Table of Contents
- Why Are Customer Reviews Important?
- Leveraging Customer Reviews
- Navigating the Double-Edged Sword of Reviews
- Customer Reviews Shorten the Sales Cycle
- Customer Reviews Boost Conversion Rates and Revenue
- Customer Reviews Strengthen Your Social Proof
- Customer Reviews Boost Your SEO Efforts
- Customer Reviews Lower Acquisition Costs
- Related Reading
- How To Encourage Customers To Write Reviews
- Leverage Testimonial Management Tools
- Ask for Reviews
- Respond to Negative Reviews
- Share Positive Reviews on Your Website and Social Media
- Review Your Customers Positively
- Offer Incentives
- Ethical Review Practices: Avoiding Incentives
- Train Your Customer Service Reps
- Training Your Team for Exceptional Customer Service
- Host Events to Meet Customers
- Use Social Media
- Leveraging Social Media for Active Engagement and Reviews
- Do Your Job Right
- Follow Up on Recent Purchases or Interactions
- 12. Simplify the Review Process
- 13. Include a Call-to-Action on Physical Materials in Each Order
- 14. Be on Review Platforms
- 15. Send Purchase Follow Up Emails
- 16. Automate the Review Ask
- 17. Start the Review Conversation with an Open-Ended Question
- 18. Remind Customers How Reviews Help Your Business
- 19. Add an “Awaiting Review” Reminder on Customer Account Pages
- Simplifying the Review Process
- 20. Use Surveys to Get Reviews
- 21. Consider the Timing
- 8 Top Customer Review Sites Your Business Should Prioritize
- 1. Google: The Local Business Review Giant
- 2. Facebook: The Social Review Network
- 3. Yelp: The Local Review Community
- 4. Amazon: The E-Commerce Review Powerhouse
- 5. TripAdvisor: The Travel Review Authority
- 6. Trustpilot: The Transparent Review Platform
- 7. Angi: The Home Services Review Site
- 8. G2 Crowd: The Software Review Hub
- Simplify Testimonial Collection and Display
- Related Reading
- What To Do If You Get a Negative Review
- Breathe: Your First Reaction Matters
- Investigate the Feedback for the Truth
- Respond Quickly and Publicly
- Show Some Empathy
- Offer a Solution or Ask to Continue the Conversation Privately
- Learn From the Feedback
- Encourage Positive Reviews to Balance Out the Negative
- Follow Up with the Reviewer (If Appropriate)
- Build a Wall of Love for Free Today with Testimonial
- Related Reading
Title
How To Encourage Customers To Write Reviews (21 Best Ways)
Date
Nov 9, 2024
Description
Boost your brand’s credibility by motivating customers to leave reviews. Here are 21 effective ways to gather authentic feedback.
Status
Current Column
Person
Writer
Picture this: you stumble across a business that looks perfect for your needs. They offer exactly what you’re looking for, their prices seem reasonable, and their website is easy to navigate. Then, you notice their star rating is only two out of five. Why? While this business has a nice website, it has no reviews to help explain its services. While you may not know exactly what’s happened, you can guess that this business has likely failed to meet the expectations of previous customers, and you want no part of their services. Instead, you move on to the next company with better ratings and reviews. This scenario plays out constantly on the web and illustrates why encouraging customers to write reviews is crucial for business success. This article will offer valuable insights to help you achieve your goals, such as finding the best customer feedback tools and ways to enable customers to write reviews.
One effective way to get more reviews is to use customer feedback tools. Testimonial software can help you easily capture and display reviews, boosting sales and building your business’s credibility.
Why Are Customer Reviews Important?
Customer reviews provide social proof that helps your business build trust. When potential buyers read that other customers had a good experience with your products or services, it gives them the confidence to purchase. This is especially important for small businesses that may need the recognition of larger competitors.
Every business can claim that customer reviews offer a great solution. But when customers say in their own words that a tool is valuable, reliable, and practical, it’s much more powerful.
It’s simple: Online reviews help create trust, as reflected in many customer service statistics. Seventy-six percent of people “always” or “regularly” read online reviews for local businesses.
Leveraging Customer Reviews
Featuring customer reviews on a landing page can increase conversion rates by up to 270% (Spiegel Research). Reviews are trusted 12 times more than other marketing materials, and some consumers trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth recommendations. This can help with brand awareness and credibility, especially in crowded markets.
Navigating the Double-Edged Sword of Reviews
Positive and negative reviews can impact a brand, with 52% of buyers saying they trust a brand more if there are a few negative reviews. For best results, leave the negative reviews up and address the reviewer, offering to find a solution.
