How To Get More Online Reviews And Customer Testimonials
Customer reviews and testimonials are essential for the success of your
business!
Potential customers will often start by checking out your reputation online before deciding whether or not they should deal with you.
Therefore, having plenty of positive reviews means people will be more willing to try out your product or service.
In the following article, we’ll explore three ways to get valuable customer reviews to help boost your company's online reputation.
#1 - Create Business Profiles On Popular Sites
Gone are the days when word-of-mouth meant talking with your friends and family in person!
Today, customers turn to online reviews to check the reputation of companies.
In other words, making a profile on these popular review sites can and will increase your company’s online visibility.
Google
Google is often the first place a customer will look for reviews of a business. And the best part is that you can even personalize your profile with business card information, logos, photos, hours of business, and more.
Connecting your site to Google is also great because it can provide you with valuable information about your business, such as what keywords customers searched to find it online.
Yelp
Another popular review site, Yelp, offers a free version and a paid upgrade for business profiles. In addition to being a platform for ratings and reviews, Yelp also provides helpful resources for entrepreneurs in their small business blogs.
Trip Advisor
Businesses offering food, accommodation, or other travel-related services will want to set up a profile on Trip Advisor.
It’s free to sign up and provides an ideal way to market your business to visitors to your city as well as locals.
#2 - Ask Your Customers For Reviews
One of the most obvious methods for getting more reviews is to ask! Customers don’t always think to leave a review, but they are typically happy to do so if requested.
Studies show that people are more likely to share information about a negative experience than positive interaction.
Give your customers some encouragement to share what they liked!
Post On Social Media
Ask your followers on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to share their positive feedback with you.
Some social media platforms offer the ability to rate and review your company directly on the page.
You can also use customer comments to create testimonials to post on your website.
Make Use Of Email
Businesses typically have their customer’s email addresses, especially if they have placed an online order.
Follow up with your customers with a targeted email blast. Let them know that you want them to share their experience with your company.
You can even include a link to a brief survey that asks what they love about your products!
Get Immediate Feedback
Consider asking for a review when customers are right in front of you. This works particularly well with in-person services.
Use only one or two questions that customers can answer in-store, either on paper or using a tablet, so that customers won’t find it time-consuming or tedious to answer your questions.
#3 - Offer Incentives In Exchange For Reviews
Sometimes customers need a little extra incentive to provide their feedback. Consider providing a reward as a thank you to your customers for their reviews.
Free Products
One of the most typical incentives is offering a free product or service in exchange for a review. Customers love free stuff, and most are happy to provide feedback in return.
Sample sizes of products are ideal in this situation!
Just make sure to realize that there can be a fine line between offering an incentive to customers that leaves a review and bribing customers in return for the positive feedback.
Discounts Or Coupons
For customers who write a review, you can offer them a percentage-off coupon for their next purchase.
This not only encourages a review but also makes the customer more likely to return to your business.
You can also provide free shipping or gift wrapping in exchange for a review.
Reward Points
Do your customers return week after week to your business?
If so, offering loyalty points is a great way to obtain reviews. You can provide a set number of loyalty points for each study the customer leaves.
Once they reach a certain amount of points, they can redeem them for a free product or service!
Potential customers will often start by checking out your reputation online before deciding whether or not they should deal with you.
Therefore, having plenty of positive reviews means people will be more willing to try out your product or service.
In the following article, we’ll explore three ways to get valuable customer reviews to help boost your company's online reputation.
#1 - Create Business Profiles On Popular Sites
Gone are the days when word-of-mouth meant talking with your friends and family in person!
Today, customers turn to online reviews to check the reputation of companies.
In other words, making a profile on these popular review sites can and will increase your company’s online visibility.
Google is often the first place a customer will look for reviews of a business. And the best part is that you can even personalize your profile with business card information, logos, photos, hours of business, and more.
Connecting your site to Google is also great because it can provide you with valuable information about your business, such as what keywords customers searched to find it online.
Yelp
Another popular review site, Yelp, offers a free version and a paid upgrade for business profiles. In addition to being a platform for ratings and reviews, Yelp also provides helpful resources for entrepreneurs in their small business blogs.
Trip Advisor
Businesses offering food, accommodation, or other travel-related services will want to set up a profile on Trip Advisor.
It’s free to sign up and provides an ideal way to market your business to visitors to your city as well as locals.
#2 - Ask Your Customers For Reviews
One of the most obvious methods for getting more reviews is to ask! Customers don’t always think to leave a review, but they are typically happy to do so if requested.
Studies show that people are more likely to share information about a negative experience than positive interaction.
Give your customers some encouragement to share what they liked!
Post On Social Media
Ask your followers on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to share their positive feedback with you.
Some social media platforms offer the ability to rate and review your company directly on the page.
You can also use customer comments to create testimonials to post on your website.
Make Use Of Email
Businesses typically have their customer’s email addresses, especially if they have placed an online order.
Follow up with your customers with a targeted email blast. Let them know that you want them to share their experience with your company.
You can even include a link to a brief survey that asks what they love about your products!
Get Immediate Feedback
Consider asking for a review when customers are right in front of you. This works particularly well with in-person services.
Use only one or two questions that customers can answer in-store, either on paper or using a tablet, so that customers won’t find it time-consuming or tedious to answer your questions.
#3 - Offer Incentives In Exchange For Reviews
Sometimes customers need a little extra incentive to provide their feedback. Consider providing a reward as a thank you to your customers for their reviews.
Free Products
One of the most typical incentives is offering a free product or service in exchange for a review. Customers love free stuff, and most are happy to provide feedback in return.
Sample sizes of products are ideal in this situation!
Just make sure to realize that there can be a fine line between offering an incentive to customers that leaves a review and bribing customers in return for the positive feedback.
Discounts Or Coupons
For customers who write a review, you can offer them a percentage-off coupon for their next purchase.
This not only encourages a review but also makes the customer more likely to return to your business.
You can also provide free shipping or gift wrapping in exchange for a review.
Reward Points
Do your customers return week after week to your business?
If so, offering loyalty points is a great way to obtain reviews. You can provide a set number of loyalty points for each study the customer leaves.
Once they reach a certain amount of points, they can redeem them for a free product or service!
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