Back in 1984, an American psychologist named Robert Cialdini coined the term social proof. At the time, he used it to describe the phenomenon of people gauging the behaviour of others to determine their own responses and ways of acting in ambiguous situations. In simpler terms, he noticed that people copy each other's actions when choosing how to behave.

Classic examples of social proofing range from the way that people imitate each other so as not to stand out in unfamiliar settings (such as at a gala or cultural event) to celebrity fashion trends, the use of canned laughter in television comedies, copycat crimes, plus many more.

Today, the term social proofing has moved into the 21st century. It's become a key concept in digital marketing that, at its root, reflects the same phenomenon as the original term but in a virtual reality. In the world of digital marketing, social proofing refers to businesses leveraging the positive experiences of satisfied customers to attract more customers and increase their sales. It includes strategies such as foregrounding glowing reviews and testimonials, shining a spotlight on positive user-generated content, soliciting endorsements from social media influencers, and highlighting existing customers, real-life case studies, awards, and more.

If you're tired of promoting your products or services singlehandedly, social proofing may be an ideal way to broaden your digital marketing scope and increase its impact. Social proofing is an effective and research-backed method of attracting new customers or clients, but you have to know how to harness its power and channel it to your advantage.

Below, we'll take a look at the most common types of social proof, why social proof is important, and some ways to leverage it in digital marketing. We'll finish off with a couple of pitfalls to watch out for and how to mitigate them.

Types of Social Proof

While there are many avenues for using social proofing in digital marketing, here are four of the most prevalent:

Customer Testimonials

Customer testimonials have been around forever as a marketing tool, and there's a reason: They can be seriously convincing and impactful. Getting satisfied customers to share their experience with your product or service can compel others to also give it a try.

Statistics reveal that 9 out 10 consumers trust what a customer says about a business more than they trust what a business has to say about itself. So, take full advantage of the power wielded by your happiest customers and start foregrounding their feedback through your various channels. Customer testimonials can be featured on your website, social media accounts, and more.

Reviews

Did you know that 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 49% of them trust reviews as much as personal recommendations from loved ones? In 2023, it's virtually impossible to be unaware of the incredible clout that online reviews carry, but even savvy business owners may be staggered by these numbers.

At Rep.co, helping you generate and feature excellent reviews on your website is a significant part of what we do best. So you can trust us when we say that the importance of reviews for your business can not be overstated.

Of course, positive reviews are critical to the success of your business, but the way you respond to negative feedback can also win the trust of potential customers and clients and strengthen your business's reputation (see more below). Just the simple act of acknowledging and interacting with consumers can also increase your social proof—and conversion rates as well.

User-Generated Content

User-generated content is exactly what it sounds like: Content created and shared by enthusiastic customers or clients, often in the form of videos, photographs, and social media posts (or combinations of all three).

Showcasing user-generated content on your website or social platforms is a compelling way to drum up interest in your product or service, build trust within your target market, and expand your professional network. Consider encouraging customers to create and share content about your business by providing opportunities for them to be tagged and featured on your brand's account. There are few things more persuasive to potential customers than seeing a satisfied peer demonstrating your product or service in action, so don't overlook this opportunity!

Though user-generated content can be an effective marketing medium in many digital arenas, it's most popular on Instagram, a platform that inherently caters to this type of content sharing.

Endorsements From Social Media Influencers

While only 38% of consumers report trusting brand-produced content, 61% reveal that they trust influencer-generated recommendations. So, as a business owner, leverage this reality to your advantage!

Increasing sales and brand awareness by building on the relationship that consumers have built with influencers whom they trust is a digital marketing strategy that can yield significant benefits. That being said, it's important to carefully research social media influencers before approaching them for an endorsement. Which influencers does your target audience tend to follow? And are their values and messaging aligned with your brand's identity?

Why Social Proof Is Important

Social proof is important because it organically builds your customer base and helps you increase conversion rates.

Social proof equals more sales. It's as simple as that.

Consider this: Research has shown that 70% of consumers trust recommendations from people they don't know and that 92% trust advice from their peers. If you're not leveraging the potential of social proof, you're missing out on an incredible opportunity that could dramatically expand your business's reach.

How You Can Leverage Social Proof in Digital Marketing

The ways to leverage social proof in digital marketing are almost endless, but here are some of the most common approaches:

Share Customer Reviews & Testimonials

We've already highlighted the incredible benefit that customer reviews can have on building trust with your target audience and increasing sales. But if consumers have to hunt around for testimonials, they're likely not to bother—which represents a major and unnecessary loss for you.

To maximize the impact of positive reviews and testimonials, showcase them prominently on your website and social media accounts where they can't be missed by potential customers. Reaching out to satisfied clients to continually generate fresh reviews and testimonials is also highly recommended. Rep.co can help.

Write Case Studies

A case study is essentially an in-depth look at how a particular client is using your business's products and/or services. They're impactful because potential customers are typically very interested to learn how other real people like themselves are benefitting from the product or service they’re considering investing in.

Case studies can be featured on your homepage, hosted on your blog, or linked to from your social media accounts. If you want to make them easily distributable, consider formatting them as printable PDFs.

Because an in-depth case study typically requires a substantial amount of energy, communication, and time on the part of the client, it's important to be absolutely certain that they're entering into the project with 100% consent and momentum.

Advertise Your Existing Clients

If you're currently working with some exciting clients, don't keep it a secret! Broadcasting to potential customers that your business is trusted by well-known brands or individuals can help you to gain their trust and respect too. After all, you've worked hard to gain and retain your current clientele, so let that element of your marketing strategy speak for itself.

Of course, it's always important to check with clients before featuring their name or logo on your website. In some cases, clients prefer confidentiality, so it's critical to ask for their permission before fleshing out this strategy in its entirety.

