The impact online reviews have on your business

Positive Reviews have the power to take your business from being an unknown entity, to a well-known name. Not only will reviews aid in visibility online; it also increases awareness of your brand and helps potential customers locate you both digitally and physically -- giving your business that extra boost needed for success!

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Consumers these days rely heavily on online reviews to gauge their trust in a business - and this influence is stronger now than ever before. In fact, an impressive 93% of potential customers are using ratings as the modern-day word of mouth when it comes to making buying decisions.

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Which online review sites should you focus on

With the sheer volume of review sites out there, it can be a daunting task trying to gather reviews across all platforms. The good news? Our research has found that by concentrating your efforts into Google and Facebook while supplementing with other industry-specific domains could give you an edge when potential customers are searching online.

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Google:

When you need to find a local business for any reason, Google is your go-to source. With its comprehensive search results, it's like having the entire town in the palm of your hand! From websites and phone numbers to directions and hours of operation—it's all just one click away.

Your Google reviews can make or break a customer's initial impression of your business. Make sure to prioritize these valuable ratings before collecting feedback from other sources!

Optimizing your GMB (Google My Business) page can give you a huge local search advantage! Not only do reviews from customers boost a business' credibility and trust, but having the most prominent position (Google Map Pack) in Google's search results is an invaluable asset. So make sure to take full advantage of creating and managing GMB; treat it like a second website as it plays a huge part on how consumers discover what products or services they buy locally.

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Facebook:

With an impressive 2 billion daily active users and 78% of American consumers turning to Facebook for retail inspiration, it's clear the social media giant is a key review platform worth investing in.

Word of mouth has always been a powerful marketing resource, and now it's more alive than ever on social media. Over two-thirds of consumers are likely to make a purchase after seeing referrals from their friends or family - so setting up your Facebook business page is worth the effort. It'll be easy (it doesn't cost anything) and you can use it as an awesome way to show potential customers that others have had great experiences with your company!

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Industry-Specific Review Sites

Google and Facebook are certainly powerhouses in the review arena, but it's important to remember that there are other websites just as relevant - industry-specific sites for customers who want deeper information on services or products.

Here are some review sites you might want to prioritize depending on your industry:

Auto Review Sites:

Dealer Rater
Cars
Edmunds

Home Services Review Sites:

Home Advisor
Angi (Formerly, Angie’s List)

Travel Review Sites:

TripAdvisor
Expedia
Bookings

Healthcare Review Sites:

RateMDs
Healthgrades
Vitals

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More Review Sites to Consider:

Yellow Pages: Yellow Pages has come a long way since its physical phone book days, now offering an online directory that can connect customers directly to your business. With yellowpages.com, you have the opportunity to put yourself in front of more potential clients than ever before - all while avoiding those bulky paper books!

BBB: For more than a century, the Better Business Bureau has been helping customers make decisions they can trust. With BBB accreditation, businesses get recognized for meeting high standards of reliability and integrity – becoming places where people know their needs will be met safely and securely.

ConsumerAffairs: ConsumerAffairs is an impactful tool that helps businesses reach more customers and elevate their reputation. With its interactive platform, companies can drive genuine reviews, foster meaningful conversations with consumers, and increase referral traffic for successful growth in the marketplace.

MerchantCircle: MerchantCircle unites local business owners and customers in order to foster trusted relationships. It's an invaluable platform that bridges the gap between businesses keen on providing quality services, and people looking for them!

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Gather more reviews with Chekkit

Reviews are a game-changer for businesses. With the right strategy, reviews can help you soar to success - driving more traffic to your website and store while generating higher revenues than ever before. Sure, this isn't an instant process; but with some time and effort invested in increasing both quantity AND quality of customer feedback, it's well worth the effort!

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Want to boost your business with customer reviews? Start by selecting the sites that are most important for you, then utilize a specialized reputation management tool like Chekkit. This will help make it easy and seamless for customers to share their feedback - allowing local businesses to reach new heights of success!

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Get ready to take your online reputation up a notch with Chekkit! We can help you streamline the process of collecting reviews so it's easier than ever.

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