Online users love customer reviews, making them a crucial element of your marketing strategy. Encouraging customer testimonials, whether through social media or your website, adds a level of personalization to your online presence that resonates with potential customers. By showcasing real customer experiences and social proof, you can build trust with prospective buyers and grow your business. Incorporating testimonial videos or customer success stories into your marketing materials is an effective way to engage your audience and boost conversion rates.
“While consumers have always had the ability to vote with their feet, or with their wallets, they now have more power to influence not only what they buy, but also what others buy. Consumers have been given a voice and expect it to be heard.” ~ The Deloitte Consumer Review
People trust online reviews, especially when they’re detailed and feel personal. Encouraging customer reviews from those who’ve used your product or service should be a key part of your marketing strategy—it’s just smart business. In-depth reviews from real people can do more to build trust with potential customers than any flashy social media ad or catchy slogan ever could. Including customer testimonials, whether it’s a video or a quote, in your marketing materials adds a layer of authenticity that resonates with potential buyers.
But how do you actually get those reviews? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with five reasons why you should be encouraging customer reviews and five easy ways to get more of them for your ecommerce site or small business.
Reasons why you should encourage customer reviews
There are plenty of reasons to encourage customer reviews. At the core, getting customers to leave reviews is all about engagement and personalization—key elements of any strong marketing strategy. Whether it’s a video testimonial or positive feedback on social media, these reviews build trust with potential customers and add valuable social proof to your brand. Incorporating real customer experiences into your marketing materials not only helps grow your business but also makes your brand feel more authentic.
1. It is one of the major deciding factors for potential buyers
In the past, personal recommendations were the go-to for purchase decisions. Nowadays, with the Internet offering a personalized experience, online reviews have taken on a similar role. According to a survey by PissedConsumer, 75.5% of consumers trust online reviews when deciding what to buy. Additionally, BrightLocal found that 49% of people trust online reviews just as much as recommendations from friends or family. This shows how powerful customer reviews can be in converting potential buyers into loyal customers.
2. Customer reviews can speak louder than sales language
Another trend that’s been growing over the past few years is customers getting tired of salesy language in marketing materials and on websites. Focusing on customer testimonials for your business lets your customers speak for you. Whether it’s blog posts, landing pages, or conversion funnels, every part of your marketing strategy plays a role. But nothing builds trust and resonates with potential buyers quite like social proof from real customers. It’s like having a personal recommendation right on your product pages, and that can be incredibly powerful in boosting sales and growing your business.
3. Customer reviews increase your ranking on search results
SEO is a big part of smart business practices today, and customer reviews play a role in that too. Having detailed, quality customer testimonials on your website not only enhances the experience for potential buyers but also boosts your local search rankings. This kind of social proof can increase visibility, attract more website visitors, and ultimately grow your customer base. Incorporating customer stories into your marketing strategy helps build trust with potential customers and can lead to increased sales and brand loyalty.
4. Customer reviews build trust with potential buyers
Encouraging customer reviews goes beyond just a marketing tactic or a step in your conversion funnel. It’s about building trust with potential customers who might not have a personal connection to your ecommerce business yet. Just like a powerful testimonial video or customer quotes, featuring real customer experiences on your site can make a huge impact. These testimonials provide the social proof needed to turn a casual browser into a loyal customer, helping to grow your business and boost conversion rates.
5. Customer reviews provide engagement with current customers
Focusing on customer reviews isn’t just about attracting potential customers—it’s also about engaging with your current customer base. Asking for positive feedback through customer testimonials gives you a chance to connect with the clients you already have, especially if you offer an incentive for their review. If you balance it right, you’re not only getting free advertising but also encouraging your customers to become brand ambassadors. This kind of engagement can build trust, boost your online store’s credibility, and grow your business through authentic social proof.
Ways to Encourage Customer Reviews
You understand the why—but what about the how? For many ecommerce sites and small businesses, getting started with customer testimonials to drive sales can seem challenging. But with the right tools and software, like Shopify apps and online review management software, it’s easier than you think. These tools help you collect and display customer testimonials, quote testimonials, and even video testimonials, all of which build trust and provide powerful social proof. With the right approach, you can effectively grow your customer base and boost sales.
1. Make sure you focus your attention on real reviews
Fake reviews are never worth it—period. They lack authenticity, and many online users can spot a fake testimonial quickly. While it’s more time-consuming to collect genuine customer testimonials, the effort will pay off in the long run. Real customer feedback builds trust with potential buyers and adds valuable social proof to your marketing strategy. By focusing on authentic reviews, you’re not just boosting your online store’s credibility—you’re also setting the stage for increased sales and long-term success.
Top tip: Consider offering incentives like discounts for future purchases to encourage giving real reviews.
2. Start with a Social Media Campaign
If encouraging customer reviews feels intimidating, start with something simple. Running social media campaigns is an easy way to engage with your customer base and collect valuable testimonials. These campaigns not only build trust with potential buyers but also provide social proof that can be showcased on your product pages. Plus, they’re a great way to turn satisfied customers into brand ambassadors. Whether it’s a video testimonial or a quick quote testimonial, leveraging social media helps grow your business and boost your marketing strategy.
Top tip: Try running a user-generated content (UGC) campaign to encourage customers to share their experiences using your products while using a unique hashtag
3. Respond to positive (and negative) reviews
Taking the time to respond to reviews, whether they’re positive or negative, can encourage other customers to leave their own feedback. A personalized response shows that you genuinely care about your customers and helps build trust with potential buyers. This approach can be more effective than any form of incentivization or gamification you might consider. Plus, it adds a human touch to your online store, enhancing your overall marketing strategy and boosting your brand’s reputation.
4. Make leaving a review user-friendly
This one is non-negotiable—you should make the process of leaving a customer testimonial as easy as possible for your current customers. Even if a customer wants to leave a review, if the steps are too complicated or time-consuming, they’re likely to abandon it. Simplify the process to just a few easy steps, allowing potential customers to be as detailed or as brief as they wish. This not only increases the likelihood of positive feedback but also helps build trust with potential buyers, enhancing your overall marketing strategy.
Top tip: Make the process of leaving review seamless by implementing a one-click review link in post-purchase emails.
5. Use software to make the process easier
Software tools for customer reviews and CRM make the entire process much easier. If you can use shopify apps to edit photos and make them beautiful, why not do the same for a stunning testimonial page? Taking the time to learn a few user-friendly tools in this area will certainly pay off in the long run. By enhancing your marketing materials with positive experiences from real people, you can build trust and connect with potential customers more effectively, ultimately helping to grow your business.
Where do you go from here?
The best way to start encouraging customer testimonials for your small business or online store is simple—just get started. As you’ve seen above, there are various approaches to gathering the social proof you need. Whether it’s through video testimonials, quote testimonials, or engaging social media posts, there’s no wrong way to do it as long as you’re seeing results. So jump in with a few of these tips, and find out what works best for your company to grow your business and connect with potential customers!
Author Bio
Brooklin Nash writes about the latest tools and small business trends for TrustRadius. When he’s not writing, you can find him reading YA dystopian fiction (with guilty pleasure) and cooking
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