When you’re searching for a service online and five different results pop up, what is the first thing you do to narrow down your choices?
You’re scanning the business names, and you see below each one: 4.8 stars (213 reviews); 4.9 stars (1393 reviews); 5.0 stars (1276 reviews); 4.2 stars (27 reviews); 3.5 stars (13) reviews.
You do what the majority of people do–you immediately eliminate the bottom two companies, with the lowest star rating and the least reviews. Of the remaining three choices, you check out their websites and browse their reviews, until you’ve read enough to feel satisfied you’ve pinpointed the best option to provide the service you need.
Your customers searching for pest control services near them are no different. People make decisions based on the reviews they read from the business names they see first, which is why building your online reviews is essential for your pest control business’s brand.
Let’s take a look at 5 reasons why online reviews are so important for pest control companies:
1. Social Proof Motivates People
Social Proof is the idea that people will adapt their behavior to what everyone else is doing. When you consider that concept in the context of marketing, it makes sense that if other people have purchased and found value in your service, those reading your online reviews will too. Here are a few statistics that show you just how valuable online reviews can be for your pest control business:
- 88% of consumers trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations.
- The average consumer reads 10 online reviews before making a purchasing decision.
- 57% of consumers will only use a business service if it has at least a 4-star rating.
With these stats in mind, your online reviews are not only impacting social proof, but they’re driving sales to your pest control company as well.
2. They Boost your SEO
Search engines want to give their users the best experience possible — this means ranking trustworthy websites that provide high-quality services and information the highest.
Google refers to this as E-A-T, which stands for expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, in their Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines and deem it very important. Essentially, if you can prove to Google your pest control company has these characteristics, they’ll consider you worth promoting and rank you higher on the SERPs (search engine result pages).
There is a lot that goes into using your positive reviews to show off your E-A-T, getting the attention of search engines, and boosting your SEO. Here are three tips to help you get started:
1. Review Diversity
Collect reviews from many different sources, not just Google reviews.
2. Review Recency
Highlight your most recent reviews.
3. Review Quantity
Showcase as many reviews as possible — so ask your past clients and customers to leave a review on a regular basis!
3. They Build your Brand
Having a strong brand image is crucial to differentiating your pest control business in a crowded market. A steady stream of positive reviews are powerful in building your pest control company’s online identity and establishing credibility along the way. But just how many reviews does it take to achieve customers’ trust?
When it comes to trustworthiness of a business rating, quantity is just as important, if not more important, than quality. Around 50% of customers say a rating with between 1 and 50 reviews, is most likely legitimate. A little over 30% would like to be reassured by more than 50, preferably by up to 500 user reviews. Interestingly, 5% believe up to 1,000 is a good enough number. Then, there’s the 12.9% that simply don’t care about reviews or numbers.
4. They Drive Traffic to your Website
Reviews, directly and indirectly, impact website traffic. They can influence SEO ranking, referral traffic, and persuade users to take action. For 50% of all consumers, their very next step after reading a positive review about a company is to visit their website. What users say about your pest control company can determine how many more prospects visit your business online.
It’s also important to highlight those reviews and customer testimonials on your website. One study found this led to an increase of 29% in service booking conversion rates as well as a 22% increase in contact requests.
Refreshing your website with new reviews can also improve your search engine rankings. It’s no secret that Google prefers to rank websites that are active and updated frequently.
5. They Create Dialogue with your Customers
Reviews are a great way to let you know how your customers truly feel about your pest control company and the services they received. Whether you get a good or a bad review, the single most important thing you can do is RESPOND to them!
Thank your customers for their feedback, whether it’s positive or negative. This shows you care about your customers’ opinions and are committed to providing the best possible service. If the review is negative, don’t panic. Address the customer’s concern in your response and take the necessary steps to resolve the issue.
Over half of customers change their opinion about a business based on how they respond to online reviews. Keep in mind, your words matter, so you should be checking for new reviews frequently and responding as quickly as possible.
