8 Simple Ways to Collect Customer Reviews
Reviews are indeed your secret weapon for higher rankings. They are an essential component for measuring success, user satisfaction, and customer trends. They also help you make more informed product decisions and stay competitive in your market.
But did you know that the majority of people might not realize how much they love your service unless you ask for feedback about it? The process of simply asking for a review prompts clients to form opinions that they wouldn’t otherwise; yet it’s one of the most underestimated business tactics.
There are many ways to ask your clients for feedback. Here, we’re going to talk about the most effective ones.
1. Have a Presence on Review Sites
Having a presence on multiple review sites and industry-specific directories is highly beneficial for every company from both an SEO perspective and for collecting reviews. People love to have options, so it would be fair to let them choose the platform they are most comfortable using, instead of limiting them on only one. Once you’ve created a profile on a new site, you can let your clients know and ask them to leave a review there. That way you can get all your profiles going and see your business thrive on search engine rankings.
2. Provide Review Method Options
Apart from offering your clients a choice as to where to leave a review, it’s highly essential that you provide them with the option of choosing a review method. You can offer them several different review methods, which include both short feedback, such as star ratings or emojis, and detailed reviews.
Here’s an example:
3. Provide Guidance
First of all, you need to make the reviewing process easy, unless you want clients to leave it part-way. The best option is to provide them with clear instructions, which can encourage them to take action. Consider offering them a template with ready-made questions, instead of leaving a blank box for them to fill out.
4. Incentivize the Clients
Incentivizing your clients is not a bribe, and it doesn’t mean that you’re buying good reviews. It’s a fair thing to do, taking into consideration that they put the time and effort in to write a review. Receiving some sort of reward will encourage them to leave feedback, and it will add to their positive experience with your company. For example, you can offer discount coupons or free services in exchange for a public review.
Take a look at this example:
5. Send an Email
Email marketing is an important part of business growth, and you can also leverage it to get reviews. At the end of your collaboration, you can send a follow-up email asking them to describe their experience with your company. You can do so by using simple phrases, such as Share your thoughts, Rate our service, or How was your experience? Also, you can see whether they had any issues or think some areas need improvement. This can be really valuable for you because it helps you identify potential problems. Make sure to streamline the process and make it easy for them to land on the review page with one click.
6. Just Ask
Did you know that 70% of consumers would leave a review if simply asked? You don’t have to wait around for your clients to take action. Instead, politely ask them to do so. When you’re meeting your clients face to face, you can always ask them in person. Don’t be afraid to do it—you’re simply asking for an honest review. If you want a review on a specific site, be precise where you would like them to leave it. If you have some extra funds, customer feedback software is also a legitimate option.
7. Display the Reviews
Most clients won’t even think about leaving a review if they don’t see other reviews clearly displayed on your site. Consider placing them strategically on every page in a place that can’t be missed, along with a link that leads them directly to the review page.
8. Thank Your Customers
Thanking your customers for leaving a review means more than you probably think. First of all, it will make your clients feel good, leaving the impression that their opinions are actually heard, which encourages future clients to do the same. Moreover, saying “thank you” essentially establishes a more personal connection with your clients, which can motivate them to leave reviews on other platforms too.
Wrapping It Up
Encouraging your customers to leave reviews will help you validate your service and company. Needless to say, having a high number of reviews will inform Google that people use your business, which will boost your ranking. Plus, there are other ways to leverage the reviews you get and use them to market your business and drive overall growth.
