How to get more positive consumer ratings and reviews on your products?

Customer reviews on the internet are a must. We no longer buy a product or service blindly, without knowing what to expect. Now, feedback from other consumers helps us make enlightened choices. Besides, online reviews are an essential milestone in the buying journey. 95% of consumers consult customer testimonials before making a purchase. Ratings and reviews are indeed a true social proof. 79% of consumers give them as much credit as recommendations from friends and family (source: Brightlocal).

Positive reviews are of course of crucial importance. They help build and maintain brand awareness, inspire potential customers, and ultimately increase sales. 95% of respondents say that positive feedback encourages them to use a brand (source: Brightlocal). 

So how do you get more positive customer reviews online (without cheating, of course)? Hivency takes a look at the issue!

Online review management, the secret to increase positive customer reviews

Have you noticed? On the internet, satisfied customers are less spontaneously expressive than dissatisfied ones. 55% of spontaneous reviews are negative, whereas 83% of solicited reviews are positive (source: Eloquant). To obtain more positive reviews, it is therefore essential to invest in the management of your online customer reviews and to proactively collect feedback.

Respond to positive customer reviews

Customer review management starts with the animation of your various pages. Don’t forget to respond to reviews that users leave on your e-commerce site, on those of your retailers and on rating platforms (Google Business Reviews, Facebook Reviews, App Store, etc.). This will let people know that you are there and create engagement. Even better, you will show that you are attentive to your customers’ feedback and improve your e-reputation.

Little tips: remember to personalize your messages. For example, in your replies, use the first or last name of the person you’re talking to and use one or two elements mentioned in their comments. This way, your brand will seem more attentive, more human and more friendly. 

Take advantage of negative customer reviews

Please note that the purpose of customer review management is not to silence disappointed consumers. Remember: deleting negative reviews, like publishing false positive reviews, is considered fraudulent. So what do you do when a customer is particularly critical of your company, products or services? Negative online reviews are an opportunity to show people that you care about your customers. Respond to them with empathy, and possibly offer skeptical consumers the opportunity to try your product or service again. In this way, you will demonstrate the quality of your customer service, enhance your credibility and improve your reputation.

Little tips: negative reviews are a valuable resource. They are first-hand insights. They tell you about the needs of your target audience and can be used to improve your products, services or communication. Remember to pass them on to your R&D, sales and marketing teams.   

Request ratings and reviews at the right time

Timing is everything when it comes to positive reviews. Ask your customers to post reviews when they are most enthusiastic. This will make them more likely to write detailed and positive feedback. Depending on your customers’ buying journey, they may be particularly willing to review their experience immediately after paying online, after visiting the shop, within hours of receiving their product, or within days of starting to use it. 

Run ratings and reviews campaigns

A consumer review campaign is a marketing operation. It involves your brand offering one or more products to loyal customers or interested consumers. In return, they agree to test your offer and give a sincere account of their experience by sharing one or more detailed reviews. This type of campaign allows you to collect authentic online reviews from real consumers.

To get better feedback:

• Select consumer testers who are a perfect match for your target audience. Testers who look like your ideal customers are more likely to like your products and give you positive and useful feedback. In your brief, you should therefore specify their gender, age, location, interests or specific characteristics; 
• Take care of your testers’ experience. Offer them a product adapted to their profile (a foundation adapted to their skin tone, for example). Furthermore, for your package, focus on originality and refinement. A beautiful package or a small personalized note will appeal to consumers;
• Write a clear brief for the testers. This should help consumers understand your product or service (composition, properties, uses, synergies, etc.). The purpose is to provide testers with the best possible consumer experience in order to get enthusiastic and constructive reviews.

Little tips: managing consumer reviews is an exercise that requires a bit of skill. To learn all about this powerful marketing tool, follow our dedicated training course and discover our explanations and practical advice.

How to get better online customer reviews: conclusion

Online customer reviews are a key component of a marketing strategy. They shape your brand’s e-reputation and boost your sales. As a reminder, a product page with at least 5 customer reviews has a conversion rate up to 270% higher than a sales page with no feedback (source: Spiegel Research Center). So be careful not to neglect customer reviews.

To increase the number of positive customer reviews, optimize your online review management. Respond to unsolicited feedback, both good and bad. Besides, don’t forget to ask for recommendations, either from your customers or from testers, as part of a customer review campaign. 

Consumer review campaigns are a real secret weapon. This type of marketing operation allows you to collect enough genuine reviews on a regular basis. The secret? Identify consumers who are a perfect match for your buyer personas and provide them with the best possible experience.

Need a helping hand? The Hivency Ratings & Reviews platform helps you find testers and collect consumer reviews on your site and those of your partners.

Sources: Brightlocal; Eloquant; Ministère de l’Economie; Spiegel Research Center