Online reviews have never been more influential. Stats show that 97% of consumers search online for reviews when considering a product or service. And 93% say that their decision is directly impacted by online reviews.
Reputation management expert Simon Wadsworth, explains the latest Igniyte research on reputational risk to UK businesses and how you can protect your company now and in future.
A company’s’ reputation is increasingly influenced by online reviews with the majority of consumers browsing product and company reviews before purchase. As reported by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), reviews can influence £23bn of UK consumer spending per year, so they certainly shouldn’t be ignored.
With the world wide web now readily available 24/7 on mobile devices businesses now have the opportunity to communicate with their target audience much more easily and frequently in comparison to a few years ago.
When you plan a trip away, an evening meal or look at buying any product or service, it’s likely that you will Google it beforehand to see what people say about it. Review sites such as Trip Advisor, Trust Pilot and Review Centre tend to rank highly in Google and as they cover almost every sector – it’s likely that they will have some impact on your company.
If your company is registered with Google, you will benefit from additional features including Google Places and a Google Business page. These provide increased visibility particularly in local searches for your business.