Customer Reviews Shorten the Sales Cycle
When buyers read reviews, they often feel more confident in purchasing decisions. This is part social proof and part trust, but either way, it can accelerate the speed at which customers move through your pipeline.
Remember that 89% of users will make a purchase within one week after researching reviews, and 68% of users read reviews while building their shortlist during the research stage of the typical buyer’s journey.
Customer Reviews Boost Conversion Rates and Revenue
Plenty of data shows that online customer reviews can significantly increase sales. This is partially thanks to the increased trust and brand awareness we’ve already discussed.
Products with as few as five reviews are up to 270% more likely to sell. Customers spend an average of 31% more with businesses with great reviews.
Customer Reviews Strengthen Your Social Proof
Social proof can make a significant impact on how customers perceive your brand. If you have a ton of great reviews, potential clients are going to take note. After all, your prospective customers want to be happy!
Reviews are precious as social proof when they stress how well your solutions worked for their needs. Reviews from consumers in different industries or customer segments can help potential customers see that you can help clients like them.
Customer Reviews Boost Your SEO Efforts
Many reviews can help boost your ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs), so it’s a vital part of SEO efforts.
Businesses with high star ratings often dominate local search, and businesses with the highest number of reviews are given priority. Therefore, generating as many positive reviews as possible can help you attract more clicks. This concept holds for other third-party platforms outside of Google, too. Business profiles on social media or review sites with more consumer reviews often show up higher in a search, increasing your overall visibility.
Customer Reviews Lower Acquisition Costs
In many cases, customer reviews can accelerate the customer journey. As the decision-making process is streamlined, businesses spend less time nurturing leads. They also spend less money attracting leads when potential customers can find them easily during the research process.
This lowers overall customer acquisition costs, increasing your ROI and revenue.
Related Reading
How To Encourage Customers To Write Reviews
Leverage Testimonial Management Tools
Using a testimonial management tool like testimonial.to can encourage customers to leave reviews by streamlining the process for both you and your clients. Testimonial simplifies the process of building trust and credibility for businesses.
Our software allows accessible collection and display of authentic client testimonials, featuring:
- Video and text options
- Embeddable wall of love widget
- Clever Email Assistant
- Third-party review imports
Testimonials showcase real customer experiences and help boost credibility and conversion rates. They are ideal for:
- Content creators
- Agencies
- eCommerce
- SaaS companies
Build a wall of love for free today with Testimonial.
Ask for Reviews
Don’t be shy about asking customers to leave a review. Simply requesting one can be an effective place to start, especially for small business owners. This can be done during the sales process, in person or online.
For online reviews, when a customer makes an online purchase, you can encourage them to leave a quick rating or review with a website pop-up. Pop-ups should be brief and limited to one or two questions.
You can also use email surveys and social media to ask for reviews. These surveys should also be quick and easy to complete. Plenty of today’s tools allow you to send review invitations to customers by text or email.
Recommended platforms that provide services, helping you manage and encourage customer reviews effectively:
- Grade.us,
- Trustpilot
- ReviewTrackers
Besides requesting reviews for you, some services track your reviews across multiple platforms in one convenient place.
Respond to Negative Reviews
Once you have active review platform accounts, you must respond to all positive and negative reviews. Although it may be tempting to ignore negative reviews, this can diminish trust with current and potential customers. Unaddressed negative reviews might signal to customers that you don’t value their opinions or experience.
On the other hand, tactfully addressing negative reviews can demonstrate your commitment to your customers and defuse and de-escalate situations. Sometimes, you have the opportunity to win customers over again.
Share Positive Reviews on Your Website and Social Media
When you garner positive reviews, don’t be afraid to show them off. You can share positive reviews on your website and social media accounts to increase their visibility. This shows you have a positive reputation and can remind other happy customers to follow suit and write about their great experiences.
Review Your Customers Positively
Some successfully gain customer reviews by being proactive and reviewing their customers first. This is not an option for all businesses. Nevertheless, if you use a platform that allows it, such as Airbnb or Uber, you can leave positive customer reviews in hopes the customer reciprocates.
Offer Incentives
Businesses can benefit from incentivizing reviews, but in a different way than you might be thinking. You can create an employee review program that rewards employees for receiving positive customer reviews. This incentivizes your employees to ask customers for reviews and incentivizes customers to leave reviews to help their favorite employees earn rewards.
