Customer reviews has been cited to be a major factor in making or breaking a business. This is due to the shift to digital marketing and consumers raising their expectations. When a consumer interacts with your reviews, three things happen:
1. 58% of the consumers reading the reviews are more likely to convert.
2. The reviews are likely to generate 62% more revenue per visitor.
3. A consumer is likely to buy 3% more per order if the reviews were positive.
Research shows that 70% of consumers rely on reviews before making a purchasing decision. This is also one of the most powerful source of Word of Mouth (WOM) that we have today.72% of consumers say that positive reviews makes them trust a local business. 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
When looking at online reviews some of the common things that consumers look for are:
Reliability.
27% of consumers want to know the services and products offered are reliable.
Expertise.
21% of consumers want to know how the business stands out from their competitors.
Professionalism
Have you ever gone somewhere and just felt that the sense of urgency and customer care is lacking? 18% of consumers want to find out how they’ll be treated.
How to use customer reviews in your digital marketing strategy.
Having said that, how do you then incorporate customer reviews into your marketing strategy?
When doing this, do not use sites for paid reviews to garner reviews. This will water down your efforts. Let your reviews come from genuine customers as it will make your site look more authentic.
1. Feature them on your website.
You can do this by creating an entire web page dedicated to your outstanding reviews as well as placing them on your home page. This way, a prospective consumers gets to see what your other customers are saying.
To add a more authentic feel; add name and photo of consumer. Before doing this, be sure to ask for permission from your client.
2. Incorporate the reviews in your social media.
Socialproof- This is a psychological phenomenon where people conform to the actions of others under the assumption that those actions are reflective of their correct behavior.
This is especially true with millennials and Generation Z. Most of them require show of social proof and so you can add your customer reviews on your company’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages.
3. Share the reviews on promotional emails.
Email still remains the king when it comes to convincing your prospects on why they should choose you. And email is here to stay. Over 300 billion emails are sent daily and an average person receives 72 emails a day and spends up to 30% of their working days checking their inboxes.
By including your customer’s reviews in your marketing emails, it goes to show that you value your consumer’s feedback. And this will also give your prospective clients a chance to see firsthand how you Willa are their lives better once they choose you.
Aside from marketing emails, you can publish the reviews on brochures as well as printed newsletters and other traditional forms of printed materials.
4. Respond to reviews quickly.
It is easy to take positive reviews for granted and only respond to negative reviews or vice versa. When responding to reviews, respond to both positive and negative reviews. For the positive reviews, thank the customer for the positive review and encourage them to share their experience with others.
For the negative reviews, ask them publicly to contact you and if possible offer them a solution and make it up to them for the time and money lost.
When handled properly, negative reviews can actually generate more revenue for your business as people will get to see that you genuinely care about your customers.
5. Turn your loyal customers into brand ambassadors.
This is similar to what micro-influencers do for a business they believe in. Have a group of loyal customers and make them the brand ambassadors of your product. This way, you’ll easily break with an authentic voice because it will sound different and genuine. You can offer them incentives such as discounts, free products and shipping.
Give them the content you want them to share to avoid any clash in the brand’s messages. Get customers who can run an entire blog on your site as well as tweet and share stories.
6. Use different formats.
Most reviews are usually in written form but with videos and audio gaining more popularity; it is then wise to get testimonials in those formats. Ask your most loyal customers if they mind participating in shooting a video with you.
Before starting the video, be sure to inform them what to expect during the interview. By prepping the customer, you get to save on time and you get a more definite answer as they shall have had time to prep.
After shooting the video, edit it to make sure that it’s brief. The video and/or audio should be short and straight to the point.
Conclusion
With more people turning to online reviews, this is an aspect of your business that you should not ignore. Knowing how to infuse the reviews with your marketing strategy gives you an edge over your competitors. For more contribution to this discussion, leave your comments down below.
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