Show Off Awards, Credentials, and Accolades

No one likes a show-off, but in the world of digital marketing you've got to spotlight the recognition your business has earned. If you don't, nobody else will.

Consumers are naturally drawn to a business that's professionally certified and distinguished in its niche. So much the better if it's been noticed and honoured in some respect. From a marketing perspective, it's also worth highlighting any ways your business contributes to the well-being of its employees, the community, or specific causes.

Take Advantage of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a form of social proof that can strengthen customer loyalty while also helping you expand your business's exposure. Getting your product into the hands of influencers whose target audience overlaps with yours can make a tangible difference in your business's sales and growth.

While influencer marketing is similar to user-generated content in some respects (both involve people sharing their satisfaction with your product or service), influencers generally must be compensated for their endorsements. User generated content, on the other hand, is typically free for businesses (unless you decide to offer rewards or perks for it).

Be Careful of Fake Reviews

Building social proof through reviews is an organic process that, unfortunately, doesn't happen overnight (though Rep.co can help to streamline it). But hang in there! Authentic reviews from genuinely satisfied customers are gold nuggets.

Fake or inauthentic reviews, on the other hand, are toxic and can severely damage your business and its reputation. Not only are consumers aware of and watching for fake reviews, but search engines' ability to pinpoint and penalize businesses who use them is also rapidly evolving.

Like most things that seem too good to be true, fake reviews should be avoided at all costs. Let your business's strengths speak for themselves, build an authentic and loyal customer base, and don't risk getting a penalty that may lower your website's rankings across the board.

Handling Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are one of those things that no one likes but that everyone has to deal with. No matter how hard you work and how incredible your business is, you're going to eventually get a complaint.

The good news is that negative reviews don't have to tank your business's social proof. As we mentioned earlier, negative reviews handled with proper skill and attention can actually build trust and encourage potential customers to give you their business. 96% of customers look for negative reviews specifically, so be prepared to respond to yours productively and with professionalism.

Best practice for responding to a negative review involves offering an apology, explaining how you plan to address the issue, and providing steps for a satisfactory resolution. For more ideas on how to handle negative reviews effectively, check out our in-depth post on the topic.

Levelling Up Your Social Proof With Rep.co's Review Management Software

Building your business's online presence and reputation through social proofing is a critical aspect of any digital marketing campaign in 2023. That being said, the actual process of building social proof can be time-consuming and feel overwhelming.

At Rep.co, we understand that you’re looking to streamline the processes of review generation and management while also maximizing their potential. As small business owners ourselves, we strive to offer solutions that are affordable, effective, and straightforward so that you can focus more time and energy on tasks like building your company's core vision.

How do we accomplish this? Through simple, customized solutions that allow you to automate review generation, review management, review monitoring, review marketing (repurposing positive feedback as marketing material), and reporting.

To conclude, social proof (the phenomenon of people copying each other's actions and opinions when making decisions) is a foundational element of digital marketing today. From reviews and testimonials to social media influencer marketing, there are many ways to leverage it as part of your overall marketing strategy.

Looking to reap the benefits of building your business's online reputation through social proof? Contact Rep.co today to find out how we can help.

“Negative customer feedback hurts your business. Positive feedback helps.”

That’s a false dichotomy. A bad review can actually help you grow your business—you just need to respond to it in the right way.

In this article, we teach you how. Let’s get into it:

Why you should respond to negative feedback

Negative reviews give a bad impression of your business. In responding to negative reviews, your goals are twofold:

1. To show customers who might be looking at the negative review that you take feedback seriously and that you’ll respond to concerns and complaints.

2. To convince the customer who left the negative review to continue a dialogue with you in an effort to get them to change the negative review to a positive review.

Responding to negative reviews can also give you an opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality—sometimes, responses to reviews can even go viral if they’re crafted carefully. 

Going viral isn’t always a good thing, though—if it happens because your response was tone-deaf or insulting, you might end up destroying your reputation. That’s one of the reasons we created this guide—to help you improve your reputation management strategy by giving the right responses to negative reviews. 

The positives of negative feedback

“There’s no such thing as bad publicity”. The same is true with feedback—there are negative reviews, but there are rarely bad reviews. (We’ll talk about the big exception to this rule in a bit).

Negative feedback tells you what your business can improve. Customer feedback is essential—while positive reviews tell you what you’re doing right, negative reviews from unhappy customers can teach you what your business can do better.

Maybe the service was poor one night. Maybe your product had a defect. These can be one-time issues, but if you see a lot of feedback pointing to the same issue, it might be a pattern.

Another positive is the ability to turn the customer experience around. An angry customer who tells all of their friends not to shop at your business is a huge liability—word-of-mouth still matters, even in the age of online reviews.

When that same customer posts their review online, however, you have the power to turn their negative experience into a positive one. 

Customers deserve to feel heard. Welcome all forms of feedback—positive reviews and negative ones. 

How you should respond to negative feedback

Don't take the feedback personally

You’ve put your everything into building your business, and some person who probably doesn’t know their right hand from their left has the audacity to tell you the service was bad, even though you know fully well that they were told to expect a 45 minute wait, and that they couldn’t even wait 15 minutes?!

As a business owner, it can be hard not to see a negative review as a personal attack. 

Breathe. 

Negative reviews aren’t attacks. The person who left the review might be wrong (the customer isn’t always right), but that doesn’t mean responding in kind is the right idea.

They wanted something from your business. They didn’t get it. Look at things calmly, and find a way to turn their negative experience into a positive. 

Respond in a timely fashion

You want to respond to an online review, be it positive or negative,  within 24 hours. 

The faster you respond, the better. When you respond to negative reviews in a timely manner, it shows that you care about your business, your customers, and your online reputation. 

Don't argue with the customer

Arguing with your customers is a bad idea.

