How hard is it to get positive reviews for your brand? Very challenging! It’s much easier for businesses to receive negative reviews, as upset customers are more likely to leave scathing feedback online. So, how can you encourage positive reviews for your business?
At Planet Marketing, a Digital Marketing Agency specializing in Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and remarketing, we understand the power of online reviews. Today, we’re sharing some valuable insights to help you boost your positive reviews.
Why It’s Important to Get Positive Reviews for Your Brand
Why are positive reviews important? Here are the statistics that will do the talking:
How to Get Positive Reviews
Now that we’ve established why reviews are crucial for brands worldwide, let’s dive into how to get positive reviews. It’s important to remember that merely having reviews isn’t enough—negative reviews can be more damaging than having none at all. Here are some strategies to help you garner positive feedback for your business:
1. Provide the best possible service
Positive reviews are intrinsically linked to customer experience. If your customer service isn’t up to par, don’t expect glowing reviews. Surprisingly, many articles on how to get positive reviews overlook this critical point.
Customers will only leave positive reviews if they’ve had a positive experience with your brand. At best, without a good experience, you might receive a lukewarm response; at worst, a damaging negative review. Negative reviews can significantly impact your business. For example, a one-star drop on Yelp can lead to a 5-9% decrease in profits.
People don’t do business with you because they like you—they do it to fulfill their needs. If your brand fails to meet expectations, convincing anyone to leave a positive review becomes an uphill battle. Deliver outstanding service, and you’ll naturally encourage positive feedback.
2. Allow people to review your business on Facebook
Even if you have numerous satisfied customers, getting them to leave reviews can be challenging. Happy customers often enjoy their experience but don’t always take the time to share it. Here’s how you can make it easier for them to leave reviews:
Simplify the Review Process
A common issue is that businesses don’t make it easy for customers to leave reviews. If finding where to review your business is difficult, most people will skip it altogether.
Platforms for Customer Reviews
Fortunately, there are many platforms where customers can review your business:
Your Website
Encourage customers to leave product and seller reviews directly on your website. These reviews are vital for eCommerce businesses as they build trust and persuade potential buyers.
Yelp
Yelp is a popular review site. Even if you haven’t claimed your Yelp listing, customers can still leave reviews. Claiming your listing allows you to manage and respond to feedback about your brand.
TripAdvisor
For those in the travel industry, TripAdvisor is an excellent platform for reviews.
Google My Business is essential for online reviews. It allows customers to review your business and helps you appear on Google Maps. Google Customer Reviews offers another way for customers to review your business after checkout, with feedback used in Store Ratings and Product Ratings.
Shopper Approved
This service provides comprehensive online review management. Customers are prompted to leave reviews at various stages of their purchase, which are then displayed on your site and syndicated to Google for Seller and Product ratings.
Facebook is a powerful tool for gathering customer reviews. We’ll explore this option further below.
Amazon
If you sell on Amazon, encourage customers to leave reviews on the platform. Positive reviews can significantly boost your performance as a seller.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Claim your page on BBB to start collecting reviews. Positive reviews on this platform can enhance your business’s credibility.
By utilizing these platforms, you can gather valuable feedback and enhance your business’s online reputation.
3. Simplify the review process on social media
The average visitor spends less than a minute on your website, often forgetting about your business soon after leaving. So, how can you encourage them to leave positive reviews?
Utilize Social Media Platforms
Encourage customers to review your business on Facebook and other social media platforms, where they spend significantly more time than on your website. Here’s how to leverage these platforms effectively:
Optimize Your Facebook Business Page
If you already have a Facebook business page, ensure it’s well-maintained and engaging. A well-run page becomes a central hub for online reviews. Customers can leave feedback on your performance, helping potential clients make informed decisions.
Encourage Reviews
Prompt your customers to leave reviews on your Facebook page. Positive reviews on social media are powerful because they appear in the reviewer’s feed, providing your business with valuable exposure and credibility.
Leverage the Power of Sharing
Social media thrives on sharing. When customers review your brand on platforms like Facebook, their comments are visible to their network, amplifying your reach and attracting new customers.
4. Ask your customers for reviews
One effective method for generating positive reviews is to directly ask satisfied customers for their feedback.
However, this approach can vary depending on the review platform you are targeting.
