Think about the last purchase decision you made, online or not. Did you research the product online first? Maybe you read details regarding what other people had to say about it or how they rated it.
Customers all around the world leave reviews every day about products, places, services, and events so that fellow shoppers and consumers can avidly pursue or actively avoid the same user experience. In a recent study done by Zendesk, 90% of people are shown to seek out testimonials and take them into account when making a purchase decision. The use of reviews for authentication has become so common in the modern age that often times it is part of the ritual of a purchase now: not even noticed by the user as they autopilot to the testimonials section of a web page to support their buying decisions.
Although this statistic is strikingly high and may seem like common procedure, often times business owners do not take into account just how voraciously important a review can be for their business, especially in the Ecommerce world.
The Importance of Reviews
The Effects of Negative Reviews
While the testimonials of pleased customers are incredibly powerful for a business, the effects of unhappy customers are sometimes seen to be detrimental. Studies show that 80% of customers change their mind about a purchase decision after reading a negative review about it. The power of negative reviews sways individuals more than positive reviews are often able to.
Unfortunately, most satisfied customers will not leave a review after using a service or product from an Ecommerce website unless it is personally requested that they do so. Because of this, in order to avoid negative testimonials that carry so much weight in future consumer decisions, it is of utmost importance to proposition a customer to leave a review in some point of the consumer experience process. Unsatisfied customers may still leave reviews, but as long as a strong balance in favor of positive interactions, new clients will be more inclined to utilize services from a business.
Gathering Client Testimonials
Although it may not always render a success, there are many ways to gather reviews that can be used to attain positive reviews in support of a company’s products or services. The first option is to create an opportunity for the customer to leave a review on the company’s page itself. This allows for easy access and less extraneous navigation, ultimately making it simple for a testimonial to be made.
Next, a very effective way to gather reviews would be to alert the user via notification as they login to their account or during their visit to a company’s website. A notification that records ratings in a speedy fashion is often a successful way to remind customers of the quality services or goods purchased through a business.
Lastly, sending users an email campaign as a way of prompting a testimonial is often successful. Most individuals are busy and will not find time to review every Ecommerce site they have utilized. This is why speed and ease of access are the most quintessential aspects of creating a platform on which reviews can be created. In order to appreciate the user’s time and signify their value to you as a loyal client, a promotional email can also be created as an incentive to fill out a review and make it positive.
Quality, Quantity, and Frequency
In addition to the positive or negative nature of the feedback given in a client review, the frequency and quantity of customers leaving reviews for a business is also of the utmost significance. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) uses an algorithm to keep search results up to date so that search engine clients can be kept up to date as efficiently as possible. Because of this, the review factors that lead into a thriving Ecommerce website include quality of rating (positive or negative), the quantity of ratings, and frequency of ratings.
Ideally, a business has more than a few ratings on their website that can show clients that there is a more substantial and authentic audience supporting a company. For example, a profile with one review automatically seems more untrustworthy than if hundreds or even thousands of users are taking the time to leave their thoughts about it. Then, the more frequently individuals mention or review a business or its services, the higher it will appear in a search. According to Marketing Land consumers are reported to spend 31% more at a business when the reviews are excellent. Ultimately, it is these client testimonials that bring in new foot traffic and active shoppers to a website and lead to a boost in business.
Conclusion
Ratings are a key factor to success in our ever-changing modern world. Whether it is video and written reviews from customers or celebrity testimonials for a business, consumers rely on this information to make decisions in the world of E-commerce. By understanding the importance of testimonials in today’s society and utilizing skills to obtain as many positive reviews as frequently as possible, companies can be sure to thrive and be prosperous when working with old clients and attracting new clients.
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