You can keep things brief: “We’re sorry you had a negative experience” or “We’re sorry that our product didn’t meet expectations”. You may disagree with the customer, but don’t tell them that—at least not yet. 

Eventually, you might need to argue with your customer—it happens. Make sure these arguments take place offline, outside of the public eye. 

Personally address your customer's complaints

Negative online reviews can be short and blunt (“The service was trash”), but they can also be quite detailed. 

Either way, you’ll want to address the concerns in your response. Often, this will involve rephrasing exactly what your customer said. 

For example, a customer might say: “They told me this product would be a light green, but it’s a mid-to-dark green at best! It doesn’t match my aesthetic at all!”

You could respond with: “We’re sorry to hear the product was not the shade of green you expected.”

Often, customers will list a number of different issues in their negative online reviews. Address each of those issues in your response.

Thank the customer for taking the time to review

Remember—negative feedback is a positive thing. Be sure to thank your customer for leaving the review in the first place; think of it as them taking time out of their day to help you improve your business.

This can be as simple as starting your review with “Thanks for the review” or “Thanks for letting us know what we can do better”.

When you start your review response with a thanks, it can completely change an unhappy customer’s outlook—you’re responding with humility and telling them that you appreciate the opportunity to better your business. It’s a good look for a business owner to have, and it might lead to more productive conversations offline. 

Take the conversation offline

If you take absolutely nothing else away from this article, the single most important lesson we can teach you is this:

Take the conversation offline.

Customer complaints aren’t always right or fair. Some people make things up to try to get free products or services. Some people just have a different idea of reality than the rest of us.

You might have to debate with your customer. They might be completely in the wrong. 

Potential customers who are looking at your review responses? They don’t know that. And if you start arguing online with the unhappy customer who left a negative review, you can turn potential customers away from your business forever. 

Requests to take the conversation offline can be simple: “A member of our support team will be in contact with you to resolve this issue” or “Please call us so that we can further address your concerns”.

Bringing it all together

Here’s the review: “I am SO unhappy with X Corp. I ordered my coffee mug in what they promised was a light green but was actually a mid-to-dark green at BEST! Also, the mug they sent me wasn’t a coffee mug but a TEA mug! Unbelievable. I will NEVER buy from them again!! Avoid at all costs!!!”

You’re the business owner. You know the color of your mugs. You know that coffee and tea are just two kinds of hot beverage that can both fit in mugs. 

Breathe. Then, respond (within 24 hours):

“Thank you for your review. We’re sorry to hear the color of the mug didn’t meet your expectations. We also apologize for the confusion over coffee and tea mugs. We want to make this right. Our team will send you a direct message so we can fix this for you.”

With this response, we’ve addressed all of the main points:

• Responded promptly without taking the feedback personally
• Avoided arguing with the customer
• Gave a detailed response that addressed all of the customer’s concerns
• Thanked the customer
• Made an effort to move the conversation offline 

Obviously, this is a very generic reply to a very silly, made-up review—but it gives you a good idea of the general framework a review response should have. 

Identifying fake reviews

Spotting fake reviews can be challenging. Thankfully, there are a few tricks you can use to determine if online reviews are fake:

• Check to see if the reviewer has reviewed other products or services. Accounts with only one review are more likely to be fake than those with a history of reviews.

• Look for patterns. When a reviewer uses the same verbiage in most of their reviews, it’s likely they’re copy-pasting words and phrases

• Look at when the review was posted. When multiple reviews are posted at nearly the same time, you’re probably being review bombed. This is made even more likely if you see the patterns we described above.
• Use tools designed to help you catch fakes. Tools like Rep.co can help you organize reviews to make it easier to find patterns.
• Trust your judgment. Intuition is a powerful tool.

It’s important to know that even if you think you’ve spotted fake reviews, your potential customers can’t tell the difference. As such, it’s important to respond in a professional manner, even if you’re responding to a negative review you believe is fake. 

Examples of negative feedback responses

We’ve talked a lot about online reviews in theory—let’s take a look at a few ways to respond to reviews in practice. Here are a few negative review responses we love. Use these examples to craft your own review response when you’ve got negative feedback that seems tricky to respond to. 

A genuine response

What makes this response so genuine is that the manager offers to introduce themselves to the person who left the bad review. That tells us they really want to set things right, and they’ll put in the personal effort to do so. Great review response. 

A candid response

This is a candid response to a negative review—and it was a really bad review (so we didn’t even include it above). Without being able to verify with 100% accuracy if the negative reviewer is, in fact, a fake reviewer, they’re inviting more conflict.

It’s tempting to go viral for a pithy response (who wouldn’t want their review response to go viral in a positive way). It can backfire badly, though. Avoid this tactic. 

A humble response

Sometimes, you make a mistake. Admitting it—publicly—can show that you really care.

This response lacked speed, and we would prefer a more concrete effort to continue the conversation offline—but you can tell the owner really cares. That means a lot. 

A professional response

This response has everything we talked about. The reviewer is thanked for their negative review—we especially like the use of the phrase “honest feedback”. They address the client’s concern, make it clear that the customer’s experience does not align with the company’s values, and give them the opportunity to take it offline.

The only mistake here is that it took them two weeks to respond. 2 weeks is way too long—but responding 2 weeks after you received negative feedback is better than not responding at all.

A subtle response

Short, sweet, and to the point, this is the kind of response that’s likely to make an unhappy customer into a repeat customer. We love the last bit—it’s a fun way to encourage the reviewer to re-engage with the brand. 

An honest response

We love this response because they’re candid about the review and referral gift they offer, then they invite the reviewer to visit their clinic and pick up a gift card. You always want your healthcare providers to be honest—this is perfect. 

