When you're trying to build a brand, the power of customer feedback, reviews, and social proof cannot be overstated. These elements can help businesses build trust with their audience, boost their reputation, and drive more sales. Here are 20 quotes from marketing experts that emphasise the importance of customer feedback, reviews, and social proof:
"Customer reviews can be your secret weapon to outsmarting your competition." – Randi Zuckerberg
Randi Zuckerberg reminds us that customer reviews can give businesses a competitive edge. By encouraging customers to leave positive reviews and responding to any negative feedback, businesses can show that they are committed to delivering high-quality products and services. There's also no one better placed to provide insight into a product's pain points. So if you listen to your customers' constructive feedback, you'll be well on your way to improve and innovate your products in a customer-centric way.
"Reviews aren't just about feedback, they're about building a relationship with your customers." – Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey reminds us that reviews are not just a one-way communication channel. By responding to reviews and engaging with customers, businesses can build stronger relationships and show that they care about their customers' opinions and experiences.
"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning." – Bill Gates
We absolutely love this one. While it can be hard to hear negative feedback, there's so much potential to use it constructively. Customer feedback can provide valuable insights into what's not working and help you make changes that will improve your business.
"The best marketing doesn't feel like marketing." – Tom Fishburne
This quote emphasises the importance of creating a customer experience that feels authentic and genuine, rather than a contrived marketing ploy. When customers feel like they're being sold to, they're less likely to trust your brand and more likely to look elsewhere. When you share your customer reviews, it's the kind of marketing that doesn't feel like marketing.
"Customers who share their feedback with you are your friends. They're telling you what they want, and what they need to be happy." – Shep Hyken
Shep Hyken's quote reminds us to view customer feedback as a gift. By listening to your customers and using their feedback to improve your offerings, you can create happier customers who are more likely to stick around and refer others to your business.
"Reviews are the new marketing. They're the key to building trust and credibility with potential customers." – Andrew Davis
Andrew Davis' quote highlights the growing importance of customer reviews in building trust and credibility with potential customers. Positive reviews can help attract new customers and improve your search engine rankings, while negative reviews can drive potential customers away.
"Your customers are your best salespeople. By creating a great customer experience, you can turn them into loyal brand advocates." – Jay Baer
Jay Baer's quote highlights the power of customer advocacy in building your brand. By creating a great customer experience and encouraging customers to share their positive experiences with others, you can attract new customers and create a loyal customer base.
"Social proof is a powerful driver of customer behaviour. By showcasing positive customer feedback, you can influence potential customers to make a purchase." – Neil Patel
Neil Patel's quote emphasises the importance of social proof in influencing customer behaviour. By showcasing positive customer feedback on your website and social media channels, you can create a sense of trust and credibility that can drive more conversions.
"Your customers are the lifeblood of your business. By listening to their feedback and making changes based on their needs, you can create a sustainable business model." – Joanne Wilson
Joanne Wilson's quote highlights the importance of creating a sustainable business model by listening to your customers. By understanding their needs and making changes that benefit them, you can create a business that's built to last.
"Your customer doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care." – Damon Richards
This quote perfectly sums up the importance of showing empathy and understanding towards your customers. It's not enough to simply have knowledge and expertise; you need to demonstrate that you truly care about their experience and are invested in their success. By actively soliciting feedback and responding to customer concerns, you can show your customers that you care about their experience and are willing to improve.
"Customer feedback is the cornerstone of improvement." – Anonymous
Customer feedback is the best way to gauge the success of your business. It provides valuable insights into what your customers like and dislike, and helps you improve your products and services accordingly. Seeking feedback is really the best kind of market research you can undertake.
"Reviews aren't just a nice-to-have, they're a must-have in today's digital world." – Sheryl Sandberg
Sheryl Sandberg emphasises the importance of reviews in today's digital age. By collecting and displaying reviews, businesses can build trust with potential customers and establish a strong online reputation.
"The voice of the customer is the most powerful marketing tool you have, so make sure you're listening." – Melinda Gates
Melinda Gates emphasises the importance of listening to customers to better understand their needs and improve business operations. By collecting feedback and reviews, businesses can gain valuable insights that can help them make better decisions and better serve their customers.
"Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room." – Jeff Bezos
This quote from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos emphasises the importance of reputation in business. Your brand is not just what you say about yourself, but what others say about you. It's important to actively manage and improve your reputation through customer feedback and reviews.
"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." – Ken Blanchard
Feedback, both positive and negative, is essential for personal and professional growth. By embracing feedback from your customers, you can improve your business and become a better entrepreneur.
