Product reviews from your customers add invaluable social proof to your eCommerce site. This type of user-generated feedback increases conversions on your product pages and drives sales. But getting customers to review your products can be a challenge, so here are some best practices to apply when you are looking to earn more product reviews:
Optimize the Reviews Process
Make the “Leave a Review” button easy to find on product pages. And make sure whatever reviews platform you are using is mobile ready—70% of shoppers consult their phones when making purchases in store, so ensuring your reviews are optimized for mobile allows you to reach your customers where they are.
Ask at the Right Time
Often the best tactic for earning reviews is to simply ask. Send a post-purchase email requesting a review after a customer has had enough time to try out a product—items like clothing can be reviewed immediately, but something like skincare may require a few weeks to test effectively. When customers make a repeat purchase, it’s a safe bet that they were satisfied with your product the first time around. This is a great time to send a review solicitation email—you’re far more likely to receive a positive response. Additionally, requesting reviews around holidays and customer milestones, or after a customer shares your product on social media, can provide perfect timing for a positive review.
Respond to Reviews
When your products still have less than 5 reviews apiece, take the time to respond to each review individually. Thank customers for leaving positive reviews, and respond to negative reviews by apologizing for any issues they may have experienced and connecting them immediately with your customer service team. Taking this extra step lets customers know that their feedback is not only heard, but that it’s valued. This will encourage future reviews from other customers.
Listen to Customer Feedback
When customers provide feedback—whether it’s on social media, through the Q&A or reviews section on your product pages, or elsewhere—listen. Your customers can offer invaluable insights into your products, and they can highlight numerous opportunities for your brand to grow.
Utilize Direct Mail
For maximum exposure, use direct mail as an additional touchpoint when requesting reviews. Customers who feel a personal connection with a brand are more likely to leave positive feedback in a review, and direct mail is a great way to cultivate that connection.
Create an Incentive
Incentivize customers by offering loyalty points or a small reward for leaving a product review. This can be especially helpful when you are first implementing reviews on your site and looking to grow your number of reviews. Offering a discount code or coupon for customers that leave a review is another way to boost responses.
Get Social
Highlight positive reviews you’ve received on your site and social media pages. And if a customer posts a review of your product on social, ask their permission to re-post that content. Whenever you can, utilize the content that your customers are already creating. This saves your marketing team time and money, and the added social proof drives conversions on your site. It also makes customers feel valued, and the additional spotlight will encourage other consumers to leave reviews—it’s an all-around win.
If you’re looking for new ways to level-up your marketing strategy, Revere Ratings and Reviews can help you harness the power of user-generated content to increase traffic, enhance SEO, improve conversions, increase AOV, and decrease returns. Request a demo today to learn more.
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