Unlock the power of reviews
Did you know that 95% of shoppers seek out reviews before placing an order? (Source: Global News Wire) Having a batch of great customer reviews can prove the legitimacy of your brand, encouraging a shopper to commit and buy.
Learn how Peyton Fox, Founder and Lead Strategist at Spark Bridge Digital, uses reviews to increase sales and build stronger customer relationships.
How reviews grow your brand
Social proof is an incredibly powerful tool for your brand. In fact, 57% of American shoppers consider reviews to be a crucial part of their online shopping experience. (Source: Global News Wire) Reviews can help you:
Fill your funnel
Consumers trust their fellow shoppers. When positive reviews about your product or service appear in a Google search or on your site, interested prospects will be more likely to purchase from your brand.
Reviews add a level of legitimacy, so if someone is unsure if your site can be trusted or if your products are of a certain caliber, a positive review may be just what they need to draw their attention online and then turn their interest into action.
Incentivize engagement
By implementing incentives for reviewing your products, you can cultivate a thriving community, enhance the overall shopping experience, and drive long-term customer loyalty.
Think about it: after leaving a review, you may get an exclusive discount. Aren’t you more likely to shop again?
Improve the customer experience
Customer reviews can become an immediate feedback engine. You’ll hear how to improve your product, customer service, return policy, or even product descriptions so that the process is smoother for the next customer.
A healthy mix of positive and constructive feedback within reviews can even signal to shoppers that your reviews are genuine and something they can trust as they make shopping decisions.
Access marketing assets
Reviews become an instant marketing asset. What better marketing for a best-selling product than real testimonials from shoppers and images that show off the value of their purchase?
This allows you and your team to spend less time on manual marketing content, as you can reuse a 5-star review to show off the quality of your brand across emails, SMS, and your website.
Collect and respond to reviews
Now that you better understand the benefit of reviews, it’s time to collect them from shoppers. Review the dropdowns below to get started.
Invest in a reviews platform
One of the most effective ways to build trust with customers is to invest in a robust reviews platform. A comprehensive review platform should offer features such as:
- Easy review submission
- Photo and video reviews
- Backend review moderation for your team
- Data analysis features
- Q&A functionality
- Integrations with the other tools in your tech stack
Luckily, Klaviyo can help power your reviews strategy. Learn how to ramp up with Klaviyo Reviews.
Set up reviews onsite
Once you’ve determined which reviews provider you’re using to power your strategy, it’s time to set up reviews on your website. This will include:
- Customizing a review collection form.
- Embedding a reviews widget on your site that features a collection of reviews.
- Featuring top reviews in relevant product pages and elsewhere.
The actual setup process is dependent on the tool you use. If you decide to use Klaviyo, then bookmark and follow these step-by-step instructions for setting up Klaviyo Reviews.
Collect reviews from recent shoppers
Encourage customers to leave reviews via automated messages (i.e., flows) that kick off after a set amount of time has passed since receiving their order. Klaviyo has built a pre-made flow template within the Flow library that you can use and customize to your needs.
A key element of this flow, and in gaining more reviews in general, is the incentive you offer. Consider how to spur someone to leave a great review and how you want to show genuine appreciation.
Here are several strategies to incentivize reviews:
- Discounts on future purchases
Offer a percentage off their next order or a fixed monetary discount (e.g., $5 off) in exchange for a completed review. This not only encourages reviews but also drives repeat business. - Loyalty points
Integrate reviews into your loyalty program, if applicable. Award customers a certain number of loyalty points for each review they submit, which can then be redeemed for discounts, exclusive products, or other perks. - Giveaways and contests
Run periodic contests where customers who leave reviews are entered into a drawing to win a high-value prize, such as a popular product, a gift card, or an experience. - Charitable donations
Offer to make a small donation to a charity related to your brand or of the customer's choice for each review submitted. This appeals to socially conscious customers and can contribute to the ethos of your brand community. - Tiered incentives
Offer higher incentives for more detailed or high-quality reviews, such as those that include photos or videos.
Follow up with reviewers
A personalized email or even a handwritten thank you after a review can foster goodwill and make customers feel appreciated, encouraging more future reviews from these shoppers. Again, automate this review follow-up, such as through a flow in Klaviyo. Again, you can access this pre-built template to make sending as simple as possible.
This flow will kick off when someone submits their review and sends a message to the reviewer via their preferred channel. Make sure to follow through with any incentive that you promised upon collecting said review.
Promote your reviews online
After gathering reviews, the next step is to strategically promote them across channels. These reviews serve as powerful social proof, influencing repeat purchases for subscribers and building trust with prospective shoppers.
Here are a few places to promote your reviews across your marketing content:
- Your website
This is arguably the most important location. Feature reviews on your:- Homepage.
- Product or collections pages for relevant items.
- Checkout page.
- (Optional) Dedicated reviews page.
- Email or text
Integrate compelling reviews into your promotional emails to highlight product benefits and build urgency. A well-placed positive review can be just what someone needs to shop from a campaign or an automated flow message. - Social media
Regularly share customer reviews as standalone posts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn. Use eye-catching visuals and direct quotes to spur interest from existing customers and prospects alike. You can feature reviews on both organic and paid posts, as well as across social content types (posts, reels, stories, etc.). - Google or other external websites:
- For businesses with a physical presence, reviews on Google are critical for local SEO and attracting local customers.
- If you sell on platforms like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay, reviews on these sites can also boost visibility and sales within those marketplaces.
- Online community forums
Participate in relevant online forums and communities, and where appropriate and natural, mention positive customer feedback when discussing your products or services. Avoid spamming, but be genuinely helpful and share success stories.
Measure the impact of reviews
Reviews play a pivotal role in shaping the entire customer journey, extending their influence far beyond purchase. Within Klaviyo, and across any platform you use, you can monitor immediate impact of reviews, such as trends in sentiment and number of reviews collected across a period of time.
Measure the impact your reviews have on various stages of the marketing funnel, particularly retention and acquisition. More specifically, compare how the following core metrics perform for those who leave a review vs. those who do not:
- Repeat purchase rates
Analyze if customers who interact with or contribute reviews exhibit higher rates of repeat purchases compared to those who do not. Positive reviews can reinforce purchase decisions and build trust, leading to increased loyalty. - Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Do customers who write reviews, or who read a review before buying, have a higher CLV? Loyal customers who feel valued and heard through reviews are more likely to remain engaged with the brand over time, leading to higher spending trends. - Churn reduction
Assess if reviews contribute to a lower churn rate. Addressing negative feedback through reviews can demonstrate responsiveness and commitment to customer satisfaction, potentially preventing customers from leaving. Conversely, a strong base of positive reviews can act as a deterrent to switching to competitors. - General message engagement
Track how often customers who write reviews engage with other brand touchpoints (e.g., email opens, website visits, social media interactions). Moreover, does content perform better when a review is added as marketing? - Referral traffic
Monitor website traffic and conversions originating from shared reviews on social media, blogs, or other platforms. Loyal shoppers' authentic review content acts as a powerful form of social proof, encouraging new prospects to explore the brand. - SEO
Evaluate the impact of review content on organic search rankings. User-generated content, especially reviews, often contains relevant keywords and fresh content that can boost a website's visibility in search engine results, attracting new customers.