How many reviews does it take to grab the attention of potential customers and convince them to try your product? 10? 20? 50? The truth is, it’s way more than you think.
According to a 2023 survey, 64% of shoppers said they are more likely to buy a product with over 1,000 reviews, and 54% would trust a product more if it had over 10,000 reviews. This shows just how important it is to capture reviews and testimonials for your ecommerce business.
But here’s something many forget: quality matters just as much as quantity. So, in this article, let’s discuss the ten tips to help you get high-quality reviews and testimonials to boost your business.
1. Capture Customer Reviews During the Buying Process
Reviews in the buying process captures feedback when your customers are most engaged. A seamless process makes it feel natural and not forced, increases response rates, and gets more detailed feedback, which is key to getting valuable insights.
To make this work:
- Request reviews a few days after the purchase is complete or the product is delivered.
- Use follow-up emails or order confirmation pages to prompt the request; keep it part of the flow.
- Put a note inside the package thanking the customer and ask them to leave feedback via a QR code, especially for physical products like clothing where unboxing is a big part of the experience.
RaveCapture helps you include the customer review request in your process. You can use it to send automated emails and collect your buyers’ replies. This gentle nudge turns happy customers into loyal reviewers and gets you honest, actionable feedback to inform your decisions.
2. Ask About Specific Aspects of the Product
Asking for feedback on specific parts of your product gets detailed and useful reviews. When you ask your customers specific questions they will be more likely to give you valuable insights.
For example, instead of asking, “How did you like the product?” ask something like:
- “Was the sizing or fit accurate compared to the product description?”
- “Was the product easy to assemble or use as expected?”
This way, your potential customers can make better purchase decisions based on the feedback that matters most.
More specific feedback tips:
- Ask about product usability or specific features like durability or ease of use.
- Ask questions on customer satisfaction surveys about areas you want to improve.
- Use feedback forms that allow open-ended responses to get more detailed feedback.
3. Use Post-Purchase SMS to Capture Review Requests
While email is popular, SMS can be faster and more personal. People check their text messages much more than their emails, so SMS is a great way to engage with customers. A friendly and timely message can get immediate action.
Research shows SMS has an open rate of 98%, much higher than email. So your review request is more likely to be seen and acted upon when sent via text. By leveraging this you can get customer reviews and insights that would otherwise be missed through traditional methods.
To get the most out of SMS review requests:
- Keep it short and sweet: Use a direct link to the review platform and keep the message brief.
- Timing is everything: Send the SMS 7 to 21 days after a successful transaction or when the customer has had time to use the product.
- Personalize your message: Include the customer’s name and product details for a more personal touch that increases response rates.
SMS gets the feedback loop moving and captures feedback from happy customers before they lose interest and leave negative reviews.
4. Make it Easy to Leave a Review
Make it easy for your customers to leave a review, and you’ll get more participation and better insights. Clear and simple instructions so customers can do it quickly without frustration. Include step-by-step guides in your follow-up emails, on your website or even in your product packaging to guide them through the process.
For example, if you run an auto accessories store, you could send an email saying:
“Thanks for buying our car seat covers! Click the link below to leave a review, rate the product and tell us how it’s working for you.“
This clear message makes the review process easy and keeps customers engaged.
Pitfalls to avoid:
- Too many steps: A complicated process will lower response rates.
- Vague instructions: Be clear about what to do and where to go.
- Assuming tech-savviness: Offer multiple easy ways to leave feedback, like a link to your review platform or Google Business Profile.
With RaveCapture, collecting reviews is easy. RaveCapture lets you get product reviews, company reviews, Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys and fit ratings all through user-friendly, customizable review forms. It makes it easy for your customers and gets more participation and valuable insights for your business.
5. Use User-Generated Content as Reviews
Not all reviews have to be written. User-generated content (UGC) like Instagram posts, tweets or unboxing videos can be great reviews to collect. Why? Because they often show more authenticity – people trust real customer experiences over scripted reviews. UGC adds a personal touch that resonates with people and offers social proof that can be more powerful than traditional reviews.
Ask your customers to tag your brand in their social media posts and feature this content in your review section on your website or product pages. Highlighting UGC can turn happy customers into loyal advocates.
Tips to get more UGC:
- Run a social media campaign: Offer small rewards or feature customers on your pages when they post using your products.
- Use review software like RaveCapture: Collect UGC reviews easily with RaveCapture, simplify the process and capture content across multiple social media platforms.
- Create a hashtag campaign: Ask customers to use a specific hashtag when posting about your product so you can track and share their feedback.
By incorporating UGC into your customer feedback strategy you get a richer and more authentic user experience and higher customer loyalty and conversion rates.
6. Apply Pop-ups to Capture Customer Reviews
Pop-ups are small windows that appear on a website, usually asking the visitor to do something. Well timed pop-ups can be a great way to get customer feedback while the customer is still engaged on your site.
A pop-up after a purchase can ask the customer to leave a review and increase the chances of getting positive feedback while the experience is still fresh. The key is to make the pop-up not intrusive and easy to close so it doesn’t disrupt the user experience.
Tips to use pop-ups effectively:
- Choose the right moment: Trigger the pop-up after a successful transaction, during a positive experience or after the customer has had time to use the product.
- Design matters: Keep it clean, simple and on brand. Don’t overwhelm the user with too much information.
- Frequency control: Don’t show the pop-up too often, or the user will get frustrated and leave negative reviews or lower engagement.
7. Show Reviews in Retargeting Ads
Using customer feedback in your retargeting ads can supercharge your marketing. When potential customers see reviews while being retargeted, they are more likely to trust your product and buy. Showing reviews in display or social media ads gives your product credibility and makes it stand out. Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads, and even LinkedIn are great platforms on which to run retargeted ads with customer reviews.
For example, if you have an auto accessories store, a retargeting ad could show a satisfied customer’s review of your popular car seat covers and tell potential buyers why it’s a great product. Real customer experiences help build a connection and can influence buying decisions.
Tips to use retargeting ads with reviews:
- Mix text and star ratings: Include both written feedback and star ratings for a quick snapshot of customer satisfaction.
- Highlight features mentioned in reviews: Showcase the bits of your product that matter most to your audience.
- Target ads to specific audiences: Target customers who have shown interest in similar products to increase conversions.
By combining reviews with targeted retargeting, you increase your product’s social proof and conversion rates.
8. Add a Review Widget to Your Website
A review widget is a tool that allows you to show customer reviews on your website, usually on your homepage. This is important because it provides real time feedback from other customers, transparency and trust.
When visitors see reviews straight away they are more likely to make informed decisions and feel confident to buy. Also showing a review widget encourages new customers to leave their own feedback and create a continuous loop of social proof.
RaveCapture makes it easy to add custom review widgets that match your brand. Whether you want to embed customer photos, videos or text reviews, RaveCapