Whether I want to try a new Chinese restaurant, find a new dentist, or try out something new from Amazon, I always thoroughly examine the reviews to make my decision. There are not many places I will go these days without doing my research beforehand. I'll read the best and the worst reviews, trying to take each with a grain of salt. We all want to save ourselves from any bad experience, right?
Now whether you’re choosing a dentist or choosing a B2B vendor, both decisions can be influenced by review sites.
Fun fact: The average B2B buyer conducts 12 online searches before engaging on a vendor's website.
That's 12 times where someone could be seeing information about you on a third-party site instead of seeing your actual website. When people search for your company on Google, the first page of search results are as valuable as your homepage. More than two-thirds of these search visitors will never click through to your website, so this may be the only opportunity you get to show your value.
How can you make sure your search results represent your brand well? Make review sites a part of your marketing strategy.
Today, most of the top search results in a branded search—when someone searches your company name—are for review sites. That means your business profile on review sites needs to be updated at least once a year with new pictures and relevant, correct information. Having a built-out profile is a quick win that gives your brand authenticity. Responding to existing reviews and having a plan to regularly respond to future reviews will build your audience's trust. Then make sure to ask your customers and stakeholders to leave reviews on various sites. Often people are more than willing to help your business by writing a review, but people don't always think about doing it.
A review site lead is often a better lead
One of the best things about the leads that come from these sites is that these prospects are often much closer to the bottom of the sales funnel. If someone is looking on a review site, they are already interested in finding a business like yours. All you have to do is make sure your company stands out.
A high number of reviews—both good and bad—builds trust between your business and that lead. Learning about others’ experiences builds a kind of assurance in your services and people.
A review shows a tangible representation of your work which, in turn, gives your lead the confidence and peace of mind that working with you is the right choice.
How can I make it better?
New reviews are critical to keeping your ranking on these sites high. You can even boost your visibility on review sites by testing out the sponsorships available with the site. Most sponsorships will give you a higher ranking on pages you specify so more visitors will see your listing when looking for your service.
Check out which review sites your competitors are on. If you don't have a profile on a review site they're on, make one. It's an easy way to increase brand awareness and get new prospects.
Review sites show the value of your business in such a reputable way. Use them to your advantage. It doesn't cost anything to build out a profile or ask people to review your company. Those reviews can help sales. They build trust with your prospects. They show authenticity. Make it a part of your strategy.