Ethical Review Practices: Avoiding Incentives
You shouldn’t incentivize customers to leave reviews (e.g., giving customers discounts in exchange for reviews). Offering customer rewards for leaving a review is against Google’s (and most other platforms’) guidelines. This skews the reviews you get and leads to distrust, not to mention that your reviews could be deleted if the review platform gets wind of your tactics.
Train Your Customer Service Reps
Make sure everyone has been trained on how to treat customers well. Offering great customer service is the best way to attract positive reviews.
Training Your Team for Exceptional Customer Service
People are likelier to talk about things or experiences they dislike, so top-tier training is essential to avoid negative reviews. Make sure all employees know the right way to talk to customers and the right way to handle escalated situations. This helps bring in positive reviews while mitigating the negative ones.
Host Events to Meet Customers
Putting a face to your name can be a valuable way to connect with your audience, especially for small businesses that depend on their local community for success. Think of events or activities you can host to:
- Engage
- Entertain
- Show appreciation to customers
Hosting events can help build your brand and make customers feel connected to you. When you build that personal connection, tell them how much a positive review could help your business.
Use Social Media
Social media is an invaluable tool for building your business’s reputation, especially platforms like:
- TikTok
Leveraging Social Media for Active Engagement and Reviews
To realize that value, you can’t simply have social media accounts; you need to be active. Your customers are already on social media, sharing their opinions and experiences with friends and family, and you can capitalize on that. When you engage with your customers on social platforms, you can also encourage them to review your product or service.
Do Your Job Right
It can sometimes speak for itself when you offer a great product or service. Focus on honing your craft to create your best product or service. When customers notice that you provide a valuable, high-quality product or service, they are likelier to leave positive reviews.
Follow Up on Recent Purchases or Interactions
Don’t leave your customers to the wind after they purchase or interact with your business. Instead, allow them to connect with your company through immediately:
- Surveys
- Social media
- And more
Increase customer engagement by automating these follow-up messages, quickly responding to comments and questions, and using AI agents for 24/7 support.
12. Simplify the Review Process
Show you appreciate your customers’ business and time by simplifying how and where they can leave reviews. A complicated review process is less likely to result in positive reviews or feedback.
Here’s how to make it easy for clients:
- Link review site pages in social media bios and email newsletters.
- Set up messaging software so customers can leave reviews directly through their preferred channels.
- Meet customers where they are by being available on various sites, channels, and mediums.
- Make links clickable and guarantee they lead to the correct pages.
13. Include a Call-to-Action on Physical Materials in Each Order
If you include paper invoices or other marketing materials in your shipments, you can create and include a call-to-action with a QR code. Then, use WPForms to create a mobile review form to capture reviews. When the customer uses the QR code from their phone, they’re taken to the form and can submit a review.
14. Be on Review Platforms
It can be difficult for customers to leave you reviews if your business doesn’t have an online presence. For this reason, it’s essential to have active accounts on review platforms so customers can review you. Some of the most common review platforms are:
- Yelp
- Better Business Bureau
15. Send Purchase Follow Up Emails
Post-purchase email requests for reviews have an 8% response rate, making them the best way to get reviews. To get the best response, email your review request within a week of purchasing to take advantage of the good feelings that shopping releases.
Also, according to research done by Yotpo, you’re likely to get your best response on Saturday, so keep that in mind.
16. Automate the Review Ask
To simplify the process and optimize for the best times to ask for a review, you can automate sending review emails. For example, you could set up automated review emails to trigger several days after a purchase or delivery. You could automate sending review requests to the customers you’ve surveyed and identified as most likely to promote.
If you’re service-based or subscription-based, consider automating the review ask to trigger routinely, such as on the first day of every month.
17. Start the Review Conversation with an Open-Ended Question
If you start the review ask process with an open-ended question, you can learn more about your customer's opinion of your product or service before requesting a review. This process allows you to source genuine feedback and ask customers to leave a review only when you know they’re satisfied. (No one wants to ask for a review only to find out your customer had a bad experience!)
Start your conversation with one of these questions:
- How do you like [the product/service?
- Do you think you’ll make another purchase from us?
- Are you planning on renewing your subscription?
- Did our customer support team help you with [concern/problem?
Then, if you can tell your customer was satisfied with their experience, ask them to leave a review (and encourage them to use my conversation as a basis).
18. Remind Customers How Reviews Help Your Business
One of the best ways to convince customers to leave reviews is to remind them why reviews are so helpful. Of course, this resonates most with your satisfied customers, who already believe in your business and are happy to help. It also promotes positive reviews.
Explain to customers how reviews help your company know what it’s doing well and what it can improve. But more importantly, mention why reviews help potential customers decide whether your product or service is right for them.