"A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is - it is what consumers tell each other it is." – Scott Cook
This quote emphasises the power of social proof and customer reviews in shaping brand perception. In today's interconnected world, customers have a louder voice than ever before, and their opinions can make or break a brand's reputation.
"The customer's perception is your reality." – Kate Zabriskie
Ultimately, it doesn't matter what you think about your product or service; what matters is how your customers perceive it. This quote underscores the importance of understanding your customers' needs, preferences, and pain points in order to deliver a customer experience that meets their expectations.
"Good content isn't about good storytelling. It's about telling a true story well." - Ann Handley
This quote speaks to the importance of authenticity and transparency in marketing. Customers can spot insincerity from a mile away, so it's crucial to ensure that your content and messaging align with your brand values and resonate with your target audience.
"Customer reviews are like virtual word-of-mouth recommendations, so make sure you're giving your customers something to talk about." – Marie Forleo
Marie Forleo highlights the importance of word-of-mouth recommendations in the digital age. By providing exceptional customer service and delivering high-quality products, businesses can encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews and spread the word about their business to others.
Customer feedback, customer reviews, and social proof are all essential components of a successful marketing strategy. By actively soliciting feedback, listening to customer concerns, and then broadcasting the positive feedback to your audience, you'll be well on your way to building your brand and converting your followers into customers.
In today's marketplace, customers rely upon reviews to know about businesses, and the local consumer review survey by BrightLocal has shown that 63% of people use Google as their primary site to read them.
When someone searches for your business on Google, there's a good chance your Google Maps listing will display prominently on the search engine results page. A star rating appears as part of your listing, and when users click on these, they will be taken to a page where they can see all of your Google reviews. Not only can people see every review that's been submitted, but they also – more importantly – have the ability to see every comment you have made in response.
While taking the time to read reviews is essential, it's also important to respond to them accordingly. Some businesses don't respond to Google reviews because they feel like it's not worth the effort, but there are many benefits to replying and staying in touch with your customers.
Why should you respond to Google reviews?
Responding to Google reviews is one of the ways to outshine your competitors online. Google reviews have become more prevalent in recent years because they can affect search rankings, business reputation, and overall perceptions. In this sense, responding to Google reviews could lead to an increased volume of positive feedback from your satisfied clients, help you win over new customers, and improve your search ranking.
Moreover, people don't just read reviews; they also read businesses' responses to them. Responses are all about taking control of your business's public-facing content, so when you respond to Google reviews, you are also showing your customers that you care for them.
How to respond to Google reviews
Now that you know why responding is essential, it's time to know how to respond to Google reviews and, well, start responding. So how exactly do you do that? - through Google My Business.
Your business can actually be listed on Google and may be collecting reviews without you even knowing it. This is because a Business Profile (your Google listing) is essentially just a place on Google Maps—which anyone can create. It's only once you claim your Google listing by verifying ownership of your business that you can respond to reviews and control the information displayed on your listing.
That being said, provided you have a Google My Business account, log in to your account, and you'll see a reviews tab in your dashboard where you can respond to your Google reviews.
How to Respond via Google My Business on Desktop
- Go to your Google My Business Dashboard ( https://business.google.com ).
- Click on the correct location (if you have multiple locations).
- Click on the menu and select "Reviews."
- Click "Reply."
- Once you've written your response, click "Post reply."
How to Respond via Google My Business on Mobile
- Open the Google My Business app ( App Store ).
- Tap "Customers."
- Tap "Reviews."
- Tap the review to which you'd like to respond.
- Once you've written your response, tap "Send."
How to respond to a positive Google review
Positive reviews won't drive your customers away as bad reviews do. So why respond? The short answer is - responding to a positive review directly translates to seizing an opportunity.
Responding to positive reviews is also a great way to support your marketing efforts, build customer loyalty, and call more attention to the significant parts of your customer experience.
Say thank you
If a customer pays you a compliment in person, the most natural response is to say thank you. The same goes for good reviews.
Show appreciation for the customer who took the time to share their positive experience. After all, great reviews and high ratings serve as powerful social proof for attracting new potential customers and influencing their decision-making process. Your customer just did you a solid.
Some things you can say:
"This review made our day!"
"Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this amazing review."
"We are so grateful for your kind words. Thanks for sharing your review with the community and us."
Reinforce the positive
Often, positive reviews cite specific things that the customer liked best about their experience. Identify them — then mention them in your response. This lets you do some subtle reputation marketing and hype up a specific product, service, or feature.
