This Presidents Day, consumers in the US will take advantage of holiday weekend sales to purchase home appliances and large electronics, and their first point of research will be online. Brands who want to get in front of these high intent shoppers, whether it be during a holiday weekend or all-year around, will need to provide digitally engaging content. We will share our findings on how detailed, experience-driven online reviews with rich content help draw shoppers to your product.
Importance of reviews within the Home Appliance shopper journey
When it comes to choosing big ticket items such as household goods, consumers want to know that they are making an informed purchasing decision. According to Google research on holiday shopping, 78% of shoppers turned to online search before visiting the store. Customer reviews help capture shoppers’ attention during this important phase of the purchasing journey. From our own Insiders home appliance activations, we’ve learned that reviewers are more likely to use everyday language and focus on their personal experience with the product’s features. These reviews use the same words which shoppers type into the search box, optimizing organic SEO, and influencing the way customers connect with your product online.
Knowledgeable reviews inspire and educate shoppers
Home appliance shoppers seek out reviews with user generated content and personal examples of everyday usage, with a Google/Ipsos study stating that nearly two thirds of shoppers say video has given them ideas and inspiration for purchases. With the high functionality of so many of today’s major appliances, we have found that descriptive reviews, and particularly reviews with video, can help educate shoppers about the various features and performance of an appliance. With all this functionality, it’s not surprising that consumers can misunderstand, or have incorrect expectations of a product’s operation, and oftentimes this results in negative or inaccurate reviews. The Insiders recently helped launch a new dishwasher for a top brand. When reviewers started reporting that their dishes weren’t drying the same as their 10+ year old dishwashers, we knew that education was needed. Once reviewers understood the energy efficiency elements of the appliance, and the impact of using a drying agent, we were able to move three-star reviews to four- and five-stars.
Not all reviews are created equal
We’ve discussed how descriptive reviews using everyday language and UGC, go a long way to influencing shoppers and connecting them with your product. The Insiders has developed a review calculator which shows that, along with star rating, reviews with these qualities are more likely to be selected as a Helpful Review. And the more shoppers who click the Helpful Review button, the more likely the review is to propel your product to the first page of search. With our experience in the Home Appliance category, we know that personalized coaching and education results in detailed, helpful reviews with a higher star rating. This in turn educates and inspires shoppers during their decision-making research.
More than ever it is vital for brands to engage shoppers online during the inspiration and information seeking stages of the purchase journey. Building up your brand’s online visibility through content rich reviews will ensure you’ll be well positioned to reach consumers.