Conclusion

A great review response can turn a bad review into a good one. Responding to negative reviews is simple—just follow the steps we outlined—and it’s an essential part of any company’s reputation management strategy.

Finding every bad review can be difficult—especially across multiple platforms. Our reputation management software can help, alerting you whenever a negative review has been posted.

Now go out there, and turn a negative into a positive! 

As we enter the year 2023, statistics reveal that consumers continue to be less and less likely to trust traditional marketing. According to BrightLocal, 84% of consumers report that they no longer trust advertisements, and millennials, in particular, are really turned off by them (unless the advertising is coming from one of their favourite digital stars). Not only that, but the global COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the decline of traditional advertising and foregrounded alternative digital marketing strategies, including authentic consumer reviews.

Since the advent of the internet, online reviews have been steadily gaining significance as an integral element of digital marketing. They can dramatically impact your business's ability to attract and retain customers as well as your conversion rates (for better or for worse). Online reviews also contribute to search engine optimization (SEO).

Did you know that 93% of consumers report that they consult online reviews before making a purchase and that 94% have avoided a business based purely on its online reviews? These are powerful statistics that drive home the vital importance of review generation and online reputation management for your business.

Positive and negative reviews alike can both drive sales but must be handled differently. In this post, we're going to focus on positive reviews. Many business owners wonder if a response to a positive review is even necessary. Here, we're going to see that it most definitely is and, furthermore, how you can turn a good review into an outstanding opportunity to grow your business further.

Let's spend some time considering the elements that make a good review and how to maximize your response to one, as well as exploring some popular online review platforms. Stick with us until the end of this post, and you'll gain some important industry wisdom on how to make the absolute most of the positive reviews your business receives.

What Is a Review?

Plain and simple, a review is public feedback provided by a customer who has had firsthand experience with a particular business. A review might be the result of customer feedback specifically elicited by a business (e.g., a survey or review request) or could be left spontaneously by a customer on any number of dedicated review platforms. Excellent customer reviews are often featured on business websites but can also be found via a simple search engine query.

Reviews usually include a numerical rating (often a star rating out of five) as well as a written component. Depending on the platform, different elements of a business may be rated separately (e.g., customer service, product, price). In other cases, the business may get just one overall rating from reviewers.

In a review, customers often provide details about their experience with a business and tell other potential customers whether or not they'd recommend it.

What Makes a Good Review?

While getting a positive review is something to celebrate no matter what, there’s definitely a hierarchy within the world of positive reviews. Indeed, some positive reviews are more positive than others for a variety of reasons. Learning to recognize the standout positive reviews your business receives can help you highlight them and give them the attention they merit.

Let's take a look at some of the factors that set certain reviews apart:

It Goes Beyond the Stars

A five-star rating is a beautiful thing, but stars only tell you so much. Have you ever scrolled straight past a five-star review (or a one-star review, for that matter) that had no words to accompany it? Us too. There's not much else to do. Without some details, the number of stars is pretty void of meaning.

Numerical ratings are subjective. Even when there are words to accompany a five-star rating, they can vary drastically. One reviewer reserves their five-star rating for the top 1% of all experiences, while another includes quite a bit of criticism in theirs.

The point is that an impactful positive review goes beyond the number of stars. Look at reviews holistically, and you'll see the bigger picture.

It Describes the Customer's Experience

A really great review describes the customer's experience in detail. While hearing that your restaurant is "good" is certainly not a bad thing, you'd much rather hear about the friendly staff, prompt service, trendy decor, and tasty appetizers.

And so would your potential customers.

Capitalize on reviews that are both positive and filled with specifics.

There's Very Specific Feedback

Speaking of specifics, there's hardly anything more annoying or frustrating than a review that states that a customer had a "great experience" or a "poor experience" without elaboration. The best types of positive reviews tell you (and potential future customers) exactly what the customer loved and appreciated.

For example: "I loved the classic red leather booths and ‘50s style decor. Our waiter, Henry, was witty and helpful, and the cheeseburger was moist and out of this world!"

Now there's some specific feedback you can really sink your teeth into—metaphorically speaking, of course!

Why Good Reviews Are Important

Good reviews are important because they attract customers. When customers are searching for a product or service, they want to see what other unbiased consumers have to say. 94% of consumers report that a negative review has made them change their mind about a business. Not only that, but customers are also 21% more likely to leave a review after a negative experience. Yikes!

These statistics are a bit unnerving, but they also really underscore the counteractive potential of positive reviews and the importance of nurturing them.

Besides being a standalone testament to your business's positive attributes, good reviews are also a wonderful opportunity to engage your target audience. When you respond to an online review, you're not just responding to the reviewer. Rather, you're putting a human face on your business for all the potential customers out there.

A well-written response to a positive review develops a rapport with your customer base and can also be a great opportunity to further highlight the strengths of your business.

For example, if a customer loved your special of the day, expand on their comment by listing your upcoming specials and inviting them to return and try another one. Now the cat's out of the bag and you've hopefully piqued other potential customers' interest as well. Boom!

Popular Online Review Platforms

There are lots of review platforms out there, but statistics show that 88% of all reviews come from just 4 review sites. They are: Google (73%), Yelp (6%), Facebook (3%), and Tripadvisor (3%). Of course, many other niche review platforms may be extremely relevant for your specific business as well.

Let's take a closer look.

Facebook

Facebook is one of the largest social media platforms in the world and millions of people worldwide turn to Facebook for business reviews every day. Your business should definitely be getting a slice of that pie, so be sure to foreground Facebook as part of your review generation strategy.

Yelp

Yelp is an American company that publishes crowd-sourced business reviews. With more than 4.5 million reviews and 46 thousand annual visitors to its desktop webpages alone, it's a formidable platform and one that you want to see studded with great reviews of your business.

