Manage & Collect
Online Customer Reviews: The Different Types & How To Get Them
May 2, 2019
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3 min read
The current situation faced by our global population has changed many things, including how we shop and where we buy from. This in itself presents a huge opportunity for retailers who are willing and able to shift their operations online.
And that’s never been easier, since you can now sell products for free using Google Shopping, which is great news for existing eCommerce stores and newcomers alike.
Well, sort of. We’re thrilled with Google’s latest announcement. It’s an impressive move on Googles part, and by giving back, it’s opened up a world of potential for online retailers:
Callum Mackeefery, Founder of REVIEWS.io
As we all stay safe at home, and physical stores play their part by pulling down the shutters, online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay have struggled to cope with a surge in demand. In an attempt to find what we need when we need it, we’ve moved away from these go to digital giants and are looking to alternative suppliers to fulfil our needs.
Basically, if you’re an online merchant or store, that means you. And how do we find you? On Google Shopping of course. If you’re not already a registered seller, now’s your opportunity to grab your piece of the growing online marketplace with free product listings.
Of course, there’s two sides to this. Increased opportunity means increased competition. Essentially, Google has made it possible for every online retailer to promote their products, regardless of their current marketing budget. So, you’ll need to make sure you stand leagues above the rest.
Two reasons. Trust and visibility. In the first instance, it’s proven that customer reviews increase conversion rates significantly because, as consumers, we trust what other people have to say about the products you're providing.
Genuine, authentic feedback acts as a major trust signal and greatly influences our buying decisions.
In the second instance, Google prioritises those with higher seller ratings in its search results, and seller ratings come from reviews and stars. So, by collecting customer feedback, you’re boosting your chances of being found by those in the market for the products or services you provide.
What’s vital here is that you work with a Google Licensed Review Partner like REVIEWS.io. All review content collected through us is transferred to Google, subsequently influencing your seller rating.
The more reviews you receive, the stronger your presence online. So, follow these steps to get the most from your customer review collection campaign.
Product reviews are essential for increasing conversion rates and cementing your presence on Google Shopping. But company reviews make for equally powerful trust signals. Ask for both in a single email request to get the most from every feedback opportunity.
Review requests sent by text are 3x more effective than those sent by email. They do, however, have an associated cost, but we highly recommend you include a number of SMS invites each month to ramp up your campaign. All REVIEWS.io plans now come with text message invites as standard, allowing you to send review requests via SMS at no extra cost.
Video is excellent for engagement and really helps build authenticity when used in conjunction with written and photo reviews. What’s more, it’s now super easy for customers to produce high quality, content-rich video reviews with nothing more than a mobile phone. This type of UGC is both authentic and tangible. It brings your products to life in a way static images could never achieve and offers a far greater trust signal than written reviews alone.
Your customer reviews should appear everywhere you have a brand presence, including your website. If they’ve reached your site, a buyer is already on the verge of conversion, so make it final by offering trust signals at the point of purchase. Ultimately, more customers mean more reviews mean greater trust – it’s a winning cycle.
One of the best ways to encourage your customers to leave reviews is to reward them for doing so. There’s a bonus here in that by offering vouchers, coupon codes or loyalty points, you’re not only likely to see increased review conversions, but you’re also incentivising repeat custom. You can use REVIEWS.io’s own solution for this or make use of our powerful integrations with popular online loyalty programmes like Klaviyo and smile.io.
Last but not least, celebrate your success by sharing review content on your social channels. Our social proof feature makes it easy for you to turn customer feedback into visually impactful images for use on Instagram, Facebook, or any platform of choice. Not only does social proof increase your trust score, it also helps keep your review momentum going. It’s that winning cycle again - more reviews, more custom, more trust, and ultimately, more growth.
As we mentioned earlier, video is great for engagement, and video reviews allow customers to leave more in-depth feedback that offers a greater insight into your company or products. This form of user-generated content is a great brand asset. At REVIEWS.io, we’re proud to be the first platform to offer video as part of our customisable solutions.
If you’re not already a REVIEWS.io client, you can take advantage of our free trial period, or choose from one of our contract free price plans, all of which come with optional bolt-on features to help you create a plan that’s perfect for your review collection needs.
