The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to reimagine the way we live and work. The spread of COVID-19 and the stay at home guidelines have forced most Americans to turn to the internet for everything from lunch to loungewear. Online reviews have become priceless, now that so many people are spending time online researching products and businesses.

 

Reviews posted on the internet have always had power. Today, many shoppers turn to the internet before making a purchase, searching for information and opinions about a product or business. In fact, many consumers trust the information they find online as much as recommendations from family and friends.

The value of online reviews is unmistakable, which is why business owners should always invite their customers to review them. Of course, in many industries, reviews don’t happen organically. Here are some of the best practices and techniques to help you achieve the best results.

Ask for reviews in response to a compliment. The best time to ask for a review is when a customer gives you unsolicited praise.

Ask for reviews via thank you page. Retailers with e-commerce sites can use their thank you pages to collect reviews. Once a shopper makes a purchase, business owners can include a “please review” message onto their thank you page.

Ask for reviews via email. One of the most effective ways to collect reviews is through an email campaign. But it’s important to make the request personal. You won’t receive a great response to a request that appears generic.

Ask for reviews via text messaging. Today, more than 50% of online traffic comes from mobile devices. So, if you send a request to devices consumers are frequently using, there’s a good chance they’ll click on that link.

We’re going through a period of uncertainty. At Boris Benic and Associates, we’re managing that uncertainly by focusing on the things we can control, like helping our clients which, in turn, will increase our online presence.