Platform Policies on Soliciting Reviews
Different platforms have different rules about soliciting reviews:
Tailoring Your Approach
Your strategy should align with the platform where you want to gather reviews:
5. Identify the right moment to ask for feedback
If you want to receive positive feedback, it’s important to identify the key moments in your interactions with customers when they are most inclined to leave a positive review. But when is the best time to ask for a review?
The ideal time for requesting a review varies from one business to another. For some businesses, asking right after a purchase is most effective. For others, waiting until the customer has had a chance to use the product might be better.
No matter what the best timing is for your specific business, don’t wait too long to ask for feedback. If you request a review months after the purchase, the customer may have forgotten about their experience. They might either ignore your request or provide a lukewarm response.
Here are some key moments in your customer interactions when you can ideally ask for feedback:
6. Choose the correct tool for each instance
How do you go about requesting reviews from your customers? There are many tools and strategies available, each with its own level of effectiveness. I’ve previously explored the best tools for acquiring local reviews for your business. Here are some effective methods you can use to encourage positive reviews from your customers:
The key is to choose methods that match your customers’ preferences and are most likely to generate positive responses. Engage with them through channels where they are most likely to notice and respond to your review requests.
7. How Long Does It Take to Write a Review? Inform Your Customers
Time is a major factor for customers when it comes to writing reviews. Just as with lengthy online surveys that can discourage completion, a complicated review process can lead customers to abandon it.
To make the review process as smooth as possible, keep it brief and straightforward. Customers shouldn’t have to spend a lot of time providing feedback about your business.
When asking for reviews, provide an estimated time for completion, such as “approximately 3 minutes.” Offering a clear time frame helps manage expectations and reduces the likelihood of customers abandoning the review process midway.
8. Reward Your Customers for Leaving Reviews
When incentivizing customers to leave reviews, it’s crucial to stay within ethical boundaries. While many businesses offer rewards to encourage feedback, it’s important to ensure this practice doesn’t come across as paying for positive reviews.
The approach you take depends on how you structure your rewards program. For established businesses with existing loyalty programs, consider awarding points or credits to customers who provide reviews, regardless of whether the feedback is positive or negative.
Here are some ethical ways to reward customers:
9. Thank the customer following a purchase
Expressing gratitude to your customers can significantly boost the chances of receiving positive reviews.
A simple thank-you message, whether via email or phone call, can leave a lasting impression and strengthen your brand’s connection with the customer.
Incorporating a review request into your thank-you message can be highly effective. Since the customer has had a positive experience, they’re more likely to leave a favorable review.
The key is to make your customers feel genuinely appreciated, which can encourage them to share their positive feedback.
10. Train your staff to recognize the best moments to get positive reviews
Securing positive reviews starts with how your customers interact with your staff. As mentioned earlier, exceptional customer service is crucial for garnering favorable feedback.
Equally important is training your team to identify the optimal moments to request reviews. For instance, if you operate a plumbing business, instruct your staff to ask for feedback immediately after completing a job. Consider providing them with business cards that include links to review platforms, making it easy for customers to leave their comments.
By combining excellent service with strategic review requests, you can enhance the likelihood of receiving positive feedback from your customers.
Dealing with Negative Reviews
While this article focuses on strategies for obtaining positive reviews, it’s important to acknowledge that negative reviews are an inevitable part of running any business. No matter how excellent your service, you will encounter some criticism.
Negative reviews aren’t necessarily detrimental. In fact, a mix of positive and negative feedback can lend credibility to your business, as customers often expect to see some negative reviews. An all-positive review profile may even seem suspicious to potential customers.
Rather than panicking over negative reviews, view them as opportunities for improvement. Engage with the customers who leave negative feedback and address their concerns. Often, resolving their issues can lead them to update their reviews to a more favorable rating.
Maximize the Impact of Positive Reviews
As we wrap up this post, I hope you’ve gained valuable insights into how to secure positive reviews from your customers. Remember, the foundation of positive reviews begins with delivering an exceptional customer experience. Without strong customer service, it will be challenging to encourage reviews.
Additionally, it’s essential for your team to be trained to request reviews at the right moments, such as after successfully completing a job or service.
We trust these strategies will be beneficial for you. To stay updated with more digital marketing tips and insights, please subscribe to our newsletter.
