Reasons Online Reviews are Essential for Your Brand in Bulgaria
90% of shoppers read at least one online review before deciding to visit a business. This is why it is vital to collect online reviews in Bulgaria.
More importantly, 94% of online shoppers reported that a negative review has convinced them to avoid visiting a business.
This means that whatever your industry, having a positive online presence gives you several key advantages, which is why it is becoming a key part of branding.
Understanding why you need online reviews will help you optimize your customer experience to help create a positive online footprint.
Social Proof Drives Purchases
We are more likely to make a purchase if others around us—even total strangers—agree that it is a good decision. Today, online reviews are the biggest source of social proof, and they have a clear impact on sales.
They Make You More Visible
Most shoppers will look on Google and Bing or even on Facebook, when deciding what to buy. These websites all have their own unique ways of indexing, but they all value original and fresh content, and customer reviews can help feed the content machine, keeping your brand favoured by algorithms.
Online customer reviews give you a steady pipeline of, hopefully, positive content that search engines value highly when choosing which results to return.
When you are ranked higher people tend to see your website as an authority in your industry, which also leads to more exposure.
They Make You Look Trustworthy
Your brand can build significant trust and credibility from a steady stream of positive reviews.
Many shoppers distrust businesses that have ratings below, or even above, four stars. This leaves a small margin of error at the top, but companies with better average ratings are significantly more likely to see views converted to traffic and sales.
They Expand the Conversation About You
Exceptionally good, or bad, reviews have a way of quickly spreading.
Encouraging consumers to review your company is an easy way to expand your brand’s reach.
When people have good things to say, they are also more likely to share their reviews on more sites, including external websites like TripAdvisor.
These hubs are vital to your online presence, as Google collects data from their sites when building its own results ranking. Even on an individual level, having positive reviews can help push further reviews.
They Are Increasingly Essential to Decision Making
A proactively cultivated brand is one that increases your online visibility, and today, that means encouraging several ways for people to talk about you. Social media is a great tool, but the ability for customers to talk about you on other channels is a crucial component of your presence.
Almost two-thirds of shoppers think that online reviews are an essential part of the decision-making process. When they want to know the best places to go, they are more likely to turn to Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor than they are to a newspaper or even their friends and family.
By focusing on creating a steady stream of reviews, your brand is more likely to show up when customers are making their next shopping decision.
They Have a Clear Impact on Sales
Brands that are viewed positively have better sales, but even improving your star rating can have a positive effect on your sales.
They Give You an Open Line to Consumers
More than simply posting reviews, consumers today expect companies to respond to their comments.
These reviews also give you a forum to be frank with consumers and reinforce positive reviews with thanks, or promotions. More importantly, they also give you a way to quickly rectify a poor review and show that you care.
The immediacy of these reviews and the personalized responses also mean that they give your brand a face. Having a friendly, open-to-feedback appearance can work wonders for your brand.
Collect Online Reviews in Bulgaria
If you are not sure how to collect online reviews in Bulgaria on Google My Business then please contact us for some free advice.