Best Ways to Boost Reviews for Your Business

Reviews matter. They are a form of customer service that can help you build trust with customers, increase sales, and brand awareness. When customers leave honest reviews on their own accord it carries more weight than solicited ones. 

Here are the best ways to achieve this;

Set Up Online Profiles

Increase your online visibility in an impactful way. Visit popular sites in your industry and have a consistent process for managing your interactive accounts.  Use Search Engine Optimization techniques to ensure your site appears before competitors on local search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

Wondering where to start? Search your business name on Google my Business. Have a professional website with a complete page containing adequate information about your business.

Claim Your Business

On Google my Business, if the question “Is this your business?” pops up, it means you can still claim your business. Claiming your business gives you control of the information displayed about your business. To achieve this, follow the simple prompts on Google.

Sites like Yelp, Bing, Yahoo, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, also allow you to claim your business. They can help you build your business’s online presence and send you proactive customer leads.

Email Campaigns

Send out automated emails, asking customers to review their product experience. Include a short graphic that shows how easy it was to use and that asks the customer if they would recommend the product/service to others.

Customer Surveys

Asking your customers to rate your business on a scale from 0-5 stars (with 5 being the best) will allow you to determine where you stand in terms of customer satisfaction. For example, through the extension Google Seller Ratings (GSR), Google Adwords shows the level of business trust by displaying the score under the URL of the ad.

To qualify for the GSR extension, your business needs at least 150 unique reviews over the last 12 months, an overall rating of 3.5 stars out of 5, and at least ten reviews in the language used by your brand.

Track the details of transactions such as date, transactional medium, and product used to improve your marketing campaigns. Reword customer reviews and use them in your ad campaigns, so on every click, they redirect to your site, which contains the embedded review.

The best reviews come from happy customers, so leave it to your customers to speak their mind. Invite them to give their thoughts, suggestions, and questions after the checkout process. Be sure to post these valuable reviews on your website.

Retargeting Campaign

Improve your ad’s reach by targeting customers who have already shown an interest in your product. Google makes it even easier with their special AdWords Review Extensions.

For the most efficient and hassle-free information management, to turn to Farewell Media, a team of the industry's most knowledgeable pros offering secure backup and hosting, site maintenance, and business reputation management. 

Social Media Posts

Empower your followers to share their thoughts about the product to create a sense of community and engagement. You can embed content for free to direct visitors to specific reviews appearing on your website.

Offer Rewards

Simple rewards, like gift cards or loyalty points, encourage more reviews. However, some platforms like Yelp don't allow discounts or free gifts in exchange for reviews to discourage low-quality reviews, often with little detail.

Another option is to partner with a non-profit organization in your line of business, offering a donation for every online reviews. This is effective with limited budget and time.

Ask for Reviews on Your Website

Let customers know the importance of their opinion by sending a review invitation after a sale. The more personal and exclusive it is, the better. Express gratitude for the business opportunity, then politely request a review to help improve your business. Reviews are an easy way to provide an instant SEO boost to your website.

Physical Presence at Events/Forums

Dedicate a space for customers to share their reviews during events, and a platform where customers interact, to increase the number of reviews and share accurate information about the business. 

Reviews are less convincing if customers know you control the content. Encourage walk-in customers by placing cards in your business premises or outlets, encouraging them to leave reviews on sites like Yelp or Google Maps.