Online reviews are everywhere. Yelp alone hosts over 53 million of them, and 120 million users view the site each month. Throw in Google+ Local, Angie's List, and others, and with millions of reviews influencing consumers on dozens of review sites the world over, it's likely that before a new player checks you out, they've checked you out online.

That's important. According to this study, a one-star increase on Yelp can lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue.

So what motivates customers to leave positive reviews?

There's a really easy way to find out. Read them.

Make a Good First Impression

Comb through some reviews and you'll notice right away: customers generally leave reviews after their first visit.

Take this Google review of Universe Games:

Very good first visit, great service—even with my purchase totaling $0.53. Will definitely be back.

The purchase may have been worth a mere 53 cents, but the review is invaluable. When you greet a new customer, assume you're greeting their entire friends list.

Offer Great Customer Service

The old cliché is true: you only get one chance to make a first impression. But you get a chance to earn a great review every time the door swings.

Keep scrolling and you'll see stores earning online review gold with fundamental customer service.

Like this Yelp review for Versus Games:

"The first time I visited the store it was just to look around with my friend.  I came back three months later...and [owner Dee Veloz] still remembered my name."

As customer service goes, learning a name is as fundamental as it gets. But even this simple, friendly gesture was worth a glowing review from this Yelp user.

Online reviews are a powerful tool that can help improve your visibility and calibrate your business. Put that power to use in your store today!