How to Create an Online Review Strategy and Boost Business Marketing

For centuries, word of mouth has pointed us in the right direction, shared news from across continents, and let us know what businesses are worth our hard-earned money. We trust everyday people’s opinions and rely on recommendations to build confidence in people, products, and services. This is just as true today as it was 100 years ago, but now we can read thousands of reviews online at once. 

There’s no shortage of opinions on the internet, and we love to read them. In fact, 95 percent of shoppers read reviews before they buy to know exactly what they’re getting. Another 8 percent use reviews to discover new local businesses. This means a strong and authentic portfolio of online reviews can really impact your business. 

Getting the best online reviews is key to boosting your business digital marketing strategy in 2021

As a business owner, you might not have the time to monitor your online presence and make sure that it is constantly updated. It's also difficult to stay on top of what your customers are saying about you, especially if they're using social media sites like Twitter or Facebook.
This blog will give you tips for leveraging reviews from third-party websites in order to grow and improve your marketing strategy.

We're all in the business of marketing, whether we like it or not. We market our Facebook posts, tweet about new products on twitter, and blog to keep customers informed. With so much competition out there it's hard to stand out from the crowd but luckily Social Space has a few tricks up its sleeve that can help you get noticed and make sure your company is always top-of-mind with your potential customers.

If you’re not already managing and requesting reviews from your customers, here’s how to get started: 

Request Online Reviews From Your Customers

Yes, it’s really that easy. If you ask them to, 71 percent of customers are willing to leave a review regardless of experience. This likelihood increases by 36 percent when customers leave with a positive experience. The leading reason people leave reviews is that they loved a product or service. 

Of course, your product isn’t all that’s being reviewed. When we look at the extremes of review scales, the leading motivator is employee attitude. Poor and stellar employee interactions account for 85 percent of one-and five-star reviews respectively. 

Here are some strategies you can use to get more reviews from your customers.

Ask for Reviews Over Email

The easiest way for your customers to leave a review is through an email link. It’s just as easy for you since you can automate the review request to send following a purchase or delivery notification. 

This is also a great opportunity for you to connect with your customers and respond directly to any concerns or praises they may have for you. Some businesses even use their email as a filtering process to request feedback, then direct positive feedback to a public review while handling negative experiences privately. Of course, you want to use this as a chance to right a wrong and not falsely inflate your review score. 

Different review platforms have different regulations, so follow-up on the rules before you send a review request. 



Provide an Incentive for Reviewers

Incentives are a great way to get more reviews and repeat customers, but they’re not without risk. While it’s perfectly fine to offer a discount in exchange for a review, it’s bad business to only offer the exchange for positive feedback. It can hurt your reputation and get you penalised by review sites.

Still, a gift can say “thanks for shopping with us, I’d love to know what you think!” without any harm. Discount codes for future visits are a popular and easy incentive to implement. You may also consider a game like a prize raffle, or even offer to donate to a local charity for reviews. 

Before creating an incentive program, check all of the rules and regulations for the review platform you’re linking to and make sure you’re not discouraging honest reviews in any way.

Create a Review Form On Your Website For Testimonials

Your business is the best, right? Of course it is! If you're not sure, ask your customers.

One of the simplest ways to get feedback from your customer base and increase awareness for your product or service is by adding a review form on your website, it's that simple.

If you're looking for one of the best ways to increase your business marketing strategy, then it's time to start asking clients and customers for feedback. One of the most effective ways to get online reviews is by creating a review form on your website.

Text Google Review Link - Make It Easy For Customers

Make Reviewing Easy

If you’re going to ask for reviews, it’s important that you keep the process as quick and simple as possible for the customer. Start by providing a direct link to your business’ review page so customers don’t have to go digging to see what sites you’re on. 

Getting to the review is only half the battle since many customers don’t feel like they know what to review. Especially if they had a positive but typical experience. It’s a good idea to include prompts with your review request, like “were we able to meet your needs today?” and “what was your favorite part of your shopping experience?”

You may also choose to highlight what you perceive as your business’ strengths to help lead the review. This way, they have some talking points available that they can use if something resonates with them. It also helps you frame the review, and can help you understand if you’re hitting the mark on your brand values. 

