Displaying reviews to potential customers has rapidly become a necessity for brands to be successful. As a valuable method of marketing and communication, reviews can bridge the gap between your marketing campaigns and product results.
Perhaps, your organisation already collects reviews for internal development. But does your organisation display these reviews? Research has found that in 2020, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. From a 1 to 5-star scale to a lengthy anecdote, this figure increased from 81% in 2019 and 67% in 2010. This rise demonstrates the extent to which reviews are growing in their ability to influence and the need to make them visible.
Whether your reviews are visible online or on digital signage in-store, this blog highlights why your organisation needs to display reviews and the benefits it can bring for your brand, from building brand trust to evoking purchases.
Displaying Reviews Builds Brand Trust
An organisation with a high level of brand trust will thrive; customers will want to shop there. Gain brand trust by proving your organisation to be both reliable and credible.
By displaying reviews, your company is being transparent and, in turn, demonstrating that it can be relied upon for honesty. Transparency is key to gaining and retaining customers; research has found that 94% of consumers prefer brands that practice transparency.
Moreover, reviews by actual customers provide evidence of the quality of a product or service and are often valued more than recommendations by friends and family, according to 84% of shoppers. This fact demonstrates the importance reviews have in building brand trust.
Build Brand Loyalty By Displaying Reviews
With increased brand trust comes brand loyalty; research has found that 62% of consumers state they are loyal to brands they trust. As a result, by displaying reviews of your brand, products, and services, you can increase customer loyalty.
Increasing customer loyalty is a goal your organisation should acknowledge and strive towards for multiple reasons. A study by Brand Keys has shown that a loyalty increase of 7% can boost lifetime profits per customer by as much as 85%, and a loyalty increase of 3% can correlate to a 10% cost reduction (sector-dependent).
Therefore, displaying reviews is a crucial method for building brand loyalty to bring further benefits to your organisation.
Social Proof Evokes Customer Purchases
Nearly two-thirds of consumers believe that online reviews are important or very important when choosing a local business. If customers see that other people have enjoyed a product, they are more likely to purchase said product. Likewise, if a customer is unsure of a purchase decision, a positive review could tip them in the right direction.
Significantly, 72% of consumers will wait until they read reviews before taking action, demonstrating the power of a review in evoking customer purchases. While online, this is solved easily with integrated reviews on product pages, in-store this is often solved with digital signage, presenting product reviews on-screen, on rotation.
Ultimately, by triggering purchases, reviews are boosting your sale figures. A study by Northwestern Universityโs Spiegel Research Center found that when a product gets five reviews, the likelihood of it being purchased increases by 270%. Likewise, for higher-priced items, displaying reviews can increase the conversion rate by 380%. These facts accentuate the importance of displaying reviews of your organisation on public platforms.
Compliment Marketing Activities By Displaying Reviews
Reviews and testimonials of your products or services make brilliant and free marketing content. If your marketing campaign promotes your brand as the next big thing, a review, revealing just this, compliments and supports your campaign. As a result, your marketing activities will soar in reliability because people agree with what you are saying and promoting.
Alternatively, use reviews from consenting customers in your marketing campaigns. This tactic improves the credibility of your marketing campaigns and adds to their success. People are more likely to resonate with real customers giving their opinions for free rather than those paid to do so, such as influencers.
Reviews Drive and Expand Conversation
Encouraging and displaying reviews of your organisation urges people to start talking about your brand, and if people see others doing so, they will join in. These reviews, therefore, drive and expand the conversation around your brand and build a community.
Whether internally or externally, on a website or public digital signage, such as in the retail sector, if someone sees a review of your brand, they will automatically think whether they agree or disagree, sparking conversation. This conversation spreads the word further about your brand and, in turn, drives up sales.
Displaying Reviews Improves Your Ranking
Reviews have become a prominent factor in local search rankings. Although many factors are involved in producing search rankings, online customer reviews can strongly influence search engines; they communicate expertise, authority, and trust. In turn, reviews help an organisation rank well, even if they have low-quality link profiles (despite links still being crucial).
To further improve your ranking, respond to reviews about your organisation. When you reply to reviews, both customers and search engines can see that you value your customers and their feedback.
Considering 75% of internet users never scroll past the first page of search results, doing all you can to improve your organisationโs ranking is critical. This fact emphasises the importance of displaying reviews.
If you have any questions related to displaying reviews, speak to an expert today. Call our friendly team on 02380 981110 or Email info@troudigital.com for a no-obligation consultation. Alternatively, click the button below.
