Whether you are interested in the new cafe around the corner or looking for the best hotel in Bali, checking out a business’ online reviews is a popular way to get more information. It is safe to say that reviews of your business may be read regularly, and you need to be aware of what impression your reviews give to potential customers. How you feel about these reviews is secondary to their importance. Whether you love them, hate them, or are generally indifferent to them, online reviews are often a customer’s first peek at your company, what you do, and how you do it. Because you will not get a second chance to make a first impression, the online reviews of your business carry substantial weight. Consider the following statistics:

• More than 90% of consumers check reviews before contacting a business.
• 72% of customers will engage with a business only if they read a positive review
• 86% of people will hesitate to do business with a company that has a bad review
• If a local business has at least a four-star ranking, 92% of potential customers will use them
• 88% of customers trust an online review as much as a personal recommendation
• Just 13% of consumers would consider engaging with a business with a two-star rating or lower
• 96% of consumers scan for negative reviews to avoid those businesses
• Over 60% of people say the number of reviews a company has is a vital part of deciding whether or not to patronise it

Clearly, having numerous positive reviews is crucial for your company’s success. So the question is how to get google reviews or how to get more google reviews? We understand to get more traffic reviews from customers means your business will have proof of your quality, experience, and trustworthiness. You cannot afford to disregard online reviews from your customers. Here are nine of the top tips to get more online reviews for your business.  

1. If You Want to Understand How to Get More 5 Star Reviews, Then Give Your Customers a Dream Experience

The best way to get a glowing review from a customer is to exceed their expectations of you, your products, or your service  

2. Simplify the Review Process

While many customers will happily give a review, not many are willing to jump through hoops to do this. Customers tend to avoid reviewing if the process is more than a click away. Ensure simplicity for customers to leave a review. Provide visible and accessible links to your business’s review pages on your website, social media accounts, and other digital platforms.  

3. Ask for Reviews

Asking is free, so feel free to ask your customers for reviews. Often, the idea of giving a review does not cross a customer’s mind. Try sending follow-up emails or text messages thanking them for their business and asking them to leave a review after a sale or service. Other ideas include asking in person or adding a note asking for feedback on their purchase.      

4. Respond to All Reviews

If a customer takes the time to give your company a review, they deserve to be recognised by you. Responding to positive and negative feedback shows your customers their thoughts and opinions matter to you. Responding to reviews shows potential customers that they count. It also prompts customers to leave reviews because their voices are heard.  

5. Leverage Social Media

Never miss an opportunity to reach out to potential customers and engage with existing ones to help get more reviews on social. You should encourage reviews and ask how people to share how they felt about a product or service as part of a review. Additionally, share positive or 5 star reviews on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook or your Google Business Profile.  

6. Display Reviews on Your Website

When you display your reviews, you are showing customers and potential clients several things:

• You value the reviews and are not hiding any opinions
• You are proud of your business’s customer service and reputation
• What you provide to your customers

     

7. Create a Review Handout

Sometimes, your customers are unfamiliar with how to leave a review. If you make a handout with instructions and a link to the review page, customers will be more likely to leave a review. These can be given to customers in a brick-and-mortar location or as a pop-up at your checkout.  

8. Use a Review Management Platform

A review management platform can help you stay on top of your reviews and get more online reviews regardless of the forum. Additionally, these allow you to make automated review requests. This option increases your chances of reviews. Platforms like Podium (https://www.podium.com.au) are helpful and reach your customers wherever they may be. Podium makes it easy to gets more reviews, collect payments, communicate with your customers, and capture leads – all from a single inbox.  

9. Offer Incentives

Providing incentives in exchange for customer reviews can encourage leaving reviews. Typically, you should keep this simple. Offering a discount code or a free add-on to their next purchase are popular examples. Be sure to check the guidelines of the platform you are using. Some do not allow companies to offer gifts to customers who leave reviews. Other platforms only forbid incentives offered for good reviews. In this case, you must give the same reward to the customer who gave a mediocre review as the one who was singing your praises. Your online reviews are a way for you to keep a finger on the pulse of your company and monitor interactions with customers. Staying on top of your positive and negative reviews is vital to your success. Unfortunately, many business owners lack the time or staff to watch over reviews and respond to them. This is when partnering with an expert who can help you with these and other aspects of your online business is a wise choice. At Digital Hitmen, we are passionate about your success and have over a decade of experience helping companies of all sizes utilise online opportunities to grow and thrive. We would be happy to discuss the various ways we can help your business grow.   About the author: Based in Perth, Digital Hitmen is a leading Australian digital marketing agency whose mission is to provide brands with impeccable digital execution and guaranteed results. Our team of experts will expand your brand’s digital footprint, increase traffic, and convert that traffic into sales. We work tirelessly to remain the most innovative and results driven digital marketing agency in Australia. Utilising our extensive knowledge in the digital space, and a passion for providing executional excellence, we work with you to execute a customised foolproof plan for digital domination.