7 tactics for even more customer reviews

Reports about a product and your company can be one of the most powerful sales engines for your business. This is evidenced by statistics showing that as many as 70% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase, 63% of consumers are more likely to buy from sites that boast testimonials, and as many as 93% of shoppers say that online reviews influence their purchasing decisions However, that’s not all – social proof of rightness in various online venues can encourage the undecided and reduce the number of failed purchases. However, how do you ensure that customers share their opinions online? Check out our tactics for getting reviews in online marketing

1. Simply ask for feedback

How to solicit feedback in online marketing? Forget that customers will share their impressions on their own. They will, but more often when the experience is negative. According to research, only 6% of consumers give online reviews on their own. If you want to gain positive feedback, you need to make more effort and ask for it directly. MYou can do this in many ways – on the phone, in a chat room or by sending a direct link to give feedback, such as in a company’s Google profile. You can find it in Google after searching for the keyword: your company name + company profile in Google under the button: Ask for feedback. In online stores, you can automate this process with plugins, such as Prestashop’s Boost Review.

Remember, however, that just asking for feedback does not give 100% success – only 20% of recipients respond positively to such a request. So your goal is to ask for testimonials from as many customers as possible – of course, leave out in your considerations those who are definitely not satisfied.

Please be sure to ask for testimonials.

When is the best time to ask for references? Certainly after a positive experience – for example, a month after a purchase that the customer did not return, or after getting positive results in cooperation.

It is a good time to ask for references.

Link to share for customers to give feedback in the company’s Google profile

2. Personalize your feedback requests

It’s definitely easier to send the same message to your customers asking for a review. However, your customers will be more likely to leave a review when they are asked (or think they are being asked) by a real person, not an automated system. Personalizing review requests will allow you to communicate clearly who is contacting you and why, which minimizes confusion and increases click-through rates.

With automated review generation software (and perhaps some help from a review management company), you can personalize your messages by including the customer’s name and referring to the employee they worked with in the store, without having to manually customize each request individually. Having technology that can pull relevant customer information and include it in a review request is an easy way to personalize your messages without wasting too much of your team’s valuable time.

Your review requests may be beautifully designed and written, but if they are perceived as cold and impersonal, your open and response rates will remain low. Personalizing both review requests and responses will help customers perceive your brand as people-driven and customer-focused, which will help improve customer retention rates and new customer acquisition. See more ways to harness the power of personalization in online marekting

3. Want feedback? Give something extra

People love to share feedback, but they like small gifts even more. How about encouraging your customers with a small bonus? You don’t have to offer big discounts – just something symbolic that will make them want to leave a review right after purchase. You can, for example:

• offer customers a discount on their next purchases or a small gift in exchange for leaving feedback. It could even be a few percent off, free shipping or a sample of a new product,
• organize a contest in which each review is a ticket for an attractive prize. Increase the incentive by promising, for example, a shopping voucher or a set of your products for one lucky winner,
• provide exclusive access in exchange for a review – offer the possibility of early access to new products or special promotions just for those who share a review. People love the sense of uniqueness,
• automate the process – set reminders after a purchase to encourage customers to leave a review. It’s a good idea if as soon as a customer fills out a form, they receive an instant reward or a sign-up notification.

4. Share positive reviews via social media

You have in your hands the real gems that are your customers’ positive reviews. So why keep them just to yourself? Publishing them on social media is like a loud “wow” that will catch the attention of others. Let the world know that your customers are delighted, and new customers won’t be able to wait to join them. How to do it

• Choose the best reviews – focus on those that are the most enthusiastic, specific and emotional. Customers love honest and detailed reviews.
• Create visually appealing graphics – use tools such as Canva to wrap each review in an aesthetically pleasing design. You can add photos of the product or the customer themselves (if they’ve given you permission), further enhancing credibility.
• Add reviews as a permanent part of your social media calendar. Show that customer reviews are top of mind with you and that this is not a one-time action. You can add them in InstStories on Instagram, and then add all posts with reviews to the featured testimonials section with the name: Reviews.
• Under each published opinion, add a CTA: “Want to share your opinion? Leave a review on our site and be the next star on our profile!”

