5 Reasons Why Online Reviews Are an Essential Part of Business Growth

Originally published September 2020; Updated March 2023

When you research a product or service online, what do you look for? Price, specifications, and whether or not it will meet your needs for sure…but we’d be willing to bet you also look at customer reviews. Right?

If so, you’re in good company. These days, it’s pretty rare for someone to make a purchase or sign up for a service without checking the reviews online.

The reality is, online reviews play a crucial role in attracting new customers. 

The look and functionality of your website, the content on your blog, and how active you are on social media all contribute to how you are seen by potential customers online. But the biggest draw for new customers is reviews. 

Reviews on social media, Google, Yelp, or other review sites can have a big impact on whether a potential client chooses to work with you and your company. In this respect, reviews should be considered part of your lead generation and marketing strategy.

Let’s take a closer look at why reviews are such a powerful tool for lead generation and business growth. Then we’ll share a few tips on how to ask your clients for reviews, plus a free downloadable resource to get you started!

1. They Give You Powerful Social Proof

Online reviews are the biggest source of social proof your company can have.

Direct customer feedback in the form of reviews builds social proof trust, encouraging others to buy. We are all much more likely to buy from or even engage with a company if others (even complete strangers) say the product or company is a good one.

Reviews have become so much a part of how we make our buying decisions that, these days, we’re more likely to consult online reviews when we’re checking out a new business than anything or anyone else — even our friends and family!

In case you think we’re overstating the importance of reviews for social proof, check out these statistics from Invespro:

• 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business
• 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
• Customers are likely to spend 31% more with a business that has “excellent” reviews

If people like what they see in your reviews, they’re much more likely to choose your company over the competition.

2. They Help You Stand Out Online

Having a steady stream of new reviews also makes your company more likely to show up when consumers are searching online. 

Google and other search engines all have their own algorithms and ways of indexing content, but every one of them values fresh, original content — and customer reviews fall into that category. Companies with many positive reviews rank higher with Google than those that have poor reviews or no reviews at all.

A consistent influx of fresh reviews from your customers will help your business rank higher with search engines, making you more visible online and easier for potential customers to find. 

3. They Build Trust With Your Audience

A regular stream of positive reviews helps build trust and credibility with your audience, positioning you as an authority in your field. 

Positive reviews build consumer confidence in your company, which results in more sales. They bring legitimacy to your business and let potential customers know who you are, what you do, and why you are a better choice than your competitors.

Again, according to Invespro:

• 72% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more
• 92% will use a local business if it has at least a 4-star rating
• 72% of consumers will take action only after reading a positive review

In addition, a whopping 86% of people will hesitate to do business with a company that has negative online reviews! This doesn’t mean they definitely won’t buy from you, though — it just means they’ll think twice. That makes it all the more important to respond quickly and appropriately to any negative reviews you receive. 

The way you respond to critical reviews can help build consumer trust. A timely and appropriate response shows that you care about the experience your customers have with your business. Taking the time to respond to criticism in a positive and helpful way will go a long way with potential customers.

4. They Give You Valuable Feedback

Customer reviews can help you discover where you excel...and where you don’t. Reviews give you an idea of what’s working in your business, what’s not, and what your customers are actually experiencing when they work with you (including the things they won’t tell you in person).

Reviews offer you tangible ways to improve as well as successes to boast about in your marketing.

While no one wants negative reviews, if you take the opportunity to learn from them, they can actually be quite valuable. Knowing what problems your customers are experiencing with your business gives you the chance to fix those issues, make amends with the customer, and invite them to try you again. 

And as we mentioned above, your response to critical reviews can build trust with current and future customers.

Make sure to respond to every review — positive and negative alike. Offering personalized responses to reviews lends your company a friendly online presence and shows you are open to feedback.

5. They Help Generate Leads

Since people use websites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and LinkedIn to conduct research before they buy, these sites can be powerful lead generation sources. 

Ranking high on sites like these will help you stand out to potential clients, give them the information they’re looking for as they do their research, and show them you are worth their time and money.

Here’s a quick to-do list:

• If you don’t have a Google My Business account yet, set one up today (it’s free and easy). 
• Claim your business on Yelp and complete your profile there. 
• Fill out your profiles on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn as well.

Make sure to completely fill out your profiles on these sites. The more complete your profiles are, the more legitimate you look to potential clients. Once your profiles are complete, start asking past and current clients for reviews.

How To Ask Your Customers for Reviews (Without Being Awkward)

We know asking for reviews feels cringey. It can be hard to know how to ask your customers to write you reviews without sounding like you’re begging for compliments. Here are a few tips to help you ask for reviews without sounding desperate: 

1. Decide when you want to send review requests. The ideal time to ask for a review is right after your customer experiences a success with your product or business. This is when they’ll be most excited about your business and have the most to say. 
   
   But the end of the quarter or year can also be a great time to send out requests, since many companies are reviewing how their business has done over the past several months or year.
   
   
2. Grab their attention by offering an incentive for submitting a review or testimonial — like a gift card for coffee or some company swag. Offering a little something in return for their time can convince people to take action and write a review.
   
   Note: Some review sites may have policies against offering incentives for reviews, so be sure to check the site’s policy before offering perks.
   
   
3. Make it easy for customers to leave a review. Include a direct link to the site you want them to leave a review on right in your email, so all they have to do is click and start writing. 
   
   In addition to directly asking for a review in an email, you could also place links to leave a review on your website, in your newsletter, and in your email signature. That way, you’re giving clients multiple opportunities to leave a review.
   
   
4. Send automated review request emails or texts. Set up your CRM to automatically send out a text or email asking for a review after a service or purchase, or after the customer downloads a resource from your website. Want help figuring out how to set up the automation? Wild Fig has you covered.
   
   Note: Don’t be a spammer! Make sure to get the customer’s permission to email/text before doing so. Ask them during their service or purchase (or whenever you collect their contact information), and always include an easy way to opt out of texts and emails.
   
   
5. Prompt them with questions to answer in their review. Give them a list of simple questions to answer that will help them quickly get to the heart of why they’re happy with your product or service. Use open-ended questions to avoid getting one-word responses.
   
   
6. Ask them to use present-tense verbs in their review. According to a recent study, “reviews that use more present tense are seen as more helpful and useful.” 
   
   For example, a review that states “Wild Fig did a great job with our marketing” would be less effective than one that states “Wild Fig does a great job with marketing.” The first implies something that happened once, while the second suggests something that is ongoing.

Still feeling stuck? We’ve got your back! We created a resource to help you get more reviews and recommendations from your clients. 

Click here to download a template you can use to write an effective review request email.

We know it can feel awkward asking your clients for reviews, but the benefits far outweigh those brief moments of discomfort. Plus, you might be surprised at how eager your customers are to sing your praises! If working with you has helped them or their business thrive, they’ll want to share that with the world.

Need more help generating leads or marketing your business? Wild Fig is your digital marketing agency! Whether you’re looking for help in the form of website design, content marketing, social media, email marketing, marketing strategy, or lead generation, we can take care of it for you. 

Schedule a FREE exploratory call to discuss your marketing needs and learn what Wild Fig can do for you.