How To Make The ‘Reviews’ Page One Of Your Most Powerful Tools

We talk all the time about what you, as a business owner, should be doing to get more eyeballs to your website and more clients to your facility. You need SEO rich content. You need up-to-date content. You need lead generation strategies. And on and on and on.

But what about good old-fashioned word-of-mouth recommendations?

Well, they’re as powerful as ever. And, in fact, it’s easy to use them to your advantage. Did you know that 80% of the people coming to your website go directly to your reviews page once they have landed on your site?

Your reviews page is THE SECOND MOST VIEWED PAGE ON YOUR SITE (with the exception of advertised pages). So yeah, they’re important. But what are they?

You’re probably thinking “What’s the difference between a review and a testimonial? They’re the same, right?” Well, they’re not.

Testimonials are good. Reviews are better.

Testimonials are often solicited by a business from clients they know will be generous. Reviews are left beyond a business’ control. Reviews are real.

Reviews build trust with potential leads and they can demonstrate your expertise firsthand. They make potential leads feel comfortable spending money with your business and they boost conversion rates because they provide you with a proven track record.

They are essential to any successful business. But just having them isn’t enough.

What can you do to make your reviews more effective?

If your business currently uses a 97 Display website, you have a head start because reviews from your clients are given a prominent position on all of our themes.

We gather reviews from all corners of your business’ reach, including multiple social media platforms, and we bring them together into one digestible page.

But like any other page on your site, visitors aren’t going to spend hours flipping through word after word. They want the gist and they want it fast.

Here’s what we suggest:

• Reviews should be skimmable. Sure, in-depth reviews are a great way to show how much you care. But for every long-form testimonial, you should have one or two quick-punching reviews.
• Images are important. New leads to your business want to know who they are getting advice from. Ask your current clients for permission to use their photo with a review. It will go a long way.
• Focus on collecting a diverse set of reviews. If you teach Kids Martial Arts, Krav Maga, Kickboxing, and MMA, you’ll want new leads to find reviews about each. Find a good balance between men and women.
• Don’t let that page go stale. If the first review on your page is talking about a class they took 3 years ago, it’s time for an update.

Throughout your website, we talk a lot about what makes your business great and what you can offer your clients that other people can’t. But your reviews page is the only chance you have to show a lead how great everyone else thinks your business is. Don’t let it go to waste.

Not currently using a 97 Display website? Contact us today for a FREE assessment of your reviews page and we’ll help you convert more of your leads into long-lasting clients!