12 Tips To Get More Positive Online Reviews

TechsPlace | Online reviews are the easiest way for a customer to quickly hop online and research your business. Customers today will dive into Yelp, Google, or any other review site to see what other people have to say before making a purchase or visiting your business. This makes online reviews one of the most powerful forms of social proof to drive potential customers to your business.

Building up the positive reviews surrounding your business is crucial so you can grow and build your customer base. A happy customer will be more than willing to share their opinion and tell other people about your business. You may be surprised if the process is simple and easy to find, how a happy customer will be happy to leave an online review to benefit your business and other customers. However, reviews don’t always come unsolicited. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple ask to garner an online review.

There are many different methods to request feedback or ask for a review from your customer. However, the method you choose will depend on the size of your business or how closely you work with your customer. Consider sending a personalized email or text once the service is complete, such as “Would you mind taking a minute to review us on SITE?” Or, consider asking face to face if you have a close relationship with your customer and you know they’re happy with their experience.

It’s helpful to create many different spaces that are relevant to your business for customers to leave their feedback. Depending on your industry, there may be specific review sites you should pay more attention. For example, if you’re in the hospitality industry you’ll want to have a presence on TripAdvisor, while Angie’s List may be a better fit if you’re a local service-based business.

With an online and open forum for people to leave honest feedback, negative reviews are inevitable. Despite how wonderful your product or service is, you can’t please everyone. Take the time to be transparent and respond to your online business reviews whether they are negative or positive. You have the opportunity to remedy a negative customer experience and potentially turn it around. You may even end up with a brand supporter if you listen, show that you care, and offer a solution.

While there’s no one way to respond to a review or gain more reviews, do what works best for your business, brand voice, and industry. For helpful tips on how to get positive online reviews, check out the infographic below. It includes twelve actionable tips, real-life examples from successful companies, and a helpful approach on how to respond to a negative review.