5. Create a special landing page with reviews of your brand

Imagine that your customers themselves are looking for a way to praise your brand – sounds like a dream, right? What if we told you it was possible? The key is to create a dedicated space that not only attracts attention, but even invites action. A special landing page with reviews is your virtual “microphone” that allows customers to say out loud, “You’re great!” – without asking on your knees. How to take care of a testimonials page so that it brings results in the form of an increase in the number of customers?

• Make sure to keep it simple – your testimonials page should be as simple as possible to make the process of adding reviews quick and hassle-free. Reduce the number of steps to a minimum – the easier it is for the user to do something, the more likely they are to do it.
• Add an incentive section – insert a prominent incentive in a prominent place, such as “Share your opinion and help others make the right choice!”. You can also offer a small discount for leaving an opinion, which will further motivate customers.
• Present past reviews – showcase the latest and best reviews from other customers, which will help build trust and make new visitors more likely to share their impressions.
• Add a form that takes you to the reviews page in various places on the Internet – place a button redirecting to this page on key pages, in emails and after completed transactions. Customers need to know where they can add a review and feel invited to do so at any time.
• Add multimedia options – allow users to include photos or videos in their reviews. Such reviews are more credible and engaging for future customers.

See 11 tactics to build your brand’s online presence

6. Show commitment and respond to reviews

How to solicit reviews in online marketing> You must be proactive not only in asking for testimonials, but also in responding to them. Show interest in the customer not only in the process of soliciting reviews, but also after receiving them. Respond to each review and thank them for it. To keep things diverse, you can use AI tools for content creation, such as ChatGPT or Perpelxity.ai. However, make sure your responses are personalized, not cliché – add the human factor to your AI content. You don’t have to create long responses. It’s important that they are sincere and appreciate the time the customer took to write the review. Say thank you and subtly invite them to buy again or test new products.

What about negative reviews? You need to respond to them too. When dealing with dissatisfied customers, it is important that you:

• be able to keep your emotions and nerves in check and speak without emotion, factually, with respect for the customer,
• did not get into public discussions – any dispute should be transferred to private communication, such as email or telephone, to clarify the matter,
• admit your mistake, if you made one, and offer compensation,
• responded quickly to feedback – the adequate time is 24-48 hours after obtaining feedback.

7. Use video testimonials

Nothing is more persuasive than a satisfied customer telling you personally about their experience. That’s what you can gain by investing in video testimonials, which are uniquely personal and unassailable because their author agrees to make their image public. How best to use video testimonials in online marketing?

• Solicit videos from your most satisfied customers -start with customers who are already your fans. Contact them and offer to record a short testimonial in exchange for a discount, free product or additional benefit. People like to be recognized, and video gives them an opportunity to show themselves as loyal customers.
• Ease the recording process – make the video as simple as possible for the customer. You can send detailed instructions or suggest that they record the video with their phone. These don’t have to be professional productions – authenticity is key, and natural, spontaneous statements are more believable.
• Create short, engaging videos – encourage customers to create videos of 30 to 60 seconds in length. This is long enough to present a positive experience, but short enough for viewers to watch the video to the end. Ensure that the questions they are asked to answer are simple and specific, such as: “What did you like most about our product?”, “How did our service change your life?”
• Publish videos on different platforms – don’t limit yourself to one platform. Publish video testimonials on your website, landing pages, social media and marketing emails. It’s a powerful resource that you can use at every stage of the sales funnel – from branding to conversion.
• Create campaigns around video – instead of treating video testimonials as an add-on, create advertising campaigns around them. You can display these videos in paid campaigns on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube to reach new customers. Authenticity from satisfied customers works like the best advertising!
• Increase authenticity -video testimonials work best when they are as authentic as possible. Don’t try to style them into perfect productions. Even a short clip recorded with a phone in a home environment can convince the viewer more than a perfectly produced commercial.
• Add video to your product page – video reviews placed next to products on an online store page can significantly increase trust and propensity to buy. When potential customers see how other people use and are satisfied with a product, they are more likely to make a purchase.

Explore ways to engage customers in digital marketing

Summary

Gaining customer reviews is not only a valuable marketing tool, but also a key element in building trust and brand loyalty. Using a variety of tactics, such as actively encouraging people to leave reviews, simplifying the feedback process or appreciating customers for sharing their opinions, can significantly increase the number of reviews. It’s important to monitor and respond to reviews on a regular basis, which allows you to build relationships with customers and make improvements to your offerings. Applying these strategies benefits both the company and its customers.