Google Business Profile

Formerly Google My Business, your Google Business Profile is what shows up when people search for your business on Google (by far the world's foremost search engine). Setting up your Google Business Profile is simple. It only takes a few minutes and opens the door to online reviews from anyone with a Google account. That's a whole lot of potential reviews and a lot of potential customers looking at them.

The Better Business Bureau

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is not one of the top four global review platforms, but we've included it because it's a bit unique. In order to be approved by the BBB, your business has to be vetted and meet specific ethical and business standards. When people find your business through the BBB, they’ll automatically know that you've put in the effort to ensure it stands out from the crowd. Definitely something to consider.

Examples of Ways To Respond to Positive Reviews

We've established why positive reviews are important for your business and identified some features that make a positive review really stand out. Now it's time to consider how to respond to positive reviews.

Why respond to positive reviews?

First off, it's just the right thing to do. Someone took the time to pay your business a compliment—the least you can do is acknowledge it. If that person were standing in front of you in the real world, you'd certainly say thanks. Your courtesy on the internet should be no different. Besides, it will make that customer feel heard and appreciated—and more likely to bring their business back again.

As we mentioned earlier, responding to online reviews gives you a platform for speaking to a wider audience. You may not be able to control what a reviewer puts out into the universe, but you can certainly control your response. And that's worth a lot, so take the reins with confidence, and don't miss your opportunity to shine!

Consider how your response to a positive review can further enhance your humanity and draw in even more customers. This is an important practice and not something to overlook as a business owner. Also, don't put responding to positive reviews on your to-do list and forget about it. Customers (and potential customers) appreciate a prompt response. If you wait too long, your response will no longer be relevant.

Of course, there are many ways to respond to positive reviews, but here are three possible ideas to get you started:

Simply Thanking the Customer for Their Feedback

A thank you is better than nothing, and may be appropriate in response to a very minimal review. That being said, we don't recommend simple thank-yous overall. Generic responses are boring and lackluster. They won't garner the kind of punchy reactions you're probably hoping for.

Our advice? Respond to every positive review with a thorough and personal message that further highlights your business's strengths rather than relying on standard platitudes.

Offer a Discount Code or Coupon As Thanks

Try this on for size: Respond to positive feedback with more positive feedback and see your consumer base and future positive reviews grow. Someone left you a fantastic review? Respond by offering them something extra-special in return. Discount codes and coupons are just two examples. You could also invite them back for a free product, unique experience, or personal visit. The possibilities are pretty much endless.

Send the Customer a Personal Thank-You Note or Card

This one is perfect for building trust and setting the stage for a long-term relationship with a valued client. While a personal thank-you note may not impress the masses, it will build trust and loyalty. This may be an optimal choice if you operate a business that relies on retaining customers over time. Consider sending an exclusive invitation (or invitations) to a special event or experience connected with your business.

Positive Review Response Examples

A textbook response to a positive online review should include a few key elements. Aside from responding personally and in a timely manner, these are:

• Showing Gratitude - Tell the reviewer that you appreciate their positive feedback.
• Being Specific - Address the person who has provided feedback by name and include clear details in your response (just like you want your reviewers to do for you).
• Adding New Information - Take the opportunity to expand on the strengths of your business. Remember, you're in the driver's seat with your response.
• Inviting The Customer Back - Give positive reviewers a clear and tempting reason to return to your business again. It could be a new product/service, a discount, or a personal invitation to connect with you.

Generic Response Examples

"Hi, Jane. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us such positive feedback. Our team always strives for excellence, and it means a lot to us to hear when we've hit the mark. Did you know that we've recently opened a new location to serve clients like you even more conveniently? Please find a link to a coupon included for the next time you require our services."

"Hello, Joe. What a pleasure to read your kind words about your experience with our business. As you have noted, we are committed to outstanding customer service, but it's always great to know we've gotten it right. Did you know that we are now reachable 24/7 to serve you even better? Please ask for me personally next time you're in the office so I can say hello to you myself. All the best until then!"

Restaurant Examples

"Jane, thanks a million for your five-star review of The Breakfast Nook. We always strive to create a cheerful atmosphere, so it sure is nice to hear that we put a smile on your face all day long. Yes, our chef's pancakes are light and fluffy indeed. But next time, you'll have to also sample his delectable Belgian waffles with fresh fruit (one of our house classics). Next time you visit The Breakfast Nook, show this discount code for a free coffee on us."

"Hi, Joe. What a pleasure to hear that our fish and chips were the best you've ever had! Thanks for motivating us by taking the time to let us know. Next month, we're having a local beer-tasting event, and we hope you'll come back for it! Bring a friend, and we'll provide a pint on the house for both of you."

Digital Marketing Agency Examples

"Dear Jane, It was a pleasure to hear that your business has benefited from our services and that our marketing team exceeded your expectations. While we always try to go above and beyond, it's really great to know when we succeed! Our team continues to provide a high level of service each and every day, and we look forward to working with you again in the future."

"Dear Joe, Thanks for your positive review and for highlighting the excellent job that Chris did in helping your business reach its goals. We’ll pass your feedback directly to him. We are fortunate to have a whole team of equally dedicated digital marketers and can't wait to serve you again."

Conclusion

As we've seen in this post, online reviews are a critical part of digital marketing in today's world, and positive reviews, in particular, must be treated with special attention.

Feeling a little daunted by the task of eliciting, reading, and responding to all your business's online reviews? Rep.co's proprietary review management software can help. For more information, contact us directly at Rep.co today!

Moving is never easy. Whether you're in the market for your dream home, hoping to sell your current property, or seeking both services simultaneously, finding a great realtor is vital.

An experienced, dedicated, and supportive real estate professional can really help hold things together during that exhausting period of showings, offers, and negotiations. They can answer all your questions, provide helpful insights, and guide you painlessly through each and every step of your purchase or sale.

