The Importance of Great Reviews and How to Ensure You Get Them

Updated October 6, 2023
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Despite the fact that almost everything has changed about the business world in the past hundred years, there is one thing that remains as valuable as ever, a good review. It used to be that a word of mouth might be the only way someone would hear about your business, so you had to hope against hope that what people were saying was good. Whilst the power of a word of mouth recommendation still can’t be underestimated today, there are even more ways that a potential customer can now hear the good, or bad, news about your business. Here’s how to ensure that your business is getting reviewed fairly and frequently, allowing you to improve your profits.

Great Reviews
Image – A great review can drive business your way better than any flashy website can.

Ask Customers to Leave a Google Review

The most obvious, but also the most important step to take in ensuring your customers see good reviews of your business, is to ask your existing customers to leave a review of their experience. Google Business is probably the best place for them, as it is the search engine of choice for most people and the reviews section appears right at the top of the search results. Along with a written review, customers are asked to leave a star rating. If faced with a choice between a 4 star and a 5-star business, you know how you’d be giving your trade to. That is, of course, unless the 5-star business had just 3 reviews, whilst the 4-star business had 3000. Although quality is more important than quantity to a degree, the more reviews your business receives the higher your perceived credibility.

Approach Review Sites

Now that you’ve got a 5-star Google Business rating and you’ve racked up hundreds of great reviews from delighted customers, it’s time to kick things up a notch. Review websites are a go-to for the discerning customer and they’re where you should be looking to get your business. Which? and AsiaBet are two examples of great review websites. Which? is a generalist review site, they review products from all different categories, everything from computer software to blenders, car insurance to florists. They ensure that their reviews are completed by experts in the relevant field, giving their readers complete faith in the credibility of their reviews. In the same way, AsiaBet asks experts to review casino sites, but this narrow focus makes them a go-to for customers who have a very specific requirement. Finding out about deposit bonuses, online security, and legality by country is important to an AsiaBet user, so their review site needs to be specialized. Only you can decide whether you belong on a generalist or specialist review site. Remember that some businesses can fit perfectly into both.

Include Testimonials on Your Website

Whilst we’re on the topic of websites, making sure that yours is a great advertisement for your business is essential. One of the best ways you can do this is by including testimonials from customers. If your business relies heavily on personal experience as a selling point, for example, you’re a personal trainer, then including a whole page about testimonials is almost essential. Your relationship with your clients and their progress is the single most important thing that other customers will see when deciding whether to use your services or not. Of course, gym equipment, qualifications, and price point are important too, but if you are difficult to get along with and don’t deliver results, then nobody will be interested. If your product speaks for itself, for example, you’re a clothing brand, then testimonials perhaps shouldn’t have a whole page. You might slot a handful in throughout the site, or include reviews and write-ups from magazines and other websites.

Ask How You Can Improve

Finally, remember that your reviews will only be as good as your business is. If you’re consistently delivering a service that isn’t quite up to scratch, then your reviews won’t be as good. Take time to ask your customers for their honest feedback, including how to improve. Sending feedback questionnaires via email and encouraging honest answers is a brilliant way to highlight issues that you might not have been aware of and ultimately to ensure all of your future reviews are 5-star ones.