All About Business Online Reviews

Abdul Fares | Brasil Sao Paulo, SP

The world of digitalization is giving more power to customers to write their opinions in the form of online reviews about services or products and these opinions can either make or mar businesses says Abdul Fares. That is customer reviews: a digitalized word of mouth, simple, inexpensive and powerful.

As a business, it’s one thing to have an online presence to increase visibility, it’s another thing to have positive reviews that will drive sales. Come to think of it, when was the last time you visit a pizza shop without asking for someone’s opinion? Or when last did you make an online purchase without first reading reviews?

To drive the point home, an alarming 93% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase and 92% will only trust businesses with at least a 4-star rating. This shows the rate at which reviews influence consumers buying decisions and that is why as a business, you should care.

Read on as Abdul Fares, a leading E-commerce CEO unfolds strategies of making the most of online reviews and how you can manage them.

Where can you find your Brand’s Online Reviews?

From Google to social media platforms to consumer online review sites, there are different platforms where consumers are turning to rant or rave about businesses today. Therefore, it is important to know where to turn to analyze business online reviews says Abdul Fares.

1. Social Media Reviews

With Facebook boasting of 2.4 billion users, this is an online review platform that should not be taken for granted. Chances are your customers will go on to social media to let their online friends know their views about your business. Hence increase your social media presence and make leaving reviews as seamless as possible for the visitors.

2. Google Reviews

Google is the number one place to position your business in front of your customers. Google reviews are reviews that appear when your business or brand is being googled searched. Google reviews are an awesome way of promoting your business and it can increase your ranking on search result pages.

3. Online Review Sites

There are various general or niche online review sites that businesses can take advantage of popular review sites such as Yelp, BBB, pissed consumer complaints among others are giving voice to consumers to share their experiences with businesses.

Tips for handling Online Reviews

Got a negative review? Don’t panic or be deterred. “As a business, understand that there will always be both bad and good reviews and bad reviews do not mean bad business” says Abdul Fares. “This does not mean negative reviews should be ignored, if handled properly, you can still stay on top of reviews game and use it to your advantage,” Fares adds.