On the flip side, a sub-par real estate agent can dramatically increase your stress level and leave you feeling frustrated and helpless. In the worst-case scenario, you could be left without the deal you'd hoped for and a bitter taste in your mouth.

So, how do you go about finding a top-notch realtor who will be the right fit for you and your particular set of needs?

Unless someone happens to provide you with a glowing personal referral, chances are that you'll be turning to the internet to seek out real estate agent reviews in your area.

In this post, we'll provide some key tips for narrowing down your search and evaluating realtor reviews. We'll also offer some guidance on where to turn for further information:

Where To Find Real Estate Agent Reviews

For most people, the obvious starting point is a Google search. But, while a Google search will turn up an impressive number of reviews, those reviews can be overwhelming and won't necessarily be organized according to your specific requirements. In fact, many of them may be completely irrelevant.

For this reason, it may be best to start out with a search for real estate agencies in your area (rather than jumping straight to reviews) and zero in on a few particular agents who look promising based on their professional profile pages. Once you've identified the people you're interested in working with, you can use Google (or another platform) to find more specific reviews of their work (more on this below).

When evaluating whether or not a realtor has the potential to be a good fit for your needs, consider the following:

• The neighbourhood(s) they’re familiar with (check out their past listings and sales)
• The price range of homes they deal with (consider your ideal budget)
• Their professional success (number of listings, the number of sales)
• Their years of experience in the real estate industry (keep in mind that new agents may actually have more time and energy to commit to you)
• Their availability (will they be able to accommodate your schedule)

Once you've created a shortlist of candidates, it's time to dig a bit deeper. Now is the time to get busy reading targeted online realtor reviews before making a final decision on which agent to go with.

But (and this is a big but), don't trust everything you read!

Things To Watch Out For

Just because 49% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations doesn't mean that everything you read in them is accurate. Online reviews are subjective at the best of times, and though they’re a useful tool, you've got to be savvy when evaluating them:

Review Quality

Is the review detailed and thoughtful? Do the words seem to match the number of stars given? Is the reviewer promoting a particular agenda? There are a lot of low-quality reviews out there, so be critical about what you're reading and pay attention to the words as well as the stars/score.

Dates of Reviews

Reviews hang around on the internet forever, so try to stay current with what you're reading. The realtor in question may have changed a lot over the years!

Skills Mentioned

Look for specifics. It's nice to hear that a realtor is "great" or "awesome" but much better to read that they're an effective negotiator, punctual, organized, and personable.

Avoid Tunnel Vision

At this point in the game, don't get stuck on one particular agent. Try to sift through reviews without a specific result in mind and see who organically emerges as your best option. Consider scheduling in-person interviews with a few of your top picks!

Realtor Rating Sites

Not sure exactly where to turn for online realtor reviews? Type candidates' names into any of the following platforms and get busy reading:

Realtor.com

Realtor.com is the site officially associated with the National Association of Realtors (U.S.). With MLS-based data, its reviews are specific to the realty industry and include categories such as responsiveness, negotiation skills, and professionalism. Check out Realtor.com's agent-finding service here.

RankMyAgent.com is another real-estate-specific review site that encompasses countries beyond the U.S.

Google

Anyone with a Google account can leave a review on Google, so if you're looking for a broad selection of realtor reviews it's a perfect place to start. Google reviews can usually be found alongside Google business profiles (or by typing a specific query into the Google search bar).

Zillow

Like Realtor.com, Zillow is a review site specifically based around realtor reviews. One stand-out feature of its Find an Agent tool is the fact that it filters realtors by location (neighbourhood, city, zip/postal code, etc.).

Facebook

Many realtors now create a business Facebook page to promote their listings and garner reviews. This can be a great place to get a sense of their personality, professionalism, and client interactions.

Conclusion

Whether you're seeking a real estate agent or a different service or product, a great deal rides on online reviews. Quality online reviews can have a major impact on the success of your business, so it's worth investing in some tools that can help with review generation and management.

Are you a real estate agency (or other small business) looking to build your reputation with online reviews? At Rep.co, we offer solution-oriented reputation management software that can get you reviews that will grow your business 

Reach out to us at Rep.co today!

Pennsylvania, USA - Rep.co, one of the leading reputation management companies in the world, is delighted to announce the launch of its new TCR integration system that allows businesses who want to send targeted SMS messages to US mobile phone numbers to register with The Campaign Registry. This system is designed to improve deliverability and will be offered to customers at no additional charge. 

10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) is the new standard for Application-to-Person (A2P) text messaging utilizing a traditional 10-digit phone number. Although similar to the existing long code, 10DLC is a reliable messaging channel with throughput levels suitable for SMS campaigns and is sanctioned by the mobile operators for A2P messaging.

The Campaign Registry is the central hub for registering A2P 10DLC messaging campaigns. The registry works with North American mobile operators and companies that are in the messaging business to register Application-to-Person (A2P) text messaging Campaigns. The registry supports a sanctioned A2P 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) text messaging Campaign ecosystem and provides visibility into the messaging source and content, allowing mobile carriers to provide a more reliable and simple messaging service for Campaign Service Providers (CSPs) and Brands.

“We are very excited about the launch of our new TCR System and the improved results we believe it will deliver for our customers,” said Jacob Kettner, owner and founder of Rep.co. “When it comes to advertising and marketing, we know that doing things properly is critical to building brand recognition and a positive reputation. It is impossible to underestimate the importance of reputation for a business, which is why our entire business model is based upon ensuring our customers have the best reputation possible. Although the new system was challenging to design and implement, we are delighted to be able to offer it to our customers without any additional expense.” 

