hands/heart icon - at least a hundred people will have seen and read the review in question

Try asking them. A simple 'Did you read our [Google] reviews before contacting us?' will prove - or disprove - this point. In addition, we would suggest that you check out the 'Thank Yous' your individual reviews have received (see above).

2.  Referrals

Not everyone will do this. But some are bound to. Weigh the cost of adopting a proactive review management strategy against the benefit of converting more referrals 

It is a brave business that assumes that those referred to it, either by professional connections or by its existing customers, will not take the trouble to check it out by reading at least some of its reviews. Businesses sensibly weigh the benefits of taking action - in this case, adopting a review management solution - with the cost of doing so. 

3. The 'kind of person' that writes reviews

She's just as likely to write a review as anyone else

In short? Motivated and prompted. Motivated because they have received exemplary service and advice or, in their eyes anyway, the opposite. Prompted? Asked to write a review by the business. No demographic is exempt, except those with no access to the web. Never make the mistake of thinking that customer X 'is not the kind of person to write a review'. We have seen instances of people in their nineties asking their carer or children to write a review on their behalf.

Taking notice of reviews

Take a minute to search 'estate agent Kingsbury' and then ask yourself 'Would I at least ask to meet them?' if you were selling a house in their area

Again, we can show you conclusive proof that scoring above 4.5 with a significant number of reviews - 100+ these days will bring in more business. A great Google score, by comparison with your competitors, will bring in more enquiries. If asked to put a number on that at outset, we will usually say 'between 15 and 25 per cent more', but we have seen uplifts of well over a hundred per cent. What can you be absolutely sure of? Looking great in search, with a score like the client above that has recently opened a second branch, certainly won't harm your business!

Conclusion

One thing we haven't mentioned here is absolutely key for a business embarking on engaging with reviews for the first time: moderation. It is the essential safety net that reduces the chances to as near as zero as can be of an inaccurate, misleading or just plain unfair review from being published. A full description of the process is here.

Once a business understands moderation, it is time to make the move towards professional review management. What more reassurance can we provide?

Reviews are displayed front and centre on the business's website - location specific - and are proven to drive business.

More proof. This time on the business's own website...

1. We will fully brief your business and all its management and staff as to process and best practices. Not just at the outset, but all the way along the journey. And that will be done by a human being, not AI.
2. We will do all the development work that will enable you to invite reviews to your own website (Google gives you great SEO credit for that) and then enable you get them on to Google. We will provide you/your web designers with the code or our API so you can harmonise your review display with your own branding - no mandatory star colour!
3. We will not tie you into a contract; on the contrary, we will positively guarantee success - no strings attached