The search market is a rapidly growing and changing area of marketing. Consumers are both more elusive and more connected than ever before and business owners need to keep up with customers’ online behaviour in order to remain relevant and prominent in the market.

How many times have you, as a consumer read an online review? The viral nature of the Internet, together with the growing distrust of paid media and traditional advertising has led to customer reviews becoming one of the most powerful influences of the consumer’s purchase decision.

Studies suggest that consumer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating in content marketing at 89%. Consumers don’t trust what a business says; they trust what customers are saying.

The three most influential customer reviews come from family and friends; social media; and online reviews published by total strangers.  A customer review has the potential to take your product or service to many customers who cut through your site in a convincing manner. So, by collecting and encouraging customers to leave a review you are building trust with your customers and giving potential customers the perception that you are a trustworthy brand.

Traditional forms of marketing are losing out to user-generated content, especially customer reviews. The more reviews you have online, the more likely your customer’s voice will come through and the more credibility you will have.

Encourage Customer to post reviews

Invite you customers to post their reviews about your service, preferably on your own website. Rather than having reviews posted on the likes of Yelp, etc., give them clear instructions on how to leave reviews on your designated website. Allowing you, as a brand, to build up an array of quality reviews quickly.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key. In anything you do, personal or professional, if you are not consistent, you will not be successful.As we all know search engines like fresh, renewable and relevant content, meaning that each time you get a new review your domain and pages gain a little more authority. You are creating renewable, original content about your brand with each published review or comment.So, having reviews published on a once of will not benefit your brand. Make sure they are regular and consistent.

Engage with your audience

Responding to reviews is a great way to learn and build a trusting relationship with your customers. On their own, positive reviews are already hugely powerful but when you get involved in the conversation, it shows that you are genuinely interested in what your customers have to say.

In today’s market, creating an engaging relationship with your audiences is a very powerful thing. Consumers seek a relationship with a brand, the goal is no longer selling a product but rather making a meaningful connection, and creating a community around your brand.Listen to you audiences and remember that a thoughtful and timely response consistent with your brands values goes a long way. Reviews are the best way to build customer trust. When potential customers read your positive reviews, they become familiar with the quality of your service and are more likely to commit when they get to you.

Hopefully this article was helpful and please feel free to visit our website Sendmode at any time for a free consultation on your mobile marketing and web texting strategy.