In your response, explain that the delicious red velvet cupcakes they loved so much are actually from your mother's old recipe, let them in on how you grow your own rocket lettuce, and tell them that others have also commented on the fantastic views from the cliffside swimming pool.
Pass along the compliment
When the customer mentions someone who works for your company by name, always pass along the compliment. For example, if a customer wrote, "Your assistant, Anna, is always super helpful and clear," reply by saying something along the lines of: "I'm so glad you like Anna's work! We'll pass along the kind words."
Responding to reviews is a way for you to share the best feedback you get and make it a point to let your teams know when they're doing great work and call out your superstars.
How to respond to a negative Google review
Receiving a bad Google review can create the feeling of a pit in the middle of your stomach. Even though it can be tough to read how you've disappointed a customer, behind each bad Google review is a human hoping to be heard.
Handling a negative review is all in how you respond. According to BrightLocal, 70% of people are more likely to use a business that responds to negative reviews.
When responding to these reviews, a timely response is key – ideally within a week. As much as it can take some serious mental energy to draft a thoughtful reply, you need to reply quickly.
While tackling one-star ratings can be stressful and time-consuming, you’ll find a few tips to help with drafting a well-thought-out reply.
Apologize and focus on the solution
This is the most important part of your reply. Acknowledge what happened and apologize for it. Thank the customer for taking the time to share their experience, then get to work on offering a solution.
Some things you can say:
"We apologize for your experience. Please send us an email and we'll get this sorted out for you."
"We're sorry for the inconveniences you experienced. We take your complaint very seriously and are working to make sure it doesn't happen again."
"We're sorry to hear that our staff was not able to give you the care you expect. We will be in touch with you shortly to follow up on your feedback and discuss possible solutions that may be of benefit."
Take action by offering amends
When dealing with negative feedback, try to avoid cookie-cutter responses that do not resolve or address any specific issues raised in the review. Include details about the customer's experience in your response (when relevant), and communicate any changes or improvements you have made or will make due to their feedback.
How you choose to respond to an unhappy customer can either instil or remove confidence for readers that you care about your guest's experience. You may have heard the saying, 'people will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.' Always think about the feeling you want to leave people with as you respond to reviews.
Should you respond to every review?
What is the ideal response rate? Should your business respond to every single Google review that comes in? It depends. There are many factors you should take into consideration.
In general, it is always best to respond to every review - both the good and the bad. In fact, most customers expect businesses to reply to their reviews. Responding is an acknowledgement of their opinion and shows that you care about them. However, if you're receiving a high volume of reviews, responding to every review may not be the best option.
You've just finished business with a customer, and they've left you one of the best reviews you've received on your Google My Business listing. Congratulations! Pat yourself on the back because you've earned it.
Now, what do you do? Do you toss this accomplishment under the rug and move on to your next business pursuit? You could, but you'd be doing yourself a bigger favour if you lingered on that positive review a little longer.
Every excellent review you receive is free publicity to boost your brand name and generate more leads for your business. One of the most incredible tricks in the trade you can pull to capitalize on this excellent customer feedback is by showing it off to your audience, especially on vast networks like Instagram.
Yes! Sharing your Google review on your Instagram profile can help boost your online reputation. According to the findings in the annual Local Consumer Review Survey by BrightLocal, 91% of consumers trust a local business more if they have positive reviews.
Building Social Proof on Instagram
Instagram is a social media platform where users can share images and videos. Its user base is one of the fastest-growing in the social media world.
Instagram's primary advantage over other social media platforms is its visual nature. If you have a business that benefits from the design of your product or if you have a service that has a visibly noticeable end result, Instagram is the best platform to showcase that content.
Building social proof on Instagram is important to help people see that your business has a following and it's not just you. You can do this by posting photos of customers with reviews for your business. This will make it easier for people to find your review on Instagram if they are looking for reviews from that area.
So how exactly do you post Google reviews on Instagram? Here are a few ways to do it:
How to post Google reviews on Instagram
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The importance of brand reputation should never be underestimated, and if you're looking for ways to improve your business's reputation, one way to do so would be to get more Google reviews.
Google Reviews
Google reviews are powerful. They help your future customers decide whether to buy from you, and they improve your SEO performance by giving people a better shot at finding your website.
People want to see a business that has collected around 40 reviews before they believe the star rating, so you want to make sure you collect a decent number of reviews. There's safety in numbers for consumers, and the more happy customers they see you've helped, the more confident they'll feel choosing you. Think about it, ten 5-star reviews are less convincing than 200 reviews with a 4.9-star rating, right?
