The importance of online reviews cannot be overstated. To thrive, your business must attract new customers and keep current ones coming back for more. That will not happen without online reviews.

The good news is, there are specific steps you can take to make sure you are getting reviews for your company, product, or service. 

Why are Online Reviews so Important?

Studies show that today’s customers—whether they buy online or in-person—look for online reviews as a way to confirm they are making the right decision. In fact:

• Customers are highly skeptical about buying products based exclusively on information provided by sellers.
• Customers are guided in their decision-making by feedback from existing customers (Your reviewers!). Specifically:
• 97% say customer reviews factor into their buying decisions
• 92% of people will hesitate to make a purchase when there are no reviews available
• 88% trust reviews they find online just as much as personal recommendations
• 73% say written reviews make more of an impression on them than star/number ratings

Source: Fan & Fuel Online Customer Survey, 2017

Get More Reviews Today

The good news is that you can create a marketing plan that encourages more customers and fans to review your products frequently. The key is to make it easy to do. 

• ASK! If you’re on the phone and someone compliments you on a service or product you just provided, it’s a great time to ask them to leave a review. Also, reply to complimentary emails with a link where your customers can easily leave a review.
• Make asking part of your process. Follow up on each product or service you provide with an email asking for a review. Or, even better, provide a link to the specific product review page.
• Add a request to your email signature. The best way to do this is to add an image. There are free stock images available that say “Leave a review on Google” or “Leave a review on Facebook.” Link the image to your review page.
• Post on Social Media. Create a post asking those who have used your product or service to leave you a review. Make sure you include a link to your review page. Better yet, make a video request—it’s more personal and can lead to better results.
• Create some good karma. Leave a review for someone and ask them to do the same when they use your product or service. Make sure it’s authentic and that you’ve actually used their product or service, or know them personally.
• Respond to every review. If it’s a good one, say thank you. If it’s a bad one, address it, ask them to provide more information, and attempt to resolve the issue. This shows all online visitors that you care what they think.
• Add a review link to your e-newsletter & website. These are two more opportunities to gain more reviews. Make sure the link is easy to find.

Ready to get started? Need more guidance or examples? We are here to help. Message us on Facebook or Instagram, or schedule a consultation. Or, feel free to reference our digital marketing guides online.