Tips to Get More Customer Reviews

Did you know that customer reviews have a direct impact on sales?

It’s true! According to a survey conducted by Zendesk, 90% of participants agreed that reading positive online reviews boosted their likelihood of purchasing a product or service.

So, if you’d like to boost sales, it’s high time you started working on gaining more customer reviews!

Here are some tips on how to do it.

1. Create Profiles on Multiple Review Sites

This one may sound like a no-brainer, but it’s one of the most efficient ways to increase online reviews. By creating accounts on different review sites, you‘ll essentially be increasing the number of platforms on which your customers can leave reviews. 

Here is a list of online review site suggestions to help you get started:

• Yelp
• LinkedIn
• Google Local
• Yahoo Local
• TripAdvisor
• CitySearch
• Trustpilot
• TrustLink

Be sure to register your business on websites that are relevant to your niche. For example, if you run a restaurant, try putting it on TripAdvisor so that you’re exposing your business to the right audience. As a result, you’ll be opening up your business to the possibility of gaining reviews from even more customers than in the past. 

2. Request Reviews

This is another straightforward and surefire way to increase online reviews. If you want your customers to show more engagement with your brand, just ask. 

Most customers understand how beneficial a good review can be for a business and, as long as you’re providing them with excellent products or services, they’ll be happy to leave you one. 

Be sure to ask customers to leave a review right after they’ve received the product or service. The longer you wait to request a review, the lesser the chances of actually receiving one. So, your best bet is to ask as soon as possible, or even mention it before you deliver the product or service. 

Be sure to give them exact instructions on how to leave a review, though. For example, if you’d like your customers to pitch in on Yelp, tell them. If you’d rather they made the contribution on Google Local, let them know!

This is also where it helps to have multiple review platforms supporting your business. Some of your customers may not be familiar with a specific review site or might not have an account on it. However, if you allow them multiple options to choose from, the likelihood of them finding a review platform that works for them is much higher.

3. Make Leaving Reviews Easy 

You should also focus on making it as easy as possible for a customer to leave their review. So, for example, if you’re in touch with your clients digitally (through your business’ Facebook page, for example), be sure to leave a direct link to your review platform (like Yelp). The easier you make it for a customer to post a review, the more likely they are to do it.  

Here’s another example: if you’re communicating with customers through WhatsApp, you can send them a link to your Facebook page and request them to leave a review over there. 

4. Pitch Incentives

Sometimes, customers need an extra incentive to take time out of their busy schedules to leave a review for your business. Such incentives can include a small reward for every review posted or offer appreciation in a different form. 

For example, you can reward users with 10% off their next order each time they leave a review. Not only will this encourage them to post a (hopefully positive) review, but it will also encourage them to come back and shop from you again because of the discount you’ve promised them. 

Talk about hitting two birds with one stone!

5. Thank Your Customers for the Review

If the review site you’re using allows for it, be sure to thank your customers for leaving a review. This will encourage them to keep coming back to buy from your business (positive reinforcement goes a long way). 

You can also try to boost customer engagement by picking the best reviews and sending those specific customers a fun freebie. This is another great way to make your brand look more appealing, too.

Regardless of how you choose to do it, though, be sure to say thank you!

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing is all about keeping your customers in the loop even after they’ve purchased your product. So, be sure to use the tips above to increase your brand’s visibility and boost the number of customer reviews you receive from your clients! 

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2014/08/28/6-simple-ways-to-get-customers-to-review-your-business-online/?sh=5cc9dd5614c5

https://www.seekmomentum.com/blog/internet-marketing/get-customer-reviews