Besides the quality and quantity of reviews, how recent they are is also super important. Research from BrightLocal discovered that 85% of people don't think reviews older than 3-months are even relevant!
The key takeaway here is to get more Google reviews consistently. Doing so will tell a more compelling story and give people the confidence to do business with you.
Collecting more Google reviews comes down to asking for them. This might be when you're talking face-to-face with a customer, by email, or simply via signage displayed in your business.
A Quick Note on What NOT to Do
In your enthusiasm to collect a heap of Google reviews from your happy customers, you might find yourself inadvertently violating Google's term of service - which is one way to get your Google my Business profile banned. So, before we jump into the best ways to get more Google reviews, here's a rundown on what not to do:
Do not spam your customers
When you ask your customers for reviews, make sure you're not doing in en masse and sending a bulk email to your entire mailing list. Although Google allows businesses to ask for feedback, soliciting reviews from customers in bulk is against their terms of service.
Do not offer an incentive
Many business owners are enticed to give an incentive for customers to leave a review. Sure, it can be tempting to offer something to say thank you, but this is not recommended as it can be considered bribery and may violate Google's terms of service - resulting in them flagging your Google review.
Do not cherry pick
We get it. Even the most customer-focused, ethical businesses will occasionally come across someone they simply can't please. However, Google has strict terms of service against businesses that try to cherry-pick reviews. Prohibiting negative reviews or selectively soliciting positive reviews from customers is not permitted.
Do not use staff and family
When trying to get more Google reviews, avoid asking your staff their opinion. In Google's terms of service, posting content about a current or former employment experience is strictly prohibited as it falls under a conflict of interest.
Moreover, asking for reviews from your staff and even your family will only result in biased reviews, which you don't want if you're trying to build up your reputation.
Best Ways to Collect Google Reviews
Google has been cracking down on reviews, and this is because they want people to trust that the review and opinion left by another person is one hundred percent true and unbiased. Nevertheless, there are a few ways to collect them without risking the chance of getting banned by Google.
So, what's the best way to get more Google reviews? We've compiled a list of 8 proven - and easy - ways to collect them from your customers.
1. Make it easy
The first step to getting more Google reviews is making it easy for customers. To do this, make sure you have a simple and efficient process in place that makes the review process as seamless as possible. Ask for reviews in highly visible areas to customers, such as having a link on your website or app that will lead them directly to your Google reviews page - and make sure there's a clear call to action for them to do so.
2. Add a link to your email signature
If you are looking for an easy way to get more Google reviews, adding a link in your email signature is one of the best ideas. Adding a link to your email signature will remind people that they can leave you feedback, and you are making it possible for them to give reviews on their own time.
3. Include a direct link on your link in bio URL
Consider including a link on your bio link on your LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter bio URLs - and it should directly lead your customers to your review page on Google. By doing this, you can make it easier for them to leave you reviews.
4. Add a QR code to signage and marketing collateral
If you have a brick and mortar location, consider adding a QR code to your signage or marketing collateral. Adding a QR code provides a quick way for your customers to find your business on Google, review them, and even upload photos of how they're enjoying your product or services.
5. Explain why you're asking
When people are asked to do something, they will instinctively start thinking of reasons not to. Thus, before sending your request for Google reviews, make sure to explain to your customers why you're asking for it and what will happen if they don't respond.
This is important because it shows that you care about your customers and their insights - encouraging them to give feedback for your business.
6. Position it as asking for feedback
By asking your customers for feedback, you're letting them know that you're interested in hearing their thoughts - beyond simply collecting marketing material.
A lot of people are afraid to ask, but if you're asking, "Did this help?" or "How can we make this better for you?" then they'll feel okay about giving you feedback. The key on how to get more Google reviews is positioning it as a question instead of an order.
7. Make it personal
We all want to feel heard and appreciated, and your customers are no different. Giving them a voice is the first step to building brand loyalty.
Take an honest approach when asking for Google reviews. Be polite but also genuine about why you are requesting them so that the customer can see how much you care for them.
8. Make it meaningful
After your customers have left a review, show your gratitude by thanking them and also asking if there is anything else you can do for them. This will make the customer feel valued and will more likely return to your business.
Lastly, acknowledge your customers' Google reviews in planning to provide a better product or service in the future. There's no point in asking for a review if you're not going to use the feedback. Be proactive to customer feedback so you can use it to improve your business.
Final Thoughts
Reviews are undeniably important because they can improve your brand reputation and show potential customers that others have had good experiences with your business.
