The power of reviews has been long established, much like the power of word-of-mouth marketing. Throughout history, people have relied on their peers to help them choose which products and services to invest in. From the ancient Greeks gathering around the agora for advice from one another to modern-day consumers turning to online reviews for guidance – it’s clear that human nature has mostly stayed the same when making purchasing decisions.
But what does this mean for online businesses?
Simply put, client reviews and testimonials are incredibly important for increasing website conversion rates. And while you can’t always rely on customers to take the initiative to leave reviews, there are some simple tips you can use to encourage them and generate reviews.
4 Common Challenges Businesses Face When Generating Leads and Sales
First, let’s take a look at the most pressing issues businesses face when it comes to review generation and lead conversion. Here are some issues identified by Tim Clarke, the Senior Reputation Manager at Rize Reviews.
Challenge #1: Finding “Quality” Leads
We argue that finding leads is relatively easy. If you have the money, you can just spend it on Google or Facebook ads. The real challenge, however, is ensuring they are “quality” leads for your business.
But what does quality even mean?
A quality lead already has the desire and means to make a purchase. These leads already know who you are and what you offer, so they’re more likely to take action and convert when prompted. Most of these leads research similar businesses, often reading customer reviews and testimonials.
The issue here is that not all businesses have these quality leads. Many don’t have enough client testimonials or reviews to showcase their products, thus making it difficult for them to convert potential clients into actual buyers.
For a pest control company, reviews played a crucial role in getting these leads. After enlisting the help of online reputation management services, the company enjoyed a 60% increase in reviews and an average rating of 4.92. Most of their customers choose them because of the glowing reviews displayed on their website.
Challenge #2: Building Trust With Your Potential Customers
Another challenge we’ve seen from online businesses is the need for initial customer trust. Customers only purchase products and services from credible companies.
This is where strategies to generate reviews and how to ask for testimonials for website conversions come in. They help build trust with potential customers by showcasing what others have said about your business.
Reviews provide an objective opinion that can frequently be the deciding factor when making a purchase decision. Similarly, video customer testimonials give potential clients a glimpse of how real people have used your products and services, which is more effective than any marketing or advertising campaign.
Since reviews reflect your service quality, Tim says providing good service “will definitely make a measurable impact on conversion rate.”
Challenge #3: Standing Out From Your Competitors
As we said earlier, your leads tend to do their research when considering different businesses. This also means they may compare your business to others in the same industry or niche.
For your business to stand out, you need something unique – and websites with testimonials provide just that. By showcasing real stories from actual customers, you give an element of authenticity that makes consumers trust your business and increase website conversions.
Challenge #4: Convincing Leads To Make a Purchase
Regardless of industry, this is the meat of the challenge for any business. After you’ve generated leads and built trust with them, how do you get them to actually make a purchase?
Customer testimonials and reviews still play a crucial role in this part of their journey. For example, one lead may have a set of objections about your product or service. Your testimonials and reviews section could provide an existing customer story showing how you overcame those same objections.
Compared to a simple marketing copy that sounds too good to be true, a customer testimony can provide an element of credibility and personal connection that could make all the difference.
By The Numbers: Role of Client Reviews and Testimonials in Web Conversion
Studies also prove the importance of review generation and testimonials regarding lead conversions.
According to a 2021 survey by PowerReviews, 99.9% of consumers now rely on reviews when shopping online. 61% of these consumers read reviews regularly.
Another 2022 study by BrightLocal reveals that 38% of online shoppers would only engage with businesses with at least a 4-star rating. Furthermore, the same study discovered that 91% of consumers in the age bracket of 18 to 34 trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Product-centric online reputation management services boost web conversion when reviews and testimonials are used as part of an effective digital marketing strategy. Furthermore, “more positive reviews inspire your customers to post even more 4-5 star reviews,” said Clarke, meaning reviews are an endless source of leads and conversions for your business.
5 Lead Generation Tips for Creating a Compelling Testimonials Page and Displaying Reviews
How well you leverage your client testimonials also impacts how well you generate reviews, improve lead generation and convert them into customers. Here are some lead generation tips to help you get started:
Tip #1: Choose the Right Testimonials and Reviews
Whether you have an inventory of reviews ready for primetime or still looking for new ones, you need to be very picky with the reviews you choose to feature on your website. Aim for those that are detailed, honest and focused on a particular outcome or solution provided by your business.
