5 Effective Ways to Get More Online Reviews

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By Jacob Maslow

Today’s customers are more discerning than ever. They want to make sure they’re not wasting their hard-earned money. That’s why this one statistic is surprising: 95% of customers read online reviews before purchasing.

Whether you’re an online or brick and mortar store, reviews are crucial to your business. Here are five effective ways to get more feedback from customers.

1. Ask Customers Directly

One of the simplest and most effective ways to get more reviews is to ask for them. Customers are less likely to leave reviews on their own, so ask for them.

Here’s how:

  • Have your staff ask customers to leave a review after completing their purchase at the register.
  • Add it to your packaging.
  • Include a reminder card in your shipped packages asking buyers to leave a review.

Make sure customers understand how to leave a review. Include instruction if necessary. At the very least, display the link to your review pages on your bags, boxes or receipts. Some companies put business cards with their website and review link information inside the customer’s bag, which makes it easy to leave a review.

2. Make it as Easy as Possible

If you’re asking customers to leave reviews, you need to make it as easy as possible for them to send their feedback. Remember that customers are taking time out of their day to leave their review, so respect their time. Make it quick and simple.

If you want more Yelp reviews, for example, put a Yelp badge on your website, or add a sign on at your store.

3. Reach Out to Influencers

Influencers can have a positive impact on your brand’s reputation, although you must be cautious when going this route.

Many brands will give products to influencers to review, and those reviews may be on their website or in video shared on social networks.

It’s important to make sure that you and the influencer follow FTC regulations when it comes to disclosure.

If you follow the rules, influencers can not only add a strong positive review for your brand, but also encourage others to leave positive reviews.

4. Keep Building Your Reputation

The goal is to obtain as many natural, positive reviews as possible for your brand. The best way to do this is to continue building your brand and reputation. That means providing your customers with the best product and experience possible.

Provide a great experience, aim to go beyond the customer’s expectations, and then ask for a review. If the process is simple, gaining reviews should be a relatively easy process.

5. Send an Email Invitation and Reminder

If you run an online business, it’s possible to ask customers to leave a review through email. Trustpilot recommends sending the invitation to leave a review right after the customer receives their order.

If you engage in email marketing, you can include links to review platforms in the emails you send to your list.

Reviews are important for every business, and getting online reviews isn’t as challenging as you might think. Make it easy to leave feedback, ask your customers to leave reviews and focus on providing an excellent experience.

Images Courtesy of DepositPhotos