If you’re anything like the team here at Snap, keeping up with the latest trends in the digital sphere is far more than a hobby—it’s what gets us out of bed in the morning. But when we’re not working to design gorgeous sites and powerful marketing strategies, we do engage in our fair share of online shopping. And like 95 percent of Americans, we take into account other customers’ thoughts about the product, offer, or service in question before we buy.
Showcasing consumer testimonials on your ecommerce site offers a unique opportunity to have your customers market your products or services for you, providing comparatively more advantages than physical word-of-mouth advertising. If you choose to take advantage of customer reviews, it is important to know when, where, and how to best implement them, in order to optimize your ROI.
The Importance of Customer Testimonials
Checking customer reviews has quickly become a necessary part of the online purchasing process. In fact, 72 percent of consumers won’t take any sort of action towards purchasing until consulting reviews. Questions like, “How does this product compare to its competition?” “Does it come ready-to-use?” “Is it worth the price?” and “How fast will the product get to me if I order it today?” are often asked and answered by reviews, saving your customer service team valuable time and saving you money in the long run.
In addition to their relevance to a vast majority of online shoppers, consumer reviews are also helpful for securing online visibility, boosting organic and search engine rankings, and contributing to local SEO. As ecommerce continues to rise in popularity, these reviews and their positive contribution to your overall ecommerce site will only become more crucial. But remember: when you open the door for customer reviews, there is always a chance that negative feedback will find its way to your site (or your Google My Business profile) along with all the positive reviews.
Getting the Reviews You Want
Here are some practical steps that can be taken to minimize the chances of receiving a poor review and make sure your happy customers stay happy.
Stand Behind Your Products
The most practical way to encourage positive customer reviews is to be confident in your product! Showcase its strengths and uses through video tutorials and images or content showing your product being fully utilized. The more consumers that understand the value of what you have to offer and how to implement it in their own lives or businesses, the less confusion and negativity you’ll see in your reviews.
Make Customer Service a Priority
Few things are more frustrating than having a question about a product and waiting days (or worse, weeks) for customer service to respond to your inquiry. Customers expect prompt, informed responses to their questions—especially if your business has a strong digital presence and online following.
Encourage Feedback
Encouraging customers to leave feedback or reviews on your products is a great way to not only build trust with your audience but also to inform potential customers about your product, to engage with them on your site or social media, and, most importantly, to acknowledge your loyal customers and thank them for their continued support.
Here are a few quick ways to encourage feedback and reviews:
- Creating space for feedback on multiple mediums (website reviews, tweets, Amazon, etc.) makes it easy for even your most laid-back customers to support you.
- Optimizing your website, blog posts, social profiles, and email content offers you a quick and easy way to collect and categorize your reviews.
- Offering incentives for your customers makes them more willing to give their time and review. Discounts or coupon codes go a long way on this front!
Dealing with Negative Reviews
Negative reviews are every business’s worst nightmare. After putting your heart and soul into what you do, you may find it quite difficult to read something bashing your business. Although we all have some stories about dealing with particularly irate customers, keeping your cool is of the utmost importance when responding to negative reviews. After acknowledging their concern or disappointment as quickly as you can, thank them for their time, and confirm that you’re seeking a prompt solution to the problem if you can’t solve it immediately.
Take Reviews With a Grain of Salt
While it’s crucial to remember the importance of customer reviews, it is just as vital to remember that not every review brings worth to your business. Before you get worked up over a frustrated customer’s thoughts, remember that you can’t please everyone. By taking this weight off your shoulders, you’ll be better equipped to address any difficulties you encounter.
Keep Up the Good Reviews With Snap
Still not sure how your business can best utilize your customer testimonials? From sharing cutting-edge marketing techniques and helping you better understand your customer base to building up your Google My Business and presence, our marketing team at Snap is eager to partner with you. Contact us today to learn more.