Word of mouth is an incredibly important aspect of brand growth. We all know of businesses that we first heard of from friends and family members. Some impressions may have been positive, while others were negative. People have their opinions of businesses shaped by the opinions of others, which is why it’s so important for a business to make a good impression.

The same is true in the digital arena as well. Brands and businesses desiring growth need to understand the power of reviews and testimonials in achieving success. While the task can be difficult, there are multiple reasons why these elements are crucial and multiple benefits they provide.

Let’s examine how reviews and testimonials can be a great source of growth for your online business.

They Can Improve SEO

The name of the game with SEO is building as much content and as many links (and references) as possible across the internet. The more notable your brand, the better it is to likely perform in various search results. Search engines also assess a variety of other criteria, such as brand credibility. By earning various reviews across multiple review websites, you are effectively establishing credibility with search engines.

While pinging your website with user reviews and testimonials is a good idea in its own right, earning reviews from stand-alone platforms can improve your rankings in key SERPs. The end result is that your brand can attract a greater number of customers and ultimately leverage these reviews into additional success.

They Establish Trust with Audiences

The internet can be a big and scary place. Shoppers don’t necessarily know who or what to trust, which is why having as many mentions as possible in the form of reviews can be a huge ally. Household names don’t necessarily require reviews to persuade people that they are a trustworthy business; your brand, however, probably requires a bit of help in this department.

When shoppers can verify that your brand has served other customers and can be trusted to do the right thing, many are willing to give your brand a chance. Especially when coupled with the SEO bonuses mentioned earlier, this can drive hordes of new shoppers to your brand and boost profitability.

They Persuade Fence-Sitters

Let’s be honest: there are many people who look at products but don’t necessarily choose to buy them. These window-shoppers are particularly common online, where an unprecedented amount of competition and choice exist for most products and services.

Being able to show potential customers that they have nothing to fear can help at least a few of these individuals make the plunge now rather than later. Testimonials and reviews highlight the positive experiences that shoppers have, which can be the deciding factor for those who are otherwise almost ready to buy who are already pinging your website.

Any business that seeks sustainable growth has many options to consider when promoting itself online. However, reviews and testimonials are one tried and true method that can improve visibility in search engines, build natural trust with audiences and persuade those who are on the fence with respect to buying. Consider these benefits and how they can help further grow your profit margins!