Regardless of what kind of business you run, dealing with reviews in 2021 is more important than ever. Almost 9 in 10 people will read online reviews before making a purchase and customer testimonials are often the first port of call when people are looking for new hospitality venues to visit.
We place a lot of trust in the opinions of our peers because people do not have an ulterior motive when reviewing a company. You can tell people how amazing your business is but why should they trust you? The prevalence of online reviews in 2021 is bigger than ever and they are tied into search engine results too. Whenever somebody Googles your business, they will immediately see reviews. Positive reviews encourage people to explore further and visit your website, but negative reviews can instantly put them off.
However, having no reviews is the worst position you can be in because it immediately raises suspicion. There are a huge number of review sites with lots of active users posting all of the time so if a business doesn’t have any reviews at all, this can be a red flag. If you want to improve your digital marketing strategy, you need to encourage more people to leave reviews. These are some of the best strategies for dealing with reviews in 2021.
Ask In Follow Up Emails
The easiest way to get reviews is to ask for them, and follow up emails are the perfect way to do this. After a customer has purchased a product, it’s always good practice to send them an email thanking them. At the end of the email, politely invite them to leave a review, whether they are happy with the service or not. You could even consider adding a link to your review platform in your email signature so you can encourage reviews in every marketing email you send.
Provide Incentives
When you ask somebody to write a review, you are asking them to give up their time. In some cases, people will need some kind of incentive before leaving a review. Offering a small discount on their next purchase or entering them into a prize draw, for example, is a great way to get more reviews.
Engage With Existing Reviews
People are more likely to leave a review if they feel that it will have some impact. The way to demonstrate that you value reviews is to engage with them. Responding to reviews shows people that you listen to their feedback and it’s especially important to deal with negative reviews in the right way. Starting a conversation with your customers is an excellent way to build trust and when people see your responses, they will be more inclined to leave their own reviews.
Dealing with reviews in 2021 can be difficult but it’s a vital part of your digital marketing campaign. Here at AsOne, we can help you develop a digital marketing strategy that works for your business and make sure that you are interacting with customers online in the right way. Get in touch today to learn more about our wide range of services.