Bad customer testimonials on a website come off as insincere and untrustworthy, so only include reviews you’re confident would increase website conversions.
However, the quality of reviews you receive depends on how easy it is to leave them. Working with a video testimonials service makes this a breeze and speeds up your lead generation efforts.
Tip #2: Testimonial Design Matters
Too often, businesses cram too much information into a single page full of customer testimonials. This makes it hard for potential customers to find what they are looking for or, worse, be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of text on the page.
Instead, break up your testimonials into different sections or categories and use visuals like images and videos to engage your consumers. This helps populate your website with more content and allows your leads to quickly scan through your reviews and focus on the ones they find most helpful.
Tip #3: Use Multiple Types of Testimonials
Don’t limit yourself to text-based customer reviews. If possible, include video customer testimonials for website designs or customer quotes showing people why your business is the right fit for them.
Plus, don’t just focus on providing general customer feedback – if you have any specific success stories, highlight those as well. This makes it easier for leads to envision themselves in the same position and take that first step toward purchasing.
A video testimonials service is a welcome addition to anyone setting up an authoritative website. It adds an engaging element that allows visitors to visualize customer experiences without reading too much text on your website.
Tip#4: Make Them Visible and Easy To Find
Don’t be content with just placing your customer testimonials on a single page in the back corner of your website. Make sure to put them front and center on multiple pages throughout your website so that it’s easy for leads to find out why other people chose your business.
Another benefit of websites with testimonials is you’re putting a premium into customer reviews, giving people an extra layer of assurance in your business process. Social proof all over your website instead of in just one corner ensures that potential customers give your business multiple chances to win them over.
Tip #5: Leverage Website Widgets To Display Testimonials and Reviews
You want to make leaving reviews and testimonials as easy as possible for your customers, which is why website widgets are great at ensuring your leads actually see your customer reviews.
Review services provide you with a widget to embed into different website pages, allowing customers to quickly scan through customer feedback without leaving the page they’re on. This not only helps make customer reviews seen easier, but it also gives leads one less step in their decision-making process.
A Bluetooth Proximity Marketing company took advantage of website widgets to get 223 new reviews and an average star rating of 4.9. Because of this, many customers started to trust their business more, leading to more potential customers exploring their service.
Clarke said that your widgets should “update automatically but don’t slow down your website that much.” He adds that “You can use them on every page but definitely use it on the homepage and reviews and testimonials pages.”
Other Ways To Use Client Reviews and Testimonials
Of course, there are other ways to leverage them for your business besides displaying customer testimonials on a website. These are three more ideas to use client reviews and still increase website conversions.
Display on Your Emails
The one advantage of emails is that you don’t have to worry about algorithms, and you don’t have to worry about organic reach. So why not use your emails as a way to showcase customer testimonials?
All you have to do is gather your clients’ emails and request reviews, then include those reviews in your emails. How to ask for testimonials is an often-asked question among businesses, but your automated newsletters eliminate the guesswork and naturally share those reviews with your customers.
Social Media Campaigns
Client testimonials are just some of the many user-generated content (UGC) pieces you can leverage for social media campaigns. Use reviews to add a personal touch to your campaign and ensure it’s being seen by the right people.
You can either use video customer testimonials straight on your post or redirect them to testimonials on a website. People are always curious about what other people have to say about their experiences with a business, so using customer reviews gives you an edge in adding credibility to your campaigns.
A video testimonials service also simplifies leaving a review by providing an easy-to-use tool for customers to record and send their reviews. You can then use these reviews for your campaigns and share them via various social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Google Search Ads
A staple in any lead conversion strategy, Google Ads make it easier for people to find your business when searching for terms related to your offer.
In this case, one way to use customer testimonials is by including them in the ad copy or on the landing page. This gives your audience the extra push they need before clicking that “buy now” button.
Converting More Leads With Rize Reviews
Consider customer reviews and testimonials as that much-needed nudge for your audience to convert. They’re like stepping stones, guiding potential customers along their journey until they reach their destination: you. Without these stepping stones, it can be difficult for people to decide whether or not to buy from you.
These lead generation tips help ensure that your website is properly equipped with high-quality customer feedback so that more visitors become paying customers.
If all this sounds complicated or time-consuming and you want an easy solution for gathering quality reviews, let Rize Reviews do the work for you. Our online reputation management services provide everything necessary to create a successful marketing strategy based on customer insights and feedback – allowing your business to grow faster than ever!
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