If you're not asking your customers for reviews, then they may never know what others think about your products or services. Use these 8 easy steps to get more Google reviews and improve your brand reputation today!
Customer reviews are a critical component of marketing and advertising strategy. They provide potential customers with the information they need to make an informed purchasing decision, and can be used for brand awareness, building trust with customers, and as a tool for generating revenue. If you're looking to gather reviews for your business, you can get them through your website, or you can use the best review platforms that are specifically designed for this purpose.
What is a review platform?
Review platforms are places where your customers can leave feedback about your products or services. These websites, apps, and social media enable you to create an online profile that will showcase your customer reviews - allowing you to get more traffic, increase sales, and grow your business. The further the word spreads about how good your business is, the more people you'll attract to it.
Different types of review platforms
There are many review platforms out there, but not all are created equally. Each differs in its strengths and weaknesses and are used for many different purposes. The customer review platform you use will depend on your business and what you want to get out of it.
With the various review platforms on the market, it can be challenging to determine which one is right for you. If you are not sure which platform to gather customer reviews is suitable for your business, here's a list of the best review platforms you can use in 2021:
Best Review Platforms
Facebook Ratings and Reviews
Facebook is a great place to start if you're looking for a top-ranking customer review platform. It is currently the largest social media platform globally, with over 2.4 billion people, and is also in the top 10 websites for global internet engagement.
Facebook Ratings and Reviews offers an easy way for users to leave feedback about the products or services they have used, as well as the business they have purchased them from. This customer review platform is beneficial because it allows users to leave reviews and ratings without having to go through the company's website, and the customer reviews you gather from it will give you a huge advantage as they are one of the first to be seen on the internet.
Google My Business
It is no surprise that Google My Business made it to the list. In our view, it is the best tool for businesses to manage their online presence. In fact, it is the most popular platform people use to read customer reviews (Bizrate Insights).
Google My Business is a free service app with many features that make it very user-friendly for small businesses. The basic version of the app includes tools for creating and managing a Google+ page, uploading photos to the profile's photo gallery, scheduling posts in advance or publishing them on the spot when you're at your business location. With a verified Google My Business account, people can easily see your name, website, contact information, business hours, location and customer reviews in Google's search listing.
Amazon
Amazon is the largest online retailer in the world, and they offer one of the best review platforms. Users can leave feedback on all types of items they purchased by other customers, which makes for a large pool of information. It's a great place to find customer reviews on food, clothing, electronics, home decorating items, etc.
It's cost-effective for small businesses to participate in, with no setup fee and low monthly charges. Amazon also offers a variety of advertising opportunities for small businesses to promote themselves and increase customer awareness. If your business offers products, it is very likely that Amazon will be your number one review platform.
Yelp
Yelp is a popular review platform that allows users to rate and give feedback to local businesses. It is considered one of the best review platforms globally, with over 500 million customer reviews written by real people on businesses of all sizes. It is gathering praise for providing both travellers and locals with dependable reviews of restaurants, bars, hotels, spas, and more.
Yelp allows users to rate all businesses with a one-to-five star rating, add comments about their experience, and post pictures of it. This customer review platform also has an unbiased review filter feature that ensures that any customer reviews you see on Yelp will be credible because it eliminates the bias of an individual reviewer.
TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is a website that provides travellers with helpful advice on what to do and see in destinations around the world. With over 659 million visitors each month, it is a great option for businesses of all sizes and types, from hotels to restaurants to attractions to gather customer reviews.
This customer review platform helps you get in touch with your customers and learn more about their experiences, what they liked and didn't like - which you can then use to improve your business operations or services in order to make them better for future customers. TripAdvisor also has a forum for discussion by people who have actually been to your location.
Trustpilot
TrustPilot is a review platform that helps consumers make informed decisions about different businesses. It has over 3.5 million reviews and over 13,000 businesses listed on the website. It is designed to allow customers to rate their experience with a company on a scale of 0-10, and also leave a written review. Reviews are collected from all around the world. Though they're primarily in English, TrustPilot also allows for reviews to be translated into other languages if needed.
Customer Reviews for Businesses
In 2021, customer review platforms will be one of the most powerful tools to have in your marketing arsenal as it is a great way for your business to generate more leads and close sales.
The moment your customer leaves a review on one of these review platforms, it will be published for everyone to see - giving them the power to make more informed decisions about who they should buy from. This is important for any business because the majority of customers won't buy from a business that they don't know anything about.
As people are likely to buy from businesses that they trust, the best way for them to trust you is through gathering as many positive customer reviews as possible from these review platforms.
