The power of online reviews is immense. Consider these statistics: 94% of consumers say reviews have made them avoid a business and 49% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. People look at reviews before they go to a new restaurant, book a hotel or buy a gadget. In today’s digital age, they’re simply ingrained into the fabric of our existence. So, it comes as no surprise that schools, colleges and universities need online reviews as much as any other business.

Your school’s online reviews equate to people’s first impressions of your school. If you don’t have good reviews, you won’t have people looking at your school, let alone be able to attract students to go there.

Here’s why online reviews of your school are so powerful and why you need them:

• Reviews build trust and credibility

Lots of positive reviews of your school show parents and prospective staff that you’re a good school and this builds trust and credibility in your community. Just like any other industry, education is competitive and you need to show parents that they should send their children to you to learn. One of the most significant decisions a parent can make for their child is what school to send them to. You know the quality of their education sets them up for life. With lots of positive reviews, parents can be sure you’re the right school for their children.

Similarly, to attract the best staff, prospective teachers and support staff will check out your reviews. With lots of positive reviews you’ll attract top teaching talent which will only result in you getting more fantastic reviews. A win win everywhere!

Reviews are social proof, whether they’re good or bad. The authenticity of reviews is what makes them so valuable, trustworthy and credible.

• Reviews highlight your USPs

If you’re a school who excels in a certain discipline, such as sports or science, your reviews will highlight this. This helps you stand apart from your competition and differentiates you from other schools in the area. It will help with parents’ decision-making for their children if they’re looking for a school with these qualities.

• Reviews encourage accountability and improvement

In an educational environment it’s important to have transparency. For a school, it’s important to have constructive feedback which helps to show where things need improving. Of course, everyone should strive for high standards and excel, but sometimes this just doesn’t happen. Sometimes you may be aware of it and other times you might not be. And this is where online reviews become useful - for accountability and improvement.

Online reviews essentially help facilitate open communication between schools, parents and the wider community. They help you to address any concerns within the community.

What platforms should be used for online reviews?

The internet is vast. You may not always have control over which platforms people use for their reviews of your school and so you need to be diligent in keeping track of people’s reviews. This is especially true for any negative feedback you may receive.

You can encourage people to leave reviews for your school on platforms such as Google, Facebook and Yelp. And be sure to showcase the most valuable ones on your website to attract students and staff.