Picture this...
Before buying a new pair of jeans, you make it a point to go through its online reviews.
This is what it looks like on the product page:
Both reviews are appreciated. But isn't the review by Victoria C. the more valuable one?
Even with one less star, it's more helpful than the review by Melody B. It helps you decide better about your own purchase.
To put it in another way, it's a quality product review.
Quality product reviews are a crucial part of your social proof. In turn, your social proof can greatly affect your sales and profits.
And other customers also feel the same way.
77% of consumers read online reviews when looking at local businesses. Plus, 58% of customers will pay more for brands with good reviews.
It's really quite simple... the best marketers for your brand are not the ones who work for you. It's your existing customers.
Today, I will tell you ten surefire ways to get high-quality reviews.
But first, what exactly is a quality review?
What Are The Features Of A Quality Review?
Before you aim for more reviews, you have to ensure that your customers' reviews are high quality. That means your product reviews should be...
Recent. You probably think that the more reviews you have, the better. And you're right.
But getting fresh reviews is more important.
Here's why.
The newer customer feedback you have, the better your SEO will be.
Also, 41% of consumers think that recent reviews are more trustworthy than older ones. That's why they prefer to buy something with fewer reviews, as long as they are current.
A quality review should be...
Qualified Feedback Through Verification
Online shoppers can be quite doubtful. And they are not to blame. There are fake reviews on one or two eCommerce platforms, after all.
Huge amounts of five-star ratings raise a red flag. So does similar wording on reviews and mismatched content.
So, a clear display of the writer's name is important to customers when reading reviews. A verified buyer means it's qualified customer feedback.
Having a system that weeds out unfit reviews will save you from losing your customers' trust.
This may sound polarizing, but customers also look for product pages that...
Have Negative Reviews
I know this does not sound like something that you want. But negative reviews can actually boost your sales!
Let me explain.
Customers say that it gives balance to their purchasing decisions. They also think that bad reviews mean that an online store is transparent. In fact, 82% of customers even look for a bad review.
A negative review means your customers can trust your business.
Your written reviews should also...
Answer Questions About The Product
Your reviews can be a two-way street.
Don't forget to respond to your customers' questions as they review products. It shows that your brand cares. And it can also be the push they need to make a purchase.
And don't be afraid to also respond to negative product reviews. Doing so will make your customers trust that you are open to improving your business. It will also increase the chances of that customer purchasing again. As well as entice other shoppers.
A quality review also...
Leverages User-Generated Content
Visual reviews send off an authentic quality. Customers also find UGC to be more helpful.
Reviews with visual content such as photos or videos give customers a better look at the product. For example, they can visualize how a sweater or pants fits them.
Now that you know what makes a quality review, you also need to know the benefits you can gain with it...
Why Do You Need Quality Product Reviews?
Increase Website Traffic
Shoppers usually use search engines like Google and Bing when looking for products. So the higher you rank, the more traffic you'll receive.
And the best way to rank higher is to have more reviews. After all, product reviews have a 10% influence on your Google search ranking.
With product reviews, you can also take over your other competitors. Google loves a quality reviews. You can outrank the competition in their SERPs.
Great reviews also...
Improve Products
Product reviews can help customers as well as your business.
Leverage each customer review to your advantage. Use the negative feedback to tweak some parts of your product. Take it under advisement when you develop new products or when updating one.
All the reviews can add more value to your product. The new features and improvements can lead to more positive reviews, too.
Ultimately, reviews can...
Increase Conversions And ROI
Reviews are one of the top social proofs. And displaying this type of social proof can increase your revenue.
You see, fifty or more reviews on a product can lead to a 4.6% increase in your conversion rates. And it can also give your an average 18% increase in sales.
Now that you have an idea of the power that a product review holds, it's time to find out...
How To Get Quality Product Reviews?
1. Highlight Reviews You Already Have
You see other customer reviews on an online store. Doesn't that make a point that customers' opinions are important?
When reviews are visible, it shows other visitors that they can trust you with their thoughts. If they choose to leave reviews, they won't feel so left out.
And where else can you feature your reviews but on your product page? So make sure to create a space for reviews and product ratings. It will encourage customers to go ahead with their purchases. As well as get them to share their thoughts.
Check out Little Baby Paws and one of their product pages. It includes star rating and awesome testimonials.
To get more product reviews, it's best to...
2. Make It Easy For A Customer To Leave A Review
Remember: You are asking your customers for something. So don't make it hard for them!
What I mean is, to use a review platform that your visitors are comfortable with. Make your review platforms visible to them.
For instance, you can create a page showing how customers can leave feedback. Don't forget to add links to pages where you want to generate reviews.
