Nowadays, an increasing number of people prefer to use the Internet to discover important information about a company, or the products it sells. According to a survey conducted by the Wall Street Journal on consumer behavior in 2009, 92% of its respondents say they had more confidence in information they find online than anything coming from a salesclerk or other source. That same poll showed many consumers feel that adverts shown on TV are incomplete or inadequate. In a separate study conducted by Businessweek, it was discovered that 7 in every 10 consumers seek advice from consumer and expert reviews or ratings prior to making a purchase.
Reviews can be found on consumer protection websites, social networking sites, forums, shopping comparison sites, and other third party websites designed to aggregate consumer testimonials. One study indicated that more than sixty percent of consumers give preference to reviews found via search engines, fifty-eight percent on shopping websites, and forty-seven percent on the company's website.
What these polls truly indicate is that consumers give importance to the opinion of other consumers, and consumer behaviors are greatly influenced by reviews. Businesses that make use online reviews as part of their marketing plan see a rise in sales of at least 18%. Reviews also encourage consumers to stay longer on the company's website. In another study, reviews on the company website can boost conversion to more than 20%.
The use of social networking sites to talk about consumer experiences is also an emerging trend and businesses that do so enjoy increased traffic to their own websites, and in turn, better sales. People who read reviews also tend to share these with friends, family and colleagues further amplifying their impact.
Many consumers consider a favorable review as something that has an equal or greater bearing than price and special offers in terms of their purchasing decisions. Webcredible, a customer experience agency, found that 3 in every 10 customers say that favorable reviews were the reason why they decided to buy a particular item or pay for a certain service.
There are several ways you can do to encourage customers to leave reviews on your website. One would be directly soliciting for reviews. For example, you can print the URL of your corporate website on your receipts, or include this on any emails you send to your clients. Incentivizing is also another way to encourage your customers to write about your company or products. For example, you can offer them coupons or discounts off their next purchase if they leave a review. It is important that you respond to these reviews in a professional and timely manner though. This will show to your customers that you care about their experience with your products or company, and that you are committed to improving your goods and services.
Reviews can be found on consumer protection websites, social networking sites, forums, shopping comparison sites, and other third party websites designed to aggregate consumer testimonials. One study indicated that more than sixty percent of consumers give preference to reviews found via search engines, fifty-eight percent on shopping websites, and forty-seven percent on the company's website.
What these polls truly indicate is that consumers give importance to the opinion of other consumers, and consumer behaviors are greatly influenced by reviews. Businesses that make use online reviews as part of their marketing plan see a rise in sales of at least 18%. Reviews also encourage consumers to stay longer on the company's website. In another study, reviews on the company website can boost conversion to more than 20%.
The use of social networking sites to talk about consumer experiences is also an emerging trend and businesses that do so enjoy increased traffic to their own websites, and in turn, better sales. People who read reviews also tend to share these with friends, family and colleagues further amplifying their impact.
Many consumers consider a favorable review as something that has an equal or greater bearing than price and special offers in terms of their purchasing decisions. Webcredible, a customer experience agency, found that 3 in every 10 customers say that favorable reviews were the reason why they decided to buy a particular item or pay for a certain service.
There are several ways you can do to encourage customers to leave reviews on your website. One would be directly soliciting for reviews. For example, you can print the URL of your corporate website on your receipts, or include this on any emails you send to your clients. Incentivizing is also another way to encourage your customers to write about your company or products. For example, you can offer them coupons or discounts off their next purchase if they leave a review. It is important that you respond to these reviews in a professional and timely manner though. This will show to your customers that you care about their experience with your products or company, and that you are committed to improving your goods and services.
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Companies that use online reviews in their marketing strategy, see an increase in sales of up to 18%. To read more articles on online reviews, tap here.
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