19. Add an “Awaiting Review” Reminder on Customer Account Pages
If you’re in e-commerce, consider designing your purchase history tab around reviews, as Etsy has. Their purchase history section is marked as “Purchases and Reviews” to encourage buyer feedback. Once buyers open this section to check recent purchases, Etsy marks recently delivered purchases that haven’t been reviewed yet as “Awaiting Review.”
Simplifying the Review Process
Buyers see a prompt to review these items and can instantly click on a star rating to start their review, like in this example with stickers. Etsy doesn’t stop there. The website uses prompts to encourage customers to start their reviews and reminds customers how a review helps the Etsy community make better purchasing decisions.
Why not implement some – or all? Are these ideas in your review system?
20. Use Surveys to Get Reviews
Short surveys are a great way to aggregate customer reviews. You can design the questions while providing good feedback for you and your business. The best surveys are short and simple. You can ask two or three multiple-choice questions and allow customers to type in additional feedback. Then, you can also ask them if they are okay with you sharing their review online, either anonymously or with their names.
21. Consider the Timing
The timing of your request is critical. Ask for a review when the customer is most satisfied with their experience. For instance, if you own a restaurant, the best time to ask for a review is after the food has been served and the customer has finished the meal.
On the other hand, if I sell products, I should wait until the customer has had time to use them before asking for feedback.
8 Top Customer Review Sites Your Business Should Prioritize
1. Google: The Local Business Review Giant
Google My Business is the most essential platform for small business online reviews. This free tool helps businesses manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps.
When someone leaves a review on your Google listing, it helps your local SEO. The more reviews you have, and the better they are, the more visibility you’ll gain when customers search for your products or services.
GMB is more than just a platform for gathering reviews; it’s a hub for engaging with your customers. You can:
- Answer questions
- Respond to reviews
- Share updates
- Showcase photos and videos of your business
This interactive space allows you to build relationships, address concerns, and foster community around your brand.
2. Facebook: The Social Review Network
Facebook is also on the customer review websites list. As the world’s largest social network, it has become an essential platform for businesses to engage with customers. With a vast reach and social influence, it is a critical tool for building brand awareness and customer relationships.
The strength lies in its social impact. It’s where people:
- Connect
- Share experiences
- Seek recommendations
Businesses can leverage this social dynamic to their advantage, turning their Facebook page into a place for review collection. Facebook allows businesses to:
- Respond to reviews
- Answer questions
- Address concerns
So, take this opportunity to use the power of word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Yelp: The Local Review Community
Yelp focuses on local discovery, too. When you look for a restaurant, coffee shop, mechanic, or any service-oriented business in your area, it is often one of the first places you turn. Being a community-driven platform, you can refer Yelp to the business review sites. It’s a chance to:
- Showcase your offerings
- Respond to reviews
- Build a loyal customer base in your area.
The algorithm prioritizes user-generated content, meaning positive reviews can significantly impact your visibility. Become open to users sharing their honest opinions and helping others make informed decisions.
4. Amazon: The E-Commerce Review Powerhouse
Amazon, the top e-commerce platform, is more than just a marketplace for goods; it’s a powerful influencer of purchasing decisions. Its vast product review system is a goldmine of consumer feedback, shaping how shoppers:
- Research
- Compare
- Buy products
A product with a high average rating and numerous positive reviews is more likely to attract buyers, while negative reviews can deter them. Customers can also leave reviews for sellers, highlighting their experiences with the following:
- Service
- Shipping
- Overall customer satisfaction
It adds another layer of importance to managing Amazon reviews and promptly addressing negative feedback.
5. TripAdvisor: The Travel Review Authority
TripAdvisor, a global platform for travel reviews, has become a crucial resource for travelers plotting their next adventure. It’s a treasure trove of information about first-hand experiences, all curated by fellow travelers.
When planning a trip, people turn to TripAdvisor to:
- Research destinations
- Read reviews of hotels and restaurants
- Get insights into local attractions and activities
Its vast database of reviews and ratings has made TripAdvisor one of the best review sites for making informed travel decisions. For tourism businesses, it offers a powerful platform to showcase their offerings and build a solid online reputation.
Positive reviews can:
- Attract new customers
- Boost bookings
- Enhance a brand’s image
6. Trustpilot: The Transparent Review Platform
Trustpilot stands out as a global platform where companies can gather honest feedback from real customers. It creates a transparent and reliable space for online business reviews and aims to build trust in the online marketplace. It helps people showcase their strengths and address customer concerns.