Your social media pages can also be a channel for people to write reviews. Let your customers know that you are open to feedback via posts or comments.
Facebook is an ideal platform where you can ask for customer experience. Make sure to keep your Reviews tab in the open so users can rate you.
It doesn't hurt to...
3. Directly Ask Your Customers
You shouldn't sit back and wait for a customer to leave a review. After making the process simple for them, do not hesitate to ask them for their reviews.
Start a conversation!
Make posts that feature other reviews from happy customers. By doing so, your brand will remain in their minds. It will also show that you care about customer experience.
Asking can also go beyond online shopping. Do you have a physical location? You can add thank you cards together with your customer's purchases if you do. Let them know you would like their review on your site.
Speaking of asking for it...
4. Send A Post-Purchase Email
Wouldn't your customers who just bought your product be the best people to write a review?
After enough time since their order, you can write a follow-up email to a customer. Remind customers to write a new review with a simple call to action. Spend time personalizing your message and thank them for their endless loyalty.
Take note: Be aware of delivery dates. Give your customers time to use your products before asking for a review. The time you send it out depends on what kind of products they purchase.
Another way to get more product reviews is...
5. Incentivize Customers Into Writing Reviews
What better way to encourage customer reviews than to reward them?
Before you start rewarding your customers, think carefully about what you offer them. There is a risk of mistaking this for buying reviews, which is dishonest.
But offering rewards and having them leave reviews of their own choice is perfectly fine. As long as you are transparent with your process. You can even get more product reviews as consumers enjoy incentives.
To give you an idea, here are some rewards you can offer:
- Free sample from your product line
- Reward points, discounts, or coupon codes through your customer loyalty program
- Free shipping
- Discounts for each review
- Gift cards
Offering incentives will boost awareness of your brand. It can also create a stream of feedback for new products you have.
Amp up your social proof and...
6. Create A Product Sampling Program
Let's be honest... It's hard to get a written customer experience when there are not a lot of recent customers to ask.
But with a sampling program, you can encourage communities to share their feedback. You can use sampling tools such as BzzAgent to reach out to groups of people who want to write reviews. In exchange for a free sample, of course.
Alternatively, you can also ask for a specific type of blogger or micro-influencers. Verify that you have the same target audience who have an interest in your business.
Doing a sampling product is perfect when you:
- Run a seasonal business and need customer feedback in a short period of time.
- Are launching a new line of products.
- Have a particular niche and a unique target audience.
- Don't have a lot of quality product reviews.
Include your campaign to review content on your marketing strategy and...
7. Leverage Social Media
You can also feature your reviews on other places, such as social media platforms. Create a visually appealing graphic to go with your posts. Post it on your Facebook page or your Instagram account.
After all, your customers want to know that you hear their opinions. Validate their feedback by directly sharing their words. Even a repost or retweet creates a positive experience.
Check out Brooklinen's Twitter page.
They take their time to retweet and make personalized replies! That makes for a good customer experience.
Gain more quality product reviews when you...
8. Collect Different Product Review Types
User-generated content such as photos and videos is powerful. UGC can even increase conversions by 10%. Couple that with your product reviews. You will be elevating the customer experience to a whole new level.
So make sure that you motivate them to submit photos or videos when sharing reviews. Ask them to show how your products satisfy their needs.
Display your UGC on your website. It can help future customers to visualize themselves using your products, too.
As your reviews increase, you also need to...
9. Respond To Negative Reviews
A word of caution: you are bound to get not-so-positive reviews as your business grows.
So all you need to do is learn how to manage this kind of feedback. Of course, you have the choice to ignore them if they are not constructive.
But also consider this... More than half of customers expect businesses to answer to negative reviews in a week. They want businesses to give solutions to their concerns.
Take Royal Canin, for instance. They don't reply with a copy-and-paste message. Instead, they acknowledge their customer's concerns in particular.
Responding also lets other consumers see that you read your customers' feedback. Their trust in your brand increases since you can actually resolve their problems.
Lastly, you can also...
10. Use A Review App
With all these great tips, you learn that there are a lot of different ways to collect quality product reviews. You would need a review app to leverage your reviews in the best possible way.
Choosing the best one will help you use reviews to give confidence to your customer's purchase decision. It will also assist you in gaining more product reviews to highlight.
So stay tuned! Because Debutify is brewing something special to help you with your social proof. ?
The ball is now in your court! It's your turn to...
Catch-All Quality Product Reviews!
Quality product reviews are badges of honor. They make your eCommerce brand look good. And gain your customers' trust... which turns into sales.
Did you know that Debutify Reviews, helps you manage your reviews with ease.
So, are you ready to...
Trisha Ballesteros
