Client testimonials can go a long way towards improving your brand recognition. In essence, they are the digital equivalent of word of mouth marketing.
According to Spiegel Research Centre, nearly 95% of shoppers read online reviews before making a purchase. They also found that displaying reviews can increase conversion rates by 270%. And purchase likelihood increases by 15% when buyers read verified buyer reviews over anonymous ones.
However, while many businesses know positive reviews are better than negative ones, they may still have trouble generating client testimonials — waiting for the client to come to them, for example. Or when they do get a positive testimonial, there isn’t a clear strategy in place for what to do with it.
Customer testimonials offer a real opportunity for businesses. Harness their power in these ways:
- Share positive reviews on your website and social media
When you see a positive review on Google My Business Reviews, your Facebook page, or another source, don’t be afraid to share it!
You could create a specific page on your website for customer testimonials and include the review there, linking back to the source.
You can also stylize a review for social media and share it with your followers, thanking the reviewer for the great testimonial.
This is a powerful to show the impact of your product or service. While you can — and should — use compelling language on your website to describe your offerings, client testimonials can take that even further by putting a face to your words.
It’s the digital equivalent of word of mouth — when you hear a business say they’re great, you might be a little skeptical. When you hear a customer say a business is great, you believe them.
- Take initiative into your own hands by asking customers for reviews
Some businesses wait for reviews to come to them. However, depending on your client base, you might be waiting for a while.
Plus, you can’t guarantee the quality of the reviews that come organically. While you hope to get all five stars, it’s possible that lower reviews will also be given.
These reviews have their uses (read on for that), but when you are looking for positive testimonials, they may not serve.
One way to encourage more positive reviews is to ask for them! When you have a satisfied customer, ask them to consider leaving you a review and show them your preferred method (be it emailing you, filling out a website form, leaving a Google review, using Facebook, etc.)
If you are talking to a client and they reflect on what a great experience they have had working with you, ask them if you can quote them on that for a website testimonial.
Beware of offering incentives for reviews, however, as some review sites like Google and Yelp could penalize your business.
- Encourage honesty in feedback
While we are talking about the power of positive testimonials, there is also a case to be made for those reviews that aren’t five stars.
Some businesses can get so defensive over their products or services that they don’t take the time to listen to critics. But constructive criticism can be a powerful learning tool to help you find your niche and improve your offering.
While some negative reviews may be fake or untrue, more of them may be honest representations of the customer’s experience. While these may not be the reviews you want to feature on your website, you can use them to potentially offer better service, solve client frustrations, and build a better business — which in time will generate more positive reviews.
There’s another benefit to honest reviews: search engines like them. Google directly states, “Reviews are only valuable when they are honest and unbiased. (For example, business owners shouldn’t offer incentives to customers in exchange for reviews.)â€
While positive reviews are powerful, honest ones are even more so.
Client testimonials are an important part of a digital marketing strategy and a little can go a long way to making an impression.
At Pulsion Marketing, we help maximize your use of testimonials while identifying opportunities to encourage more.
Discover all of our online marketing solutions — including digital word of mouth marketing — today. Call 1-888-701-4441 or visit www.digiforcemarketing.ca.