Did you know that nearly 9 out of 10 customers read reviews before making an online purchase?
Yep, you read that right!
And think about this for a moment...
Can you imagine losing potential sales because they're not yet sure of the quality of your products or services?
That's a no-no!
And that shouldn't happen to your ecommerce store... EVER.
But that's what we're talking about in this blog...
You're going to find out the effects of User-Generated reviews on your conversion rate and some best practices on how to use them.
So, let's get down to it!
What Are User-Generated Reviews?
User-generated reviews are reviews from your customers.
These are from their evaluations and analysis based on their standards and experience. These can also be positive and negative comments.
But what's the difference between user-generated reviews and user-generated content?
User-generated reviews are reviews from your existing customers. As I said, these are their perception of your products.
The reviews might come in different forms, such as ratings, short-form and long-form comments, and video reviews.
While user-generated content is a form of content marketing. It refers to content created by other people (influencers, brand ambassadors, loyal customers) about your products.
It can be through social media posts, videos, or photos.
And now, I'm sure you're wondering...
What Effects Do User-Generated Reviews Have On Conversions?
User-generated reviews can benefit your ecommerce store. Specifically, it can help you enhance its conversion rate!
Want to see how it works right now?
1. Build Your Ecommerce Store's Credibility
What if a person comes up to you and says, "Hey, do you want to buy my product?"
Of course, it's confusing. Right? Especially if you're not even aware of what they're talking about.
Or, you know what they're selling, but you're not sure if it's effective.
So, hear me out...
Your customers are in different buying stages.
Some of them are not yet familiar with your brand. Or worse, they're not yet even aware of which kinds of products you sell.
They're probably just aware of their problems. But they're unsure if your products can give them the solution.
Now, this is where user-generated reviews will do their job.
Since your potential customers don't trust you yet, they must know if you can solve their problem. And user-generated reviews can help you prove them.
You can build trust by showing what existing customers say about you. You can display their positive comments to verify that your products can help them.
And once they know many people have already purchased your products and had good experiences... you can convert them into customers!
But you know what else?
2. Some Customers Have A Fear Of Missing Out
FOMO or Fear Of Missing Out can also affect your conversion rate.
Let me tell you how...
You can consider User-generated reviews as "social proof."
And Social Proof, in the psychological context, refers to people relying on others to take action in any given situation. It's like the idea of doing something because others are doing it, too.
So, if your potential customers see that many people are purchasing your products and are having a good time with them, they might also make a purchase.
Because they don't want to miss out on the benefits and experience!
3. Transparency Builds Customer Loyalty
Did you know that the cost of retaining customers is cheaper than acquiring new ones?
Surprising, right? And that's why you should enhance your customer retention strategies.
But what if I tell you that letting your customers leave their honest thoughts and opinions about your products can help strengthen their brand loyalty?
Okay, let me tell you why.
If some of your customers encountered a problem during their transaction, they would have to let you know.
And if you let them post their negative reviews on your website or social media posts, you make them feel seen and acknowledged instead of filtering them.
You recognize their experience and can assure them it won't happen again. That's also brand transparency.
It's also your chance to show your responsive customer service!
So, let your customers post how they feel about your products. And address their concerns instead of deleting and running away from them.
Such a great way to build customer loyalty, right?
4. Consumers Trust Online Reviews
Yep, they trust consumer reviews more than the brand itself...
Except maybe if your customers have already purchased from your ecommerce store multiple times. They might trust you more because they had incredible shopping experiences with you.
But as I mentioned above, 9 out of 10 customers read helpful reviews before purchasing.
And it says a lot about how much they trust other customers.
Oh, and by the way... did you also know that ecommerce businesses with over 200 reviews can generate at least twice as much revenue?
Twice. As. Much.
Imagine if that's your business.
It's because the more product reviews you have, the more trustworthy your ecommerce store looks... and that helps your conversion rate.
That's why you always encourage your customers to leave feedback. It can help entice more potential customers to purchase from you.
Think that's all?
5. User-Generated Reviews Can Help You Enhance Your Business
You're probably wondering... what does it have to do with improving my business?
Let me introduce conversion rate optimization or CRO. It's the process of optimizing your website or ecommerce store to increase your conversion rate.
And good news...
A positive and negative review goes a long way.
Because you can use the user-generated reviews you obtained to help improve your ecommerce business!
You can use your customers' positive reviews to know what you should maintain and keep on your website. And you can use the negative reviews to see what you should improve on.
One of the best ways to ensure the continued success of your ecommerce business is by improving and optimizing.
Take note... customers are constantly changing. It would help if you lived up to their current needs at the moment to give them the best experience.
Since you already know how user-generated content can help your conversions, it's time to learn the...
Best Practices For User-Generated Reviews
Now, let's talk about how to use your user-generated content on your ecommerce store.
Are you ready?
1. Display Reviews On Your Home Page
Some customers might be window shopping virtually... maybe casually scrolling.
So, displaying reviews on your home page will help your customers effortlessly see what others say about you.
Let's take a look at one example:
If you scroll down on Marc Wenn's website for a little bit, you'll see they included reviews from their customers.
So, if their users are buying from them, they need a few people to vouch for their products. They don't have to navigate somewhere else.
Another great practice is...
2. Allow Images
Generally, images are essential in ecommerce as they show how your products look through photos.
But aside from using high-quality product photos on your site, customers also want to see what it actually looks like.
It means they want to see the actual products from customers who have purchased from your ecommerce store.
Amazon allows this on its platform. You can see that customers can upload photos of the products they received, making it easier for them to see how it looks in real life.
This is also perfect if you're selling clothes. Customers can upload their images wearing the clothes they bought from you for others' reference.
That's why make sure to allow uploading images for reviews to increase your conversion rate. ?
3. Show Reviews On Product Pages
Aside from displaying reviews on the home page, it's also best to display them on the actual product pages.
For example, if your customers look at a specific product, they can easily see what others say about it.
Let's look at Ban.do's website.
I clicked on one of their products and saw the reviews. Now I want to buy them because they have a lot of excellent and enticing reviews!
See? Displaying reviews on your product pages significantly affects your customers' buying decisions.
And another one is...
4. Make Leaving Reviews Easy For Your Customers
This simply means don't let them navigate here and there to find where they will leave reviews.
You can have a web page dedicated solely to reviews or email your customers to ask for feedback.
Another way is you can also take advantage of the star rating system to make it easier for them because they're just going to click how many stars they want to give you.
Don't be afraid to tweak your review process. Eventually, you'll find the best strategy that works for both you and your customers.
And last but not least...
5. Use Third-Party Apps
Third-party apps are also helpful in getting and displaying reviews on your ecommerce store.
You have to choose the best review app that will make your life easier in managing and getting reviews on your ecommerce store.
Here are some questions you need to answer when choosing a review app:
- Is it easy to integrate with my website and other apps I use on my ecommerce store?
- Does the app allow images and videos?
- Is it easy for my customers to leave reviews using this app?
- Is this budget-friendly?
- Do they offer customer support?
You see, choosing an app for your third-party reviews is not easy. You have to find the perfect one that works best for your business and liking.
But once you find the best one... everything becomes smooth. And you'll find the best one soon.??
So... what's next?
Increase Your Conversion Rate Through User-Generated Reviews!
User-generated reviews are really valuable for your ecommerce store.
And to help you with that, Debutify Reviews simplifies collecting and managing your customers' reviews so you can get them right away.
What are you waiting for?
Llouela Asim
