It’s hard to gauge the importance of online reviews. Customers rarely mention if they read your reviews before coming to see you, and if a bad review caused them to shop elsewhere, you’ll likely never know. But reviews are very important, in fact, 74% of Canadian used car buyers will look at online reviews during their next vehicle search, and although reviews are not typically the primary reason to visit a dealership, they do help customers decide where (and where not) to buy.
How to get reviews
Reviews are an important part of your future business, so how do you get more? Ask your happy customers! Customers who care about reviews are also willing to provide them – 75% will write you a review if asked. And when you do ask, recommend they leave a Google review. When a Canadian used car buyer looks for reviews, 70% of the time they’re looking on Google. Even when they’re not actually looking for reviews, just Googling your business name pulls up your Google review score. A good review score will ensure they press that Directions button and head over to your dealership.
Top 5 things customers want to see in your reviews
- Fresh, recent reviews
- Balanced content
- Responses to negative reviews
- Information about service, not just sales
- Examples of going above and beyond
How to use reviews
So, how important are online reviews? The 74% of Canadian used car buyers mentioned above want to see that you have new, balanced reviews and that any negative reviews have been addressed. Plus, it helps to have a few examples of your team going above and beyond. Using this information to build your review strategy today will keep customers coming in to your store tomorrow.