“Negative reviews increase conversion rates for all kinds of businesses, because people see them and know that they’re shopping in a truthful environment.”  -Brett Hurt, CEO Baazarvoice in Zero Moment of Truth

Stop for a second and think about that. When consumers pour over reviews of your product, what are they really looking for? And does that match up with what your business is focused on giving them? Let’s compare two sides of reviews.

Business owners want one thing: Raving reviews. Of course you don’t want bad reviews on your site. You want people to be so happy with your product or service, that they can’t help but shout it from a rooftop (or your website.)

Consumers want two things: Assurance that others have used your product or service and peace of mind that comes with knowing they’ve done their due diligence before buying your offering. They aren’t looking for people gushing over your product, they’re looking for helpful information.

Say a prospect lands on your website while in the process of researching products in your businesses niche. What happens if the only thing they can find is a measly product description? In their eyes, you’re useless because they’re in research mode and on the lookout for unbiased information. If you aren’t that resource providing a context around your product that answers their question, they are immediately going to bounce to another site to finish their due diligence. Good luck getting them back.

On the other hand, a business with a majority of negative reviews is another story. The point I want you to remember is that a few critical reviews aren’t going to ruin the entire bunch.

Bazaar Voice has found that showcasing reviews on your website actually increases conversion by as much as 123%. Don’t let the fear of bad reviews cripple you from encouraging your customers to discuss and share your brand.