Online reviews have become an integral part of consumer research when shopping for a product or service online. So much so that 88% of consumers are influenced by reviews they read online.
Reviews also affect search engine rankings. To ensure users find the best options at the top of search results, search engines include both positive and negative reviews from previous clients in the ranking algorithms. This is particularly true for local searches.
With so much riding on your positive reviews, shouldn’t you asking your happy customers for help? Here are a few tips to make it easier for them (and you).
Ask at the right time.
Of course, the best time to ask for a review is immediately after a customer has had a great experience with your company. The whole process is fresh in their mind so they can easily recall the details of your wonderful service. Also, research shows that sending the request by email in the morning has a 5% higher response rate.
Simplify the process for them.
Include a link to the site where the review should be posted, and make sure your link goes directly to the review feature. Don’t require any extra steps of your reviewer.
Ask for no more than 2 reviews.
Don’t sour their positive experiences with your company by asking them to spend a lot of time reviewing. Ask them to posting on only one or two sites, and always make Google the first.
Give them a reward.
Offer an additional discount or free service to show customers you appreciate the time they spend submitting a review.
Send a reminder.
For clients that don’t submit a review the first time around, send them a gentle reminder to do so just in case they saved it for later and misplaced the email.
Bottom Line
Don’t cross your fingers and hope your customers submit positive reviews. The power to generate traffic and convert leads is too great to risk leaving it to chance.