Unexpected Customer Feedback Driving Local SEO
Discover key stats and six fresh insights from a survey of 1,200+ North American consumers to help you strengthen your local brand marketing strategy.
Unexpected Customer Feedback Driving Local SEO
In addition to a statistic predicting and the need to make sure anybody actively in local brand marketing, sharing some six fresh insights that were learned from a survey of more than 1,200 North American consumers.
1. Young Consumers Are Surprisingly Patient When It Comes To Owner Responses To Reviews
It was found that consumers aged 45 to 60 possess high expectations regarding review and response time frame. Survey question revealed that, at least in terms of owner responses to reviews 18 to 29 years olds are the dominant group. If your customer base is young, there could be other elements of your local search marketing and brand-consumer communications requiring more urgent action.
2. Word-Of-Mouth Recommendations Are Far More Trusted Than Reviews
Word of mouth marketing actually help marketer cultivate brand advocates who actively promote products or services to their social media circles. Integrating this approach into a broader marketing mix not only enhances brand visibility but also brings authenticity that can lead to sustained growth and customer retention.
Word of mouth marketing is a form of marketing that is shared organically by consumers. It happens when people ‘spread the word’ about a brand or product. This can be done in several ways and on different channels such as online reviews, user-generated content, social listening, influencer marketing, and blogging.
3. Review Reading Is On The Rise
The value of reviews is on the rise, meaning reputation management deserves priority resources. Google continues to invest in highlighting review content, both on Google Business Profiles and in other forms, such as the bonus text snippets known as local justifications that appear in local packs and Maps.
Many customers conduct internet research before choosing a product or service to buy. Part of the decision-making process often includes learning what product users think about the item by reading online reviews. Learning about online reviews can help you use them to improve products, enhance a company’s brand reputation and reach new consumers.
4. Are Star Ratings Less Important Than You Think?
Product ratings have become an essential part of shopping process. Studies have shown that a 0.2 difference in a rating (i.e. 4.5 versus 4.7) can lead to 200 percent higher sales.
As per study saying people overestimate star ratings because of a phenomenon called “the visual completion effect” that is, when their visual system sees an incomplete image like a star that’s only half full, they instinctively fill in the remainder. As a result, when they see half-full stars, consumers tend to round up so they perceive a 3.5 rating as closer to 4. They then partially correct the error, but not enough to land them all the way back at 3.5.
5. Only Minority of Review Readers Are Interested In Responses That Detail Brand Improvements
There are significant benefits attached to doing so. Firstly, addressing feedback post-purchase should be seen as a vital part of the ongoing customer experience, whether positive, negative, or neutral. It reinforces to your customers that you’re listening and learning. This tells potential customers that you are responding to all feedback: good, bad, and ugly.
Just 7% of consumers say they don’t expect review responses, so there is a significant expectation to continue the customer journey after their experience. After all, we local marketers know that the good old marketing funnel doesn’t simply end with purchase. Or at least, it shouldn’t. Keeping communication open with customers can go a long way in creating advocacy, and being seen to close the feedback loop by possible customers helps to reinforce trust.
6. Instagram Is Definitely In The Local Business Reputation Game
It was found that 52% of modern consumers are relying on this social media space for local business recommendations. Business models that relate to pleasure (think restaurants, bakeries, travel) have an advantage in the Instagram community.
Making progress in this specific social environment could be challenging if you are promoting a plumbing franchise or a law practice. The general conclusion drew from the answers to this question is that more and more platforms are affecting local purchase choices. Managing your Google, Yelp, or TripAdvisor reputation is insufficient.
To increase the amount of online recommendations your brand receives, you must have a presence and a fan base on platform that the towns and cities you serve choose.
7. The One Stat Don’t Need To Miss
92% of consumers now consider owner responses to reviews as part and parcel of providing good customer service. It confirms the advice giving small-to-enterprise brands for many years now that creating the best possible online consumer experiences is as crucial to building a strong reputation as what happens within premise walls.
There is no more vital or lucrative focus for local brands of any size than ensuring that they are in a trustworthy, responsive, and reliable relationship with their customer base. Smart brands will put this at the heart of their marketing strategy.
