Dog toys, coffee makers, biodegradable straws, iPhone cases, simulation video games, VR devices, vegan cupcakes, faux leather bags, marketing services, electric cars, laptops, and catering services.
All of these things have one thing in common...
Yes, you can find them all online with just a few clicks.
But do you know what else?
If it's out there, surely there are also online reviews of it!
After all, everyone's a critic. 😏
Whatever your product or service is, it's bound for a customer to write online reviews of it. And as an eCommerce business, you welcome all of it!
Because you know the immense importance of customer reviews on the success of your online brand. And if you don't, you need to know this...
Online reviews are crucial to your business as 93% of customers read them before buying a product.
It also rings true for local businesses, as they depend on recommendations and word-of-mouth marketing to stand out.
Whether you're a part of local businesses or not, you have to encourage customers to write reviews for your brand.
Curious why and how? Keep reading as you discover...
- Why are customer reviews important for your business
- New and proven ways how to get more reviews
- Examples of asking customers to write reviews
I know you're wondering...
What Are The Benefits Of Having Customer Reviews?
Let's jump into the first advantage you'll have when you get customer reviews...
Increase Website Traffic
Where do you find online stores when looking for a specific product?
Or when you're out, where do you look for local businesses to visit while you are in the area?
Google, of course!
Potential customers usually try to find information about businesses on search results. And when your business receives a constant stream of customer reviews, search engines like Google will highly rank your business profile.
And I don't have to tell you...
Potential customers are more likely to click on your link when you're on the first page of Search Engine Page Results (SERPs)!
When you get your customers to write reviews, that should get you...
More Leads
Customer reviews are the ultimate social proof. Remember, 88% of shoppers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Online customer reviews are just the motivation new customers need to go through their purchases. It's the "social proof" they need to validate their decision.
Think of it this way. Written reviews seem like an unbiased source for potential customers. They are trustworthy!
Encourage customers to write reviews, and it will snowball into...
Boost Sales
More reviews, more click-through rate, more leads... will definitely result in more purchases!
As I mentioned, users look for customer feedback everywhere before they buy... from review sites, Google reviews, Facebook reviews, Yelp reviews, etc.
They also need a minimum of 10 reviews before being confident about checking out.
This is the gist... The more reviews you have, the more likely they'll purchase.
Now isn't that worth the effort when you encourage customers to leave reviews?
And there are a lot of ways you can ask customers to leave reviews. But if you want more, then let's get to...
8 Effective Strategies On How To Get Customers To Write Reviews
To get more reviews, you can...
1. Link Your Google Reviews From Your eCommerce Website
If your eCommerce store is just starting to gather customer reviews, it's a good strategy to show your positive reviews on Google.
Doing so can encourage customer reviews to pile up and create a domino effect for others to leave reviews, too.
Yep, a few positive reviews from existing customers on your search results will get them to write reviews.
So, you can provide visible review links on your site. If you want, you can add the call-to-action (CTA) to your site footer.
If you have a physical store, take advantage of Google reviews and the tools they provide. Ask for reviews as part of their checkout process.
That's a smooth customer review process right there!
If you want an easier way to ask for reviews...
2. Ask For Reviews In Surveys
A cold and direct ask for customers' reviews can be a little off-putting for some.
But that's not the case for people who are voluntarily offering customer feedback!
You might already be talking to customers for your Voice of the Customer research or buyer persona.
There is no harm in asking them to leave positive reviews on your site.
After all, they are already in the right mindset. You can take advantage of the momentum and ask them to leave reviews on different channels.
That's how you get good reviews from happy customers.
Speaking of momentum, timing is crucial so customers leave reviews to your satisfaction...
3. Ask For Customer Reviews At The Right Time
Timing is everything for review requests.
Imagine this...
Your customer receives a review request too soon, and they'll feel frustrated. Their package has not even arrived yet!
Or maybe you sent the review request emails a little too late.
The excitement they felt with your product or service will be long gone. They would not even bother leaving an online review, albeit a good review.
To avoid this, be familiar with your shipping times. The timing of your follow-up email depends on what kind of product or service you provide.
Determine your average delivery time, then add a margin just for safety. This gives your customers enough time to leave positive reviews.
Once you have the timing of your customer feedback figured out, it helps if you automate your review generation.
That leads us to...
4. Automate Your Review Process
Creating an automatic process is a reliable way to get more reviews. Thus, impressing your prospective customers into buying.
There are many ways you can incorporate into your business to get customer reviews.
First, incorporate asking for customer reviews into your email marketing campaigns. You can also ask customers to provide feedback if you have SMS automation.
Second, you can train your customer service staff to ask for customer reviews. You can get positive feedback from happy customers.
The third thing you can do is to post consistent testimonials on your social media channels each month. One customer writes a positive review, and another one will follow. 🙂
Lastly, you can add links to your digital receipts. You'll get more reviews from settled customers.
Keep encouraging customers to provide feedback when you...
5. Create A Frictionless Process For Customer Feedback
When customers see how easy it is to leave reviews, they will not hesitate to share their thoughts.
So, how do you set up your review system on your eCommerce site?
The best strategy to get more reviews is to include a star-rating system. It's the first thing customers see before even reading positive reviews.
And don't make it too complicated for them to leave their feedback! Make sure that your review form is easy to answer and does not take up too much time.
That's how you avoid negative feedback and gain more positive reviews.
Just think of the process as part of offering excellent customer service. 🙂
No matter how many reviews you have, you can always get more when you...
6. Celebrate The Positive Customer Reviews You Receive
Positive feedback is always something worth celebrating. A positive review means you are doing good!
It also means you created a fan out of your customer. And you can get more reviews when you make a brand advocate out of them.
An effective strategy for making this happen is to feature them on your social media platforms. Or, if you want to go bigger, you can do what Emerald did.
The brand Emerald received an anonymous five-star review that reads: Yes good.
That's it! The brand loved the review so much that they made it their temporary tagline. They used it on their billboards, ads, and even merch!
Of course, a feature on your site or social media is also enough to reward any positive feedback.
You can keep getting positive ones and avoid negative reviews if you...
7. Explain Why Their Feedback Is Important
Do you want more positive reviews?
To get the feedback you want, you can educate your customers on how vital their voices are to your brand.
When they learn more, they will want to show support. Through positive reviews, of course!
So, you can send an email before your review campaign. You can let them know you are about to ask for their reviews and their participation.
To be more effective, you can ask them to help "others like them".
Make asking for reviews as part of your brand messaging and...
8. Look For A Shopify App Dedicated To Customer Reviews
The good thing about using Shopify as your eCommerce platform is that you have a lot of options for managing your customer reviews.
But let me make your life easier.
You don't have to filter through hundreds of Shopify apps.
All you have to do is give Debutify Reviews a try!
Beyond automation, it can...
- Send personalized emails without sounding like a robot.
- Easily collect reviews.
- Helps you communicate with customers and identify constructive feedback.
- Effortlessly curate reviews to feature on your site.
- And more!
And these are the proven ways to...
Generate More And More And More Reviews!
I told you it was that easy!
These are proven strategies you can use to gain more reviews. And ultimately, more sales for your eCommerce business.
Of course, it also helps you to get more positive reviews when you choose Debutify!
This high-converting Shopify theme is the perfect Profit Optimization Partner.
It offers over 50 Add-Ons. You'll have everything you need to improve conversions, AOV, and boost profits!
Gain More Positive Reviews With Debutify... Free Of Charge!
14-Day Free Trial. 1 Click Installation. No Credit Card Required.
Trisha Ballesteros
