We all know how important online reputation is for businesses like restaurants or hotels where customers put a great deal of trust in online reviews but does that translate over to auto dealers as well? There are a lot of myths and common misconceptions regarding the way online reviews influence car buyers. This infographic dives into the data to put these claims to the test.
Myth #1: People only use reviews to decide which vehicle they want
Some in the industry would say that customers seek out reviews to decide which vehicle to buy, but not which dealership they choose. It is true that 1 in 6 surveyed car buyers used social media reviews when deciding on a vehicle (this includes Google reviews), but that is only part of the picture. According to research from MaritzCX, 54% of surveyed auto customers (63% for those under 35) viewed online reviews about individual dealerships somewhat or very trustworthy.
Myth #2: People only read negative reviews
Another common misconception is that people only read negative reviews, and there isn’t anything you can do about it once it is up there. Of the buyers that found them trustworthy, 81% said they were influenced by both positive and negative reviews when choosing a dealership. This means that dealers can counter the impact of negative reviews by getting more positive ones, and by responding to more reviews.
Myth #3: People only write reviews for negative experiences
Some believe that people only write reviews when they had a negative experience, but research shows that 54% of car buyers indicated they would leave a review for both positive and negative experiences. When asked reasons for not writing reviews in the past, 18% of respondents said they were never asked. This means that you could be missing out on countless reviews simply because you aren’t asking for them. Dealership reviews aren’t just about car sales either. 53% of car buyers have written a social media review for the sales, service, or overall vehicle experience, which makes service drive customers a great source for potential reviews!
With these and many other misconceptions floating around about how online reputation relates to auto dealers, it is more important than ever to use data to drive decisions. Learn more about improving your online reputation by contacting us at sales@friendemic.com and download our free E-book “The Definitive Guide to Online Reputation for Auto Dealers” here today!
