Are you looking for ways to get new reviews to your website?
No matter which platform or industry you're in, it's critical to have a positive online presence that matches your offline customer experience.
You’ve gathered resources, made connections, networked and filled out paperwork. But, there’s still more to do: Getting online reviews. How do you get people to review your product or service online? Or, if you’ve been in business for a while, how do you get more online reviews?
Getting more online reviews is key in today’s market. About 90% of customers say they take into consideration reviews before they buy. Because this is so important, we’ve put together are simple tips to help you get more online reviews:
Google My Business
Set up your Google My Business account. It's free to sign up. Google My Business is by far one of the most important review websites the internet has to offer to over 1 billion active users you have a higher chance of your customers leaving you a review.
Ask for the review
Your guests won’t know to leave a review if you don’t ask! Don’t be afraid to ask for a review. Especially if you know they’ve had a great experience. You’ll be surprised how many people already do online reviews for the services and companies they love, so it won’t be difficult for them to add one more. If you’re not into asking for feedback, please revaluate. Being humble in business is a fantastic trait, but being boldly humble is an even better one.
An example of being brief and kind, without being cheesy is this:
“Thank you! Having you is a pleasure and we don’t take you for granted. To keep us on track, tell us what you thought. It means the world to us to keep you.” (Attach a link.)
Notice that the first thing in this example is a thank you. If you’re already (which is a great idea) sending thank you notes to your customers, we recommend incorporating your review link in this same email.
Be timely
Asking for the reviews when your services are still top-of-mind is key. We recommend asking for reviews within 2 to 4 days of service completion. This gives your customer time to settle into what you’ve offered. Don’t wait too much longer than this.
Customers will either forget the feeling of what they’ve gained with your product (which elicits the right words) or will think it a hassle to receive an email more than a week later.
Receive well
Getting reviews means getting all reviews, not just the positive ones. Keep calm and learn from any negative reviews. The most important aspect of receiving negative reviews is the insight you get. Pay attention to what the review is saying and why, and incorporate it, if appropriate.
Go as far as thanking the negative reviewer. Yes, this looks great to people reading your reviews, but most importantly, it builds character and it shows people you’re willing to improve.