With the digitalization of businesses, a strong online presence has become one of the most important things. Especially for new startups, their whole credibility is built upon how they are perceived by customers on the internet.
Here, the word internet includes a number of different platforms. It’s equally important for a business to have a high-performing website, a decent search engine ranking, and a strong social media page.
This article will cover the social media side of things. One reason for this is that users are spending more time on social media than on any other platform. Therefore, for businesses that deal directly with their consumers, social media becomes highly important.
What are Social Media Reviews?
You might have heard about Ad campaigns and paid promotions on Instagram, Facebook, etc. However, I believe these are secondary steps. The most important thing is how your customers talk about you.
Other than general word-of-mouth, users mostly talk about online businesses through reviews. These could be in your social media page DMs, in a comment under one of your posts, or on their personal statuses. All these are social media reviews that are highly important for your brand’s image.
Why Do They Matter?
Social media reviews are something that can make or break your social media campaign. Here is a list of reasons why these reviews are of great importance.
1. Improved Visibility
If we talk about the quantitative side of things, user reviews increase your online visibility. This is an organic form of marketing. In simple words, this type of marketing doesn’t require any form of monetary input. You improve your visibility for free.
If your product/service is good, users will support you. They will talk about your business. This lets the algorithm know that your page is credible. Consequently, it starts suggesting your product/service to potentially interested users. This enhances your customer base and potentially increases your revenue.
2. Influence on Buyer Decisions
Other than the visibility of your brand, social media reviews can also influence the decisions of your future customers. For example, if a user visits a clothing brand, they are going to search for the experience of previous customers.
They will read the reviews on your social media. If these reviews are positive, the user will feel more comfortable making a purchase from you. This means that if your reviews are good, the chances of lead conversions are improved. This could possibly increase your ROI as well.
3. Credibility Building
Building on the previous point, users finding positive reviews about your business isn’t only important for their purchasing decisions. Even if a visitor doesn’t make a purchase when visiting your page, they will know that this brand is dependable.
They might recommend your items to someone else. They might save a post for a future purchase. This way, positive reviews are beneficial in multiple ways.
Add Facebook Review Widget on Your Website
Facebook reviews help you to build consumer trust, drive conversions, and improve your website SEO.
How Can Startups Encourage Reviews?
Now that you are aware of the importance of social media reviews, let’s briefly discuss a few methods for getting these reviews.
1. Politely Ask After a Completed Order
When an order or service is delivered to the customer, send them a polite request to give feedback on their experience. If they are satisfied with your work, they will share a review letting others know that they had a great experience.
2. Respond to Reviews
Another thing that businesses might overlook is that responding to reviews is also important. It doesn’t matter if the review is good or bad; it is considered good practice to respond regardless. This makes future customers feel more comfortable with leaving a review. It allows them to sympathize with you.
3. Offer Automation
Something else that you can try is offering automation to your customers. Sometimes users are satisfied with your work but don’t know how to put it into words (Other times, they might just be lazy).
You can, however, give them the option to use an online review generator. These tools use AI to understand your situation and generate reviews based on it. An example of such a review maker is Editpad review generator. With such a solution, customers might be more inclined to leave a review.
Ending Remarks
In conclusion, in today’s competitive digital landscape, startups can’t afford to ignore what customers are saying about them online. This is especially true for an organic platform such as social media.
Social media reviews serve as powerful tools for improving visibility, credibility, and conversion rates, all without spending a single penny. Encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences can organically grow your brand presence.