How to Manage Your Online Reviews

Responding to your online reviews is just as important as requesting them in the first place. Shoppers want to know what other people are saying, but they also like to shop where they feel valued and respected. Engaging with your customers through reviews is a great way to show that you’re approachable and that you’re passionate about your business.

Engaging with your reviews can have a larger impact on your business than you expect. Businesses that just sometimes respond to a quarter of their reviews earn an average of 35 percent more revenue. Alternatively, those that never respond to reviews earn 9 percent less than the average business.

Explaining your side of the story can also boost your reputation. Over half of customers have changed their opinion of a business after reading the business owner’s response to reviews. Customers understand that businesses are run by people and that nothing’s perfect, but they want to see that you’re engaged and invested in your business. 

Here are some best practices to help you respond to reviews:

• Check your reviews at least once a week
• Prepare a template on how to respond to negative reviews
• Focus on the next steps to righting a negative review rather than apologizing
• Thank your positive reviewers and invite them back
• Ask to share your best reviews on your website



Online Review Statistics to Boost Your Google Reviews

What’s a Good Online Review Score?

Once you start getting reviews and have your process in place, you’re likely wondering what even is a good review score? 

It may not be surprising to know that most customers want to see reviews in the four-star range and prefer an average review score to a stellar five-star rating. Too high of a score may seem fake — especially if paired with a low number of reviews.

The number of reviews you have is also important, though a smaller influence than the rating itself. Businesses average about 83 reviews across review sites, though businesses with 200 or more reviews generate twice as much revenue on average. 

All this is to say you shouldn’t shy away from negative reviews, but there are some huge benefits to a healthy profile of positive reviews.

The Benefits of Positive Reviews

Positive reviews are great for you and your customers. They’re one of the most important purchasing factors for 41 percent of shoppers. A majority of shoppers (58 percent) are even willing to drive farther and pay more to support a business that excites them with positive reviews. 

This enthusiasm translates to higher profits, since 31 percent of customers spend more at businesses with excellent reviews. It can also help you earn more customers organically. Reviews directly impact your ranking on Google by 15 percent, and Google rewards sites with positive reviews and engagement. Even a .1 percent increase in your star rating can increase conversions by 25 percent.

Watch Your Negative Reviews

A few average or negative reviews are healthy and can make your business appear more trustworthy. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t address the negative reviews as they come in, since they can have a significant impact on your business. 

Negative reviews are typically a reflection of bad service, which prompts 59 percent of one-star reviews. Responding to these reviews and offering a chance to make things right can often encourage customers to update their reviews or at least sway those reading the reviews. 

If your negative reviews get too out of hand, you’ll likely see your business slow down. Only 9 percent of people are willing to give a business with a one-star or two-star review a chance. What’s worse, 94 percent of consumers have avoided a business because of a negative online review. 

Just as positive reviews can boost your visibility online, negative reviews can hurt your ranking. Google registers negative phrases and words in your reviews. An excess of negative reviews may result in Google prioritizing other businesses above your own, resulting in a loss of traffic for your profile. 

Still, 19 percent of online reviews are negative and to an extent, they’re unavoidable. It’s your responsibility to make sure you’re providing a great customer experience from start to finish, and the customer reviews should reflect that. 

Final Thoughts On Creating An Online Review Strategy to Grow Your Business

Online reviews are here to stay and growing. Reviews can be left on huge third-party sites like Google and Yelp, marketplaces like Etsy, and even hosted on your business’ site. They’re great ways to build trust with customers and they can double as user-generated content for your website and marketing. 

Getting ahead of the game and requesting reviews from your customers is the best way to grow your online reputation. Though asking for reviews is only half of your strategy, and you should be actively participating in the discussion online. 

Learn more about how reviews can impact your business below and get started on your online review strategy today. 
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Need help setting up your Google My Business profile, or needing help to have Google My Business listing optimised? Find out how we assist local business with their Google My Business setup.

What's helping you gain more online reviews for your business?

About Social Space

Hey there, I'm Robert Tickner!

I’m an online visibility consultant who helps local small businesses get noticed on Google search, guiding them on their digital journey for growth. I build websites with structured web design practices through SEO services that get noticed on Google's search algorithms, write the occasional blog, and boost Google My Business listings to improve overall traffic that helps convert more potential clients to your website.

I'm determined to grow my business.

My only question, is it time to boost yours?

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