Rep.co is a locally owned and operated company based in Pennsylvania. The company is a market leader in online brand management and is committed to delivering results for its clients on a daily basis. With a long track record of success and a commitment to innovation and research, Rep.co is the company you can trust with your reputation management needs. For more information about the company and the services it provides, visit its website at https://rep.co.

Back in the pre-Internet days, recommendations were based solely on word-of-mouth. People would ask their friends and family for referrals to trusted businesses. While this is still applicable today, it’s becoming less popular in light of a virtual alternative: online reviews. As much as 76% of consumers trust online reviews equally as referrals from others. If your business wants to make more sales, then keep reading - we’ll explain how reviews affect your conversion rates.

You might already know that landing pages are an important part of making sales. But what about adding testimonials from your customers? Without them, customers might click away from your page to see what your rating is on Google or Yelp - but if the reviews are front-and-centre on your landing page, there’s no need to. The longer that customer remains on your site, the better chances are that you’ll have a conversion. Combined with your other marketing techniques, reviews can give the push consumers need to make a purchase. 

You probably wouldn’t buy a car without taking it for a test drive, or purchase a home without taking a tour, and the same goes for online products and services. Consumers want to see proof of the claims on your website, and reviews do just that. They act as evidence that your business is authentic - one study found 83% of customers thought that landing pages with reviews were more trustworthy. When consumers trust your business, they feel more inclined to buy from you.

Since online reviews have been around for a while, customers can sometimes be skeptical of them. If your website only includes 5-star reviews, readers might be suspicious that they’re fake; it might make them think that those claims are too good to be true. If you have a negative review, responding to it can increase conversion rates by up to 30%. Instead of only displaying the most positive reviews, consider showing some with 4.5 or 4-stars; it will add credibility to the claims.

When it comes to displaying reviews, it’s “the more the merrier”! Having even just one review has been shown to boost conversion rates by 10%, while up to 100 can increase them by 37%. Now that you know how influential testimonials can be when making conversions, the next step is gathering them to post on your landing page. It can be challenging to gather this many ratings when your business is just starting out. How do you prompt customers to leave feedback and take control of your online image?

RepCo offers reputation management software that will help grow your business. You’ll be able to monitor and respond to reviews as they’re received, and compile them for easy analysis. Customers will be contacted on a drip schedule via SMS and email, which will automate the review generation process. You will be notified as soon as new reviews come in so that you can respond to them quickly and appropriately. With RepCo, you’ll soon have a landing page full of reviews, and that can increase your conversion rates significantly. 

To click, or not to click - that is the consumer’s question. CTR, or click-through rate, refers to the number of customers who decide to click on your business among a list of search results; it’s calculated by dividing total clicks by impressions. For consumers to contact your business and make purchases, they need to visit your website, so this statistic is especially important for the success of your company. Up to 56% of consumers choose to click a business because they have a high rating and positive reviews. When someone clicks your website, there’s a chance that they’ll be converted into buying customers. For your business to make sales, your website needs a high CTR, and online reviews play a significant role in generating clicks.

There are all types of tactics you can use to increase your CTR - and no, we’re not talking about click-bait. It’s important that businesses utilize captivating content, clever titles, and meta descriptions to make a reader curious enough to click. One factor that plays a vital role in CTR is online reviews, and they’re not as easy to control as the other methods. Studies show that the more stars your business has, the more clicks you get: 5-star businesses get 69% of clicks, while 3-star ones get 44%. This goes to show that positive reviews can increase CTR.

Negative reviews have another impact on CTR. Consider this dilemma from the perspective of a customer: would you trust a business that had no reviews, or only 1 and 2-star reviews? You’d probably feel more inclined to click on the website that had a rating of 4 to 5-stars. If your business has negative reviews, this can dissuade people from clicking your listing; they’ll choose a competitor with a more positive rating. 

CTR has been a contentious topic when it comes to search engine optimization. Google is notoriously elusive about which factors affect SEO, or how highly websites are ranked in their search algorithm. Even though the company has denied that CTR is a factor, other studies point to its significance. Whether it is or isn’t a ranking factor, it definitely plays a role in the success of your business. CTR indicates whether your company persuaded a customer to follow through to your website - it can make or break a sale.

Click-through rate is an important measure for your website. Positive reviews build trust and authority for your business, and entice consumers to click to your website over your competitors’ -  they are an extremely influential factor. If you want to increase your CTR and boost your sales, then you need a way to stay on top of online reviews. That’s where reputation management software comes in. 

RepCo offers a tool that will allow your business to take control of your online presence. Never be surprised by a bad review again - you’ll be alerted the moment new reviews are received so that you can monitor and respond to them. Start generating reviews with our automated request system, which will contact your customers on a drip schedule. Then, gain valuable insight from the feedback you’ve received to improve your business. Reputation management can help increase your website’s CTR, and in turn, boost your sales. 

When it comes to local business, the competition can be stiff. As a business owner, you manage a lot of moving parts: you train and monitor staff, maintain the quality of your products and/or services, and aim to operate as efficiently as possible. But a factor that can greatly influence the success of your company doesn’t exist within your brick and mortar store; instead, it takes place entirely on the Internet. We’re talking about online reviews - which 82% of consumers read. With everything that you have to juggle, your online reputation might fall by the wayside. Considering how important reviews are to your customers, you should be aware of how influential they are - their impact on your business cannot be overstated. 

When customers search for local businesses, they turn to directories like Google, Yelp, or Facebook. If they find your company on one of these review sites, the next thing they’ll see is the conversation surrounding it. Are customers having positive or negative experiences with your goods or services? They will consider this information and compare it to other businesses in your area. The content of your online reviews can persuade consumers whether or not to choose your company.

