Introduction
Reviews have become an increasingly important factor for businesses in the digital age. Positive online reviews help generate trust among potential customers and drive more sales, while negative reviews can deter customers and damage a company’s reputation. As a business owner, I need to find effective ways to encourage more positive reviews to improve my standing and visibility online.
In this comprehensive guide, I will cover everything I need to know about leveraging online reviews and feedback to benefit my business. I will learn strategies for how to proactively request and obtain positive reviews, respond professionally to negative reviews, analyze review data to improve my products/services, and use reviews in my marketing. With the right techniques, I can harness the power of reviews to gain a competitive advantage.
How Online Reviews Influence Buying Decisions
Before diving into specifics, it helps to understand why reviews are so critical in the first place. Some key facts about online reviews:
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Reviews are widely trusted by consumers – Studies show over 80% of people read online reviews before making purchases. They want social proof.
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Negative reviews deter customers – One bad review can make 73% of people less likely to use a business.
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Positive reviews increase conversions – Reviews increase conversion rates by an average of 270%.
Clearly, online reviews heavily influence buying decisions. Positive reviews and high star ratings lend credibility while negative reviews raise red flags. Consumers rely on feedback from other customers to evaluate a business before purchasing.
By focusing my efforts on improving my online reputation, I can leverage this effect and enjoy higher conversion rates. The following sections explore proven techniques.
Strategies for Getting More Positive Reviews
Gaining positive reviews doesn’t happen by accident – I need to put effort into acquiring them. Here are some of the most effective strategies I can use:
Make Review Requests After Purchases
- Ask customers directly for reviews via email or printed inserts after purchases. Be polite and specific about where to leave reviews.
- Offer incentives like discounts on future purchases in exchange for reviews. Just make sure to follow review platform rules.
- Simplify the review submission process so it’s easy for customers to leave feedback.
Enable Review Functionality on Your Website
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Install plugins like Stamped.io that allow reviews directly on my website. This proactively collects reviews from happy customers.
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Add review submission forms or links to your product/service pages, contact page, and thank you pages after purchases.
Reply to Reviewer Comments
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Be responsive to reviewers – thank those who left positive feedback and answer any questions from negative reviewers. This encourages future engagement.
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Consider providing reviewers discounts, free products, or other perks as a thank you for taking the time to review.
Spread the Word on Social Media
- Share great reviews on social media to highlight them for potential customers. This builds trust and social proof.
Analyze Review Patterns
- Use tools like ReviewTrackers to analyze review sentiment over time, identify common complaints, and track improvements. Address any weak spots.
Handling Negative Reviews
No matter what I do, some negative reviews will be inevitable. Responding properly is crucial for limiting reputational damage:
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Never retaliate or get defensive – be polite and thank the reviewer for their feedback. Offer to make amends via refunds or coupons.
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For inaccurate reviews, politely point out any errors but avoid escalation. Invite the reviewer to contact you directly.
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For reviews on third-party sites, flag truly abusive/inappropriate content for moderation when needed.
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Take constructive criticism seriously – negative feedback provides opportunities for improvement.
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Address systemic issues that generate multiple complaints – improve weak spots in products, services and policies.
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Follow up with unsatisfied customers offline to resolve their issues when possible. A quick fix can sometimes lead to changed feedback.
The key is to remain calm, acknowledge the reviewer’s experience, and focus on resolution if feasible. Handled properly, negative reviews rarely do lasting damage if offset by an abundance of positive ones.
Using Reviews in Marketing and Advertising
Once I accumulate great reviews, I can leverage them across my marketing:
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Feature excerpts from top reviews on your website, emails, brochures and other promotional materials.
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Create a “Testimonials” page highlighting video and written reviews from happy customers.
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When bidding on keywords, use AdWords Review Extensions to showcase reviews and star ratings.
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Promote positive review content on social media. Encourage followers to read and share.
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Use review quotes in retargeting ads to past customers. This reinforces fond memories of their purchase experience.
The right marketing approach allows me to gain value from the reviews I worked hard to acquire. Feature them prominently whenever possible.
Tools and Plugins for Managing Reviews
Specialized tools can streamline review monitoring and response:
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ReviewTrackers aggregates reviews across platforms for sentiment analysis. Free plans available.
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Birdeye captures web reviews and surveys customers. Paid plans start at $299/mo.
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Podium facilitates SMS review requests and customer interaction. Paid plans start at $199/mo.
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Stamped.io embeds review forms on your website. Free and paid plans available.
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Google My Business app collects and manages Google reviews. Free.
The right platform makes it easier to monitor reviews in my niche and streamlines customer communication.
Improving Products and Services Based on Review Feedback
The most valuable aspect of reviews is the free customer feedback they provide on my offerings. I should regularly review aggregated review data to identify major themes and trends:
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What features do customers love? Double down on these strengths.
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What complaints come up repeatedly? Address these weak spots.
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What suggestions are given for improvements? Consider if any have merit and can be implemented.
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How does my average rating compare to competitors? Aim to match or beat them.
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Do reviews cite specific employee names? Recognize employees providing great service.
Then, hold internal meetings to review findings and brainstorm changes. Design product/service improvements and address policies that customers flagged as problematic. By regularly acting on review feedback, I can refine my offerings over time.
Conclusion
Soliciting, managing and applying online reviews provides tangible benefits for any online business. With proper processes in place to generate positive reviews, respond thoughtfully to negative reviews, and learn from customer feedback, I can leverage reviews for increased revenues, greater trust and an improved product or service. It requires effort, but maximizing positive word-of-mouth at scale is well worth the investment. With the strategies covered here, I have a blueprint to make online reviews work hard for my business.
