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e’re always likely to value a word of mouth
recommendation from friends or family, but
in our increasingly digital society, the impact
of online reviews is also on the rise. A 2018
survey by SEO specialist BrightLocal revealed
that 86% of customers now read online reviews
for local businesses and 78% trust these as
much as personal recommendations. It’s an
impressive statistic, particularly given there’s now more
awareness of “bots” and “fake” reviews skewing numbers.Knowing your search results
With so many customers looking online for reviews before
they visit a business, you need to be aware of what they’re
seeing when they search for your company. In fact, many
salons and spas have remarkably similar results. Typically,
you’ll find a couple of links through to your website,
followed by social media profiles – usually, Facebook and
Instagram. If you’ve set your company up on the Google
My Business feature, then customers should see more
information on your salon at the side of the screen.
In these search results, Facebook and Google make
your reviews (both the number and the average star
rating) very visible. In addition, Google will often show
snippets of comments from your reviewers – giving an
instant recommendation for your business.
It’s because these features are so visible that they are
so important, and why you should be taking advantage
of them to the fullest. Think of it from a consumer’s pointof view. A business that proudly shows off lots of high-
ranked reviews online is much more likely to get their
attention than one with too few, or that’s hiding them
away. Making it easy for potential customers to feel
confident in your business is a quick and easy win.Online reviews: dos and don’ts
Obviously, if you’re not already asking your customers
to leave you reviews online then you should start doing
so. But if you are – and you’re not getting results – then
consider which of your customers you’re asking to do this.
86% of all customers say they would consider leaving a
review, but the demographics of those who actually do
leave them are very different. 80% of 18-34-year-olds say
they have left a review for a business – while only 41% of
those aged 55-plus have done so. Regularly encouraging
younger age groups to leave reviews, therefore, may be
more rewarding than older ones.
One thing you must never do is harass your customers
in to leaving reviews – a comment that reads “I was
asked to leave this” won’t entice many new customers.
Similarly, be careful about “bribing” people in to
leaving reviews with perks or competitions. Facebook’s
Community Standards strictly rule out encouraging
content “under false pretences”. If your customers flood
your page with reviews that suggest you’ve pushed them
there for their own gain, they could be flagged and harm
your page. They’re also unlikely to be thoughtful reviews,
and therefore would be no real benefit to your business. PBW
As surveys show customers trust online reviews almost
as much as personal recommendations, PB’s social media
editor Chris Halpin gives tips on improving your online rating
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