Reviews from customers play an important role in building brands, streamlining processes, creating effective marketing strategies, and growing your business reputation into something impressive.
Of course, a positive five-star review feels a lot better and does more to increase customer trust. But don't discount the power of those two- and three-star reviews—even negative feedback. You can gain valuable insight from an unhappy customer as well. Most importantly, you can learn how to turn dissatisfaction into more positive experiences.
A strong collection of reviews builds social proof and brand credibility. Consumers are more likely to trust reviews from their fellow shoppers than they are from any other source. They're a vital part of your overall online presence. All reviews are not created equally, however, and the differences go beyond star ratings. From in-depth customer reviews that market your brand naturally to simple mentions on a social or review platform, you can benefit from every type.
1 – Detailed product and brand review
When it comes to making an impact, the longer, detailed online reviews do the most for reputation and sales growth. Luxury shoppers especially want as much information and social proof as possible before making the decision to buy. These reviews include details about the specific product. It’s one thing for an ecommerce shop description to say that silk fabric drapes beautifully, but quite another to have a dozen buyers say the same.
Since these reviews influence buying decisions heavily, it makes sense for retailers to request reviews of this type whenever possible. Make it easy for buyers to enter their thoughts and feelings about the product and interaction with the brand. If set up well, you can use them as part of your marketing strategy designed to create loyal customers.
2 – Brief star rating with limited details
Only the more impressive customer interactions will lead to in-depth testimonials like those mentioned above. Most will spend less time leaving a star rating and a few words about the product or experience. These are commonly seen on Google Business profiles or shopping directories. All five-star reviews may look fake, so don’t attempt perfection. An average rating around 4.3 – 4.7 seems much more realistic and honest.
Although less impressive, these brief reviews are equally important for your overall online reputation. It comes down to quantity here. Consumers are much more likely to trust a company and buy something from them if there are at least five positive ratings. This is especially important in the luxury sectors. As these quick responses are much easier to get, any quality brand should not have a problem getting many more than five positive reviews. They are an amazing source of customer data, too.
3 – Photo/video reviews and recommendations
These types of reviews take effort, and they often have the biggest direct impact on other people who view them. If a buyer spends their time taking a photo, or better yet, posting a video of one of your products, it goes a long way toward building trust. The effort showcases a buyer’s real emotions tied to the experience. Most of these get posted on social media and other video-sharing sites, which extends brand reach naturally.
Retailers can leverage these visual reviews to increase brand awareness and reputation by encouraging satisfied customers to share their own content. This user-generated content serves as a form of social proof, showcasing the brand’s products in an organic, relatable way. In some cases, it involves automatic influencer power, too. You can repost these reviews on your own social media channels or website to turn them into authentic marketing assets.
4 – Company feedback focused on the brand
This type of review is less common. Most buyers focus on the products themselves, but if you're connecting well with consumers, they are more likely to focus on those customer interactions and brand information.
These are powerful reviews because, after all, you want to have customers loyal to your brand as a whole, not just interested in the latest product you offer. These are most likely to happen when you offer personalized recommendations, go above and beyond in your customer service and clienteling efforts, and solve problems related to returns, shipping, or other business-related things.
5 – Bad reviews
No one likes getting negative reviews, but they will happen to all retailers eventually. The good news is that it's possible to use them as a tool that can actually help your online reputation in the end. It all comes down to having the right responses to reviews shortly after they appear online and collecting data to improve products and services in the future.
Quick responses show attention to your customers and dedication to making things right. However, it's important to avoid knee-jerk apologies or emotional reactions. Potential customers may see these as rude, self-serving, or out-of-touch with what they value. Effective review management strategies must include details on how to respond. Suggest solutions, share your refund policy if applicable, and ask them what you can do to make things better. Promise that you will take what they say into account, and then actually do so.
Five quick tips to power up your online presence with reviews
1 – Encourage more reviews: Ask for honest feedback, star ratings, and reviews every time someone buys a product. No need to incentivize them every time, but encourage shoppers to become part of the overall brand story.
2 – Use reviews on brand platforms: Share average ratings on popular directory sites or post reviews directly to enhance the popularity or prominence of your products. A quick quote can influence buying decisions for potential customers.
3 – Respond quickly when it helps: Communication is key to success. Solve problems when they arise and make sure people who spend the time to review realize your appreciation.
4 – Ask for user-generated content: Expand your online presence with more social proof on popular platforms. When buyers share their experience or your products, more people take notice.
5 – Collect and leverage data always: Track and analyze data about ratings, comments, platforms used, and more so you can improve business operations and marketing continuously.
Conclusion
No matter what, every retail brand needs more reviews. They not only help you understand what works and what doesn't for your target consumer base, but they also allow you to leverage your strengths for more strategic marketing. The only way to do these things effectively is with a full-featured platform like Clientbook on your side. This sales assistant software can help you get more reviews to begin with, communicate with both enthusiastic and dissatisfied customers, and maximize the benefits of each comment, rating, and social media share focused on your brand. Book a demo to see it in action.
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