We all know that the digital world has become the go to marketing platform of choice for businesses today, but this doesn't mean that word of mouth is obsolete. Just think about the last time you had a great, or not so great, experience eating out and all of the people you told. With more people online than ever, it's also easier than ever to share your experience digitally through a customer review. Like it or not, online reviews are today's word of mouth marketing, and they can make or break your business.
Are you harnessing the power of online customer reviews? If not, below are 7 reasons why they're so important and what you should be doing with them. (Okay there are definitely more than 7 reasons... I just couldn't help myself, they're all so good! -Genia)
Crowd-sourced online review sites like Google Maps, Yelp, and TripAdvisor (among many others) play a crucial role in determining the success of your business. Your potential, current, and most loyal customers are all using them, daily in fact, to influence their purchasing decisions. Why?
Online reviews are easier to find than ever, thanks to search engines, mobile apps, and review features on social media sites. So in many cases, reviews of a business become visible to consumers before they even click the link to your site. For example, a regular old Google search for "kitchen remodeling" highlights three local businesses, and you can see the ratings for each business right under their name. Sometimes, a snippet of a customer review is even included. And mind you, all you've done at this point is Google search... you haven't even clicked over to anyone's website yet.
Making positive information about your business available online isn't the only benefit of reviews. Read on to learn more ways that reviews can help your marketing efforts.
Analyzing reviews left by your customers is a great way to keep for feet on the ground in respect to overall customer satisfaction, as they can provide with you real-time feedback regarding what your consumers truly want. By using this real-time feedback you will be able to improve customer service quickly and efficiently resolve any issues that consumers faced, thereby creating a positive experience for the consumer and keeping your focus on their needs.
We are social creatures. We like to ask friends and family for recommendations, review sites allow us to do this (in some instances) in a single click and read the opinions of complete strangers. Gone are the days of needing to know someone to trust their recommendation. In fact, one study found that 88% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Beyond that, customer reviews also enable new and smaller businesses to stand shoulder to shoulder with more established competition. Let's look at it this way... which company would you rather purchase from - one with 50 3-star reviews or one with 6 5-star reviews? Voila! I know that I'm willing to go somewhere that may cost a little more but that has exceptional customer service any day!
Popular online review sites like Yelp and Trip Advisor have been around for a long time and therefore businesses that created profiles "way back when" have extended databases of information that can be pulled from. Some search engines, like Google, give favor to sites with a presence like this, so it's not uncommon for a small business's Yelp or Facebook page to rank higher in search results than it's actual website.
Reviews appear to be the most prominent ranking factor in local search. It's the reason a small business with great reviews may appear on the first page of search results and a more established business that has no reviews may be on the second page. According to Google, "pages with reviews which mention a keyword and/or the name of a city, were found to have higher rankings in Google's local pack. At a high level, having a keyword you are trying to rank for, and a mention of a city you are working to rank in, in reviews has a high correlation with high ranking Google My Business results." Source: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/reviews-prominent-local-seo-ranking-factor-2017/223643/
People love to share their opinions! Boy, don't we know that! 🙂 When a business already has online reviews, it encourages other visitors to leave their own feedback. Just the appearance of several reviews seems to be enough to give new customers the incentive and confidence to submit their own opinion on a particular business. Birds of a feather, flock together!
Okay so now we've established the importance of reviews and how they help your business. So the next logical step would be to ask your customers for their reviews.
Asking for a review in person can be intimidating but it's often the most effective approach, so if the opportunity presents itself, seize it!
The easiest scenario would be that of a customer who approaches you with unsolicited praise. In this case, express your gratitude and appreciation for their taking the time to provide the feedback and then make the suggestion. You could say something along the lines of, "You know those kinds of comments can really help prospective customers feel more confident in choosing us. Would you mind leaving us a quick review on {platform of your choice}?"
Asking for reviews via emails is a no-brainer and there are a couple of ways you can approach this.
Have an email list? Use it!
Here's an example:
Hey everyone,
Did you know that the number of {your business name} fans has doubled in this year alone? We must be doing something right! Could you take 60 seconds and to go {link to review platform} and let us know what keeps you coming back for more? This enables us to continue providing the best experience possible for you, and helps others understand how {your business name} can make life easier.
Nothing can make a customer feel quite as appreciated than receiving a personal email from a business owner. Choose a handful of customer who have done a great deal of business with you, or customers who you're hoping to create lasting relationships with and send them a personal note thanking them for their business and asking for a review.
Dear {first name},
As one of our preferred customers, your feedback is of the utmost importance to {your business name}. We are constantly striving to provide the ideal experience for our customers, and your input helps us define that experience. That being said, if you could take a minute to post a review on {review platform}, we would so appreciate it.
We hope to see you again soon!
If you do a lot of B2B work, consider your vendors and partners for reviews. Other business owners understand the value of a review, and leaving one on their website or listing may be enough to get one from them without even asking.
However, there are opportunities to ask for reviews from them as well. If you find yourself in a meeting with a client or business partner, don't be afraid to simply say,
"Positive feedback from not just customers, but also the partners we work with really helps us to continue attracting more great customers and partners such as yourself. If you wouldn't mind leaving a review on {review platform}, we would really appreciate that."
Don't let reviews scare you. There will always be bad reviews and you can't please everyone, but that's okay! Having a bad review makes your business look legitimate, and consistent, quality responses to reviews (good or bad) will show that you care about your customers.
You might be tempted to ignore the review. But I'm here telling you not to do that, you have to respond! You cannot let a negative review sit out on a major review site with no public response. Not responding to a negative review could rub potential customers the wrong way and could allow them to assume that the review is 100% true and that you're embarrassed by it.
Responding gives you an opportunity to use your brand voice, to right your wrongs, and to deliver stellar customer service -- and to do it publicly, where potential customers can see it.
Empathize with the customer's complaint. Start with their first name and state that you're thankful or sorry to hear about the situation. Saying "I'm sorry" or "I understand" can go a long way in making a customer feel like their opinion is valid (and valued).
Example: Micheal, thank you for taking the time to bring this to our attention. I'm sorry that...
Let readers know that you have high standards and that this isn't your typical customer experience. You don't want potential customers to read the review and second guess their decision to give your business a shot.
Example: Customer service is one of our top priorities, and we are disappointed to learn that you had anything less than a stellar experience with us.
Always offer to make your wrongs right. If someone was unhappy with their meal, offer them a free dinner. Along with offering to right your wrongs you should also invite them to contact you privately. Provide your company phone number right in the review so they know you're serious.
Often, people just want to feel heard and are willing to take the review down, or edit it, if you can apologize and work to resolve their frustrations. Chances are customers won't take you up on your offer of a freebie or even contact you privately, but again it's vital that you offer regardless -- it shows that you're willing to go the extra mile.
Example: We sincerely regret to hear that you were unhappy with your meal. Unfortunately, you caught us on an a-typical off moment, but I would like to ask you to give us another try so that we can show you that this instance is not normal for us. If you're willing to give us this opportunity, your meal will be on the house. Please give us a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX if you'd like to discuss this further and to take us up on our offer. Thank you again for your honest feedback and we look forward to hearing from you.
While we don't know what the future has in store for review sites, we do know that they'll continue to play an instrumental role in attracting (or scaring off) new customers. So don't be afraid to ask for reviews. People are more than willing to lend their voice to a company that feel has met their expectations and want to return the favor. Good luck and happy reviewing!
