Why Does Good Online Reputation Matter?
Having a digital presence is not sufficient. You need to have a solid and influential online reputation if you want to convert more sales. Believe it or not, nine out of ten customers check online reviews before purchasing.
What if the first three reviews that your prospective audience goes through are negative, no matter how genuine?
Well, you’ve already lost that customer, along with others, for good. The internet has made information easily accessible to everyone. This makes it crucial that you have a solid online reputation. Online reputation refers to everything that’s posted about your brand online. It includes all the information and testimonials published across the internet, whether it’s your website, social media accounts, e-commerce platforms, review websites, etc.
What’s the importance of a good online reputation?
According to a survey, over 95% of customers check online reviews before buying anything. This only emphasizes the importance of a good online reputation. Here are some reasons why online reputation is important.
Triumph over your competition.
Today’s customers go online and do thorough research before purchasing. They also compare reviews and prices with your competitors to determine the most suitable product. Therefore, the hard work that you put in to build your reputation pays up monetarily.
Convert more sales
It’s noticed that most customers cancel their purchases right before the payment when they discover bad reviews. Sometimes, a good review adds as the last strike before your audience is converted through the sales funnel.
Earn more revenue
Have you ever wondered why big brands selling similar products charge more and still convert many sales? This is primarily because they’ve better reviews, and users are willing to pay more based on their online reputation. According to a survey, over 22% of customers are willing to pay more based on their online reputation.
Control your brand message and positioning
Most start-ups fail despite having solid products and proper marketing strategies. It’s because they fail to control their brand message and positioning because of all the noise due to bad testimonials. By taking charge of your brand’s online reputation, you can ensure that you’re able to achieve a desirable brand message and positioning in the market.
Online reputation can trigger word of mouth
Word of mouth is undoubtedly the best marketing strategy. If your customers are happy with your products and services, they’ll refer you to their acquaintances. Testimonials and feedbacks are the modern version of word of mouth and can trigger a similar effect. Also, 84% of online users trust feedback even if they’re given by strangers. So, having a good digital reputation will definitely work in your favor.
Connect with all your stakeholders
A business cannot grow without complete support from all your stakeholders. Moreover, all your stakeholders are directly influenced by online testimonials, be they investors, consumers, or employees. So, maintaining a good online reputation will cover you on all fronts.
Conclusion
Gone are the days when you could ignore negative online comments. Now, each and every testimonial counts. Thus, it is crucial that you focus on everything that goes up on the internet about your brand.