In the digital age, one of the best ways to get more people to find your business, trust it, and buy from you is to read customer reviews. No matter what kind of business you have, reviews can make people more or less likely to buy from you. This could be a store in your area, a service you can use online, or an online store. Studies show that 93% of people read online reviews before making a purchase. Businesses that get more positive reviews get more customers and rank higher in search results.
The issue is that people who are unhappy are more likely to write reviews than people who are happy. This means that companies should ask for good reviews, get them, and show them off.
This blog post will show you how to get more customer reviews to help your online marketing. We’ll talk about proven methods, tools, and best practices that can help you turn happy customers into brand fans.
Why you need reviews from customers to market online
Before we talk about strategies, let’s talk about why customer reviews are so important.
- Real reviews say that people will trust you more if you do what you say you’ll do.
- Higher Local SEO Rankings: Google uses ratings and reviews to choose which local businesses to show first.
- People are much more likely to buy things that have reviews than things that don’t.
- Reviews tell you what you’re doing right and what you need to work on.
- Customers are more likely to stay with you if you ask for feedback. This shows that you value what they have to say.
Now, let’s talk about some real ways to get more reviews from your customers.
1. Ask for Reviews at the Right Time
The best and easiest way to get more reviews is to just ask for them. But the timing is very important. If you ask too soon, the customer might not know how much they need it yet. If you wait too long, you might lose interest.
When to Ask
- When you buy something or it gets to you.
- When a customer is happy with what you do or sell.
- After helping a customer with a problem.
For instance, an online store might send you an email two days after you got the item asking you to write a short review. After finishing a job, a service provider might ask for feedback.
2. Make it easier to read over
If it looks hard, people won’t write a review. Do everything you can to make the process go faster and be easier.
How to Make Things Simple:
- You can send people to your review pages on sites like Google Business Profile, Yelp, Trustpilot, or sites that are specific to your field.
- Add a “Leave a Review” button to your website or emails so that people can click it to write a review.
- People can quickly get to review forms by scanning QR codes on receipts or product packaging.
- Customers should be able to leave reviews on more than one site so they can choose the one they like best.
It’s easier for customers to do things if they’re easy.
3. Ask people to leave reviews by sending them emails.
Email is still one of the best ways to learn what customers think. A polite email asking for a review can do a lot of good.
The best ways to do things are:
- It should be short, polite, and personal.
- Take down the name of the customer and what they bought.
- Make sure there is a clear call to action (CTA) that takes people right to the page where they can write a review.
- Thank you for being a good customer.
“Hi [Customer Name], we hope you like the [Product] you just bought. We would love to know what you think! Your review helps us get better and helps other people choose better. It only takes a minute.”
4. Give people a good reason to leave reviews.
If you give customers small rewards, they might be more likely to leave reviews. You can’t pay for fake or biased reviews on sites like Google and Yelp, though. You have to follow the rules when you write a review.
Why you should do it:
- Taking part in a contest or a giveaway.
- Codes that help you save money on things you buy in the future.
- Points for being a good customer.
- Things that don’t cost anything, like eBooks or guides.
⚠️ Don’t give rewards just for good reviews; that’s not fair. Instead, ask for honest feedback to protect your reputation and stay out of trouble.
5. Ask for reviews on social media
It’s easy to find reviews and comments on social media. A lot of customers naturally write about their experiences online. You need to help with that and spread the word.
Plans:
- Post things that make people think about what they think.
- Two quick ways to get feedback are polls and Instagram stories.
- Ask customers to use a hashtag when they post about your product or service on social media.
- Include positive customer reviews in your posts to get more people to share.
For instance, Starbucks often posts pictures and captions from customers to get more people to share their own stories.
6. Show your team how to ask for feedback
Your workers, especially those who deal with customers, can help you get reviews. If someone gets good service, they are usually happy to say thank you in public.
How to Make It Happen:
- At the end of a conversation, tell your employees to be polite when they ask for something.
- Give scripts or examples of sentences. For instance, “We’re so happy you liked our service today. It would mean a lot to us if you could take a minute to write a review on Google.”
- Reward and recognize employees who get good reviews from customers.
7. Show off reviews that are already there
Sometimes, showing off the reviews you already have is the best way to get more. When people see other people giving feedback, they are more likely to join in.
Ways to Show Off:
- Put customer reviews on the homepage or landing pages of your website.
- Make case studies that tell the stories of customers who have done very well.
- Put good reviews on social media.
- On product pages, show ratings like “4.7 stars from 500+ reviews.”
Not only does this make people trust you more, but it also makes more people want to give you feedback.
8. Use tools to help you keep track of reviews
It can be hard to keep track of reviews on different sites. Luckily, there are tools that help.
Tools that are well-known:
- You can get and manage reviews through text messages with Podium.
- Businesses that sell things or offer services online can use Trustpilot to their advantage.
- Yotpo helps you get reviews and put them on product pages.
- Businesses in your area need to have a Google Business Profile.
These tools take care of requests on their own, keep an eye on reviews, and help you respond to feedback quickly.
9. Respond to every review
One of the most important things to do is to respond to reviews after they have been posted. If customers know you care about their feedback, they are more likely to give it.
How to Answer:
- Say thank you to customers who leave good reviews and let them know how much you value them.
- Listen to bad reviews and try to fix the problems they point out.
👉 You could say, “Thank you very much for your kind words, [Name]! We’re glad you had fun. can help you keep customers for a long time.
10. Make sure your customers have a great time
Finally, the best way to get good reviews is to make sure your customers have a great time. If your product or service always meets or exceeds their expectations, customers will be happy to give you feedback without being asked.
Focus on:
- Goods and services of high quality.
- Customer service that is friendly and quick.
- Clear talking.
- Doing more than what is expected to make customers happy and surprise them.
Customers will write reviews on their own when they are really happy.
Final Thoughts
Customer reviews are no longer just a nice thing to have; they are a must for online marketing to work. They make you look more trustworthy, help you rank higher in search results, and directly affect whether or not people buy. You can always get more reviews if you ask at the right time, make the process easier, use email and social media, use incentives fairly, and respond to feedback.
Remember that reviews aren’t just about how many there are; they’re also about how real they are and how much you can trust them. A few honest, detailed reviews are always better than a lot of generic ones. Putting the customer experience first and asking for feedback will start a cycle where happy customers become loyal advocates, which will help you get even more business.
Pick one of these strategies to use right away. The good reviews will start coming in so fast that you’ll be amazed.