Who is Getting a Five Star Review?

Writing reviews for businesses or providing them valuable feedback is not a new concept. We’ve seen “suggestion” boxes on the counters of our favorite establishments for decades. Google, Bing, and Yahoo Local have had “Reviews” incorporated in their online tools for years. Slowly over time, people have started providing reviews for businesses, as well as relying on them in their buying decisions.

With the advent of social media and the soaring trend toward mobile reliance, one thing is clear. It’s the power of “reviews” that lends value, credibility, and long-term stability to all newer marketing strategies. Word of mouth, referrals, and reviews are what pulls things together and makes a Remark!able difference for small businesses.

So, have you taken the time to write a review for a business you love? When you have an unexpected experience or value-add provided to you by a company, do you look them up and take two minutes to provide them with a thoughtful review? You should!

Reasons to Write Reviews

A review(s) for one local small business, in contrast to a couple competitors with no reviews on Google Local for example, can be the deciding factor in potential sales. If you’re a Buy Local enthusiast, support your local businesses with reviews!

Reviews enhance the search or shopping experience for other people. As people new to the area or business look to other customers for feedback, it reduces time and serves as a great starting point.

Reviews are simple and fast to write. Since they should be from personal experience, they only need to include what you’d like to say; no marketing speak.

It’s the right thing to do. It’s a nice thing to do. It helps your fellow neighbor, and it’s a great way to help spread the word about a great business who deserves some help boosting their marketing reach.

If you want to write a review for a business, check out this list of some of the “best” places to leave a review that may have the most impact. If you have one to add to this list, please leave it in the comment section below!