Competing with other local businesses is tough. If you’re familiar with SEO (search engine optimization), then you know how ranking higher in Google can increase your traffic by up to 36.4%. It’s a way to get a leg-up on your competition. Reviews play an important role in SEO; one study shows how Google reviews are a significant ranking factor for SEO. A higher ranking in search results can make the difference between a customer choosing your business, or a local competitor’s. Online reviews can increase the visibility of your business and persuade customers to choose you over lower-ranked alternatives. 

You understand how positive reviews affect your business - but what about negative ones? The numbers show that a single negative review can deter 22% of customers. That’s bad news for you, and great news for your competitor. But, if you respond to your reviews, you can earn up to 35% more than your average revenue. It’s important to be aware of your online presence so that you can proactively manage these issues. The next time your business receives a negative review, consider writing a thoughtful and considerate response. 

Small, local businesses need to utilize online reviews for their success - they’re a way to persuade consumers to trust your business and purchase your products or services. You know that reviews have a significant impact on your company, but it may seem like something beyond your control. With RepCo, you can take hold of your online image. 

For your local business to stay competitive, you need a way to generate reviews from your customers, monitor incoming reviews, and analyze feedback for insights - what you’re looking for is reputation management software. RepCo offers a powerful tool that can increase the trustworthiness of your business, setting you apart from the local competition. Automate the process of contacting customers, requesting reviews, and receiving alerts when new reviews arrive. Reputation management software can take your business above and beyond your competitors. 

As a local business, you are likely familiar with your closest competitors; it’s an ongoing challenge to outrank them and be listed first in search results. How do you get an edge in this never-ending battle? Online reviews are playing an increasingly important role in SEO - their impact on rankings can’t be ignored, especially if you’re a local company that’s trying to optimize your website. We’ve listed a few reasons why your business should include online reviews in its SEO strategy:

• They’re a significant ranking factor. One report showed that online reviews made up 7% of organic search result rankings. Along with content, links, and citations, online reviews are a crucial aspect of SEO. The quantity and quality of your reviews will make an impact on your website’s rankings. Google pays attention to customer testimonies, which means that you should too.

• With positive reviews, your business will persuade more customers to click your website. Data indicates that organic CTR influences rankings, so the more customers that click your website, the better you’ll rank. If your business has limited or negative reviews, few customers are likely to click through to your website; it makes your business appear untrustworthy. Consumers can even filter search results by their rating, so your business won’t show up if it isn’t above 4-stars. Glowing testimonies make users more likely to click your website, which can positively impact your rankings.

• They provide content for Google to crawl. Google loves content; it gives its bots text to crawl, which helps them discern the quality and relevance of your website. Online reviews are free content that is full of relevant keywords to supply these text bots. With more testimonies, Google will have an easier time determining your website’s ranking, which can help your SEO.

• A lack of reviews can hurt your SEO. A case study examined the effect of removed reviews on the rankings of several companies. A Google update in 2012 removed all anonymous reviews, which resulted in many businesses losing dozens or even hundreds of reviews. The results? They fell multiple ranking spots. Ratings can not be ignored when you’re trying to be a competitive local business.

• Online reviews influence Google’s local pack results. One study showed that review signals comprise 13% of local pack ranking factors. Being listed as one of the three results in Google’s local pack makes your business highly visible. If you achieve a higher star rating than the other listings, you’ll likely be clicked on more than your competitors will be. 

The number and rating of your reviews have a substantial impact on your local SEO. To take hold of your online presence, you need reputation management software by RepCo; it’s an essential component of a search engine optimization strategy. This software will allow your business to generate reviews, monitor new reviews, and analyze the data for valuable insights. Gain control of your reputation using RepCo’s management tool.  

Despite what we’d like to believe, not many people will do something to help you for free. They usually need an incentive of some sort before they’ll go out of their way for you. This poses challenges for businesses that need more reviews: how do they get customers to take the time out of their busy days to write one for them? Many consumers need review incentives to motivate them to do so. 

People value reviews when they’re shopping: 95% of consumers read them. As important as they are, not many consumers leave positive feedback of their own volition. The old saying “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” is accurate in this case because customers are more likely to leave reviews of their negative experiences. If you want to fill your website with positive  customer testimonies, you might need to offer some incentives:

1. Give them a discount on their next order. Let’s say your business sells hair products, and you email a customer asking them to leave you a review. You write that you’ll offer them a discount on their next purchase if they follow through. This comes with the bonus of prompting them to order again if they otherwise would not have. When they run low on product, they’ll take to the Internet to write about their experience with it, and save money on their next purchase.

2. Offer a free product or gift card. A great way to encourage reviews is to supply a cash or product reward for it. Customers who enjoy your products will love getting more of them in exchange for their feedback. 

3. Add them to a draw to win a prize. Create a sweepstake where each reviewer has their name entered once. With this incentive, you can collect reviews from multiple customers, while only needing to supply one prize.  

4. Make it easy for them to leave reviews. This isn’t exactly an incentive, but it will help streamline this process for your customers. If you send them an email that asks for reviews, be sure to include links to relevant websites. 

One distinction that’s worth making is the difference between incentivized reviews and positive incentivized reviews. Many review sites have strict penalties against bribing customers with gifts for them to leave high-star ratings. You can ask customers to leave feedback, but offering them cash in exchange for good reviews can get you penalized. Be careful with incentives; you want to encourage reviews but without manipulating customers into misrepresenting their experience.

Is it always profitable to offer incentives? Businesses must weigh the pros and cons. While online reviews increase consumer trust, boost conversion rates, and improve your SEO, some companies are unwilling to give customers cash for reviews. Rather than use your resources for incentives, it may be a wiser investment to seek out a review management software.

The process of sending out review requests can be time-consuming and tedious. Wouldn’t it be more efficient if there was a way to automate it? Thanks to RepCo’s reputation management software, there is - your customers can be contacted on a drip schedule via SMS or email. This makes the process of generating reviews easy, so your business can grow and reap the rewards.