Trustpilot operates globally, making it ideal for industries with a worldwide audience that work on a massive scale. You can trust this platform because Trustpilot uses a sophisticated system to identify and remove fake reviews.
7. Angi: The Home Services Review Site
Angi, formerly Angie’s List, is a customer reviews website for homeowners who want reliable professionals for their home projects. Think of it as a community of homeowners and service providers, connecting those seeking help with those who can provide it. From plumbing and electrical work to landscaping and cleaning, it takes the guesswork out of finding reliable service providers, putting you in touch with those with a proven track record.
Angi is a platform built on trust and transparency, focusing on providing high-quality service experiences.
8. G2 Crowd: The Software Review Hub
G2 Crowd is a platform designed to help businesses find the perfect software solutions for their needs. Think of it as a trusted advisor for software selection. It provides a vast collection of reviews and ratings from real software users, offering strengths and weaknesses of different products.
G2 Crowd encourages user-generated content, including detailed reviews and
comparisons. The platform categorizes software into specific industries and functions, making it easier for businesses to find relevant options. Plus, each software product has a dedicated profile with details about its:
- Features
- Pricing
- Integrations
- User reviews
Simplify Testimonial Collection and Display
Testimonial simplifies the process of building trust and credibility for businesses. Our software allows an accessible collection and display of authentic client testimonials featuring:
- Video and text options
- Embeddable wall of love widget
- Clever Email Assistant
- Third-party review imports
Testimonials showcase real customer experiences and help boost credibility and conversion rates. They are ideal for:
- Content creators
- Agencies
- eCommerce
- SaaS companies
Build a wall of love for free today with Testimonial.
Related Reading
What To Do If You Get a Negative Review
Breathe: Your First Reaction Matters
When you get a negative review, it’s easy to feel defensive. After all, who wants to hear that their business has disappointed a customer?
Responding when upset can escalate the situation. Take a moment to process the feedback objectively. Avoid taking it personally. Approaching the review calmly ensures your response is professional and constructive.
Investigate the Feedback for the Truth
Carefully read the review and identify any specific complaints or valid points the customer raises. This feedback can reveal underlying issues that may need to be addressed in your business, such as:
- Product quality
- Customer service gaps
- Website experience
Even if the review seems exaggerated, there may still be valuable insights.
Respond Quickly and Publicly
Responding quickly shows the reviewer and potential customers that you care about customer satisfaction. Write a public response, demonstrating transparency and commitment to resolving issues. Nevertheless, avoid discussing sensitive information publicly; keep the response general and courteous.
Show Some Empathy
Begin your response by acknowledging the customer’s experience and, if appropriate, apologizing for any inconvenience they faced. A simple, sincere apology (even if you feel it was beyond your control) can diffuse tension and show empathy.
For example: “We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations.”
Offer a Solution or Ask to Continue the Conversation Privately
Propose a reasonable solution to address the customer’s complaint, whether a replacement, refund, or assistance. You could also invite the customer to contact me privately via email or phone to discuss the matter in more detail. This shows a willingness to resolve the issue and a commitment to customer satisfaction.
Learn From the Feedback
Use the review to assess whether there are recurring themes or issues in your customer service, product, or process. Negative reviews can sometimes reveal patterns you weren’t aware of, allowing you to implement improvements that may prevent similar complaints.
Encourage Positive Reviews to Balance Out the Negative
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews through follow-up emails or by including a call-to-action in customer communications. A steady flow of positive reviews can help balance negative feedback and showcase a more comprehensive view of your business.
Follow Up with the Reviewer (If Appropriate)
After resolving the issue, consider following up with the reviewer to ensure their satisfaction. If they’re pleased with the resolution, some customers may update their reviews or increase their rating. Don’t pressure them; simply thank them for allowing you to address the issue.
Build a Wall of Love for Free Today with Testimonial
Client testimonials bolster your credibility by showcasing real experiences from your customers. Potential buyers trust these reviews and use them to help make their purchasing decisions. The more you have, the better.
Testimonial simplifies the process of building trust and credibility for businesses. Our software allows easy collection and display of authentic client testimonials, featuring video and text options, an embeddable wall of love widget, a smart Email Assistant, and third-party review imports.
Testimonials help boost credibility and conversion rates by showcasing real customer experiences. They are ideal for content creators, agencies, eCommerce, and SaaS companies. Build a wall of love for free today with Testimonials.
Related Reading
- Review Management System
- Capterra Alternatives
- Benefits of Online Reviews
- Review Marketing
- Trustpilot Alternatives
- Landing Page Testimonials
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