Dealership Reviews: An Integral Component of your Online Identity
What do your dealership reviews say about you? Apparently a lot. According to research from econsultancy.com, 61% of consumers take online reviews into account before making purchase decisions. The modern car buyer is reading your reviews, shouldn’t you be too?
If managing your online dealership review profiles is not a top priority today, it’s time to reevaluate. Sites like Yelp allow consumers to share their feedback in a very public manner. Facebook has also joined the online review game, allowing users to rate their experiences on a five-star scale and share feedback. Whether you’re managing your presence on review sites or not, chances are, you are the topic of at least a few reviews. Though responding to reviews can seem like a daunting task, it’s integral to your dealership’s online presence for a few reasons. Let’s take a closer look.
Customer Experience
Don’t look at online reviews like just another customer service task. Look at them as an opportunity help improve the customer experience. Take note of the feedback and keep in mind that not all reviews will be bad. When customers provide constructive criticism, put it to use to improve business operations. As you do, you will begin to see more and more five-star ratings.
Search Rankings
Google+ offers yet another online review forum. The search giant upped the ante when they included online reviews in their local search algorithm. That’s right, Google rewards businesses with healthy numbers of Google+ reviews with better search rankings. Are you struggling to outrank the competition on certain local keywords? Take a look at their Google+ reviews. You just might discover their secret to local search ranking success.
Start an Online Review Program
Unfortunately, consumers are often more apt to provide negative feedback after an unpleasant experience. However, it is up to the dealerships to encourage happy customers to leave online reviews as well. Often consumers don’t understand the importance of positive reviews. Educate your customers and ask them to take a few minutes to share their feedback. Train your staff to make this part of the customer experience and discover the power of the online review!
At Speed Shift Media, we offer the most advanced dealership display advertising on the market today. We work with leading dealerships to provide strategic insight into building and maintaining winning digital programs. Maintaining an online review program is just one of many proven digital strategies we suggest for our clients to get the most from their digital marketing efforts. Learn more about the Speed Shift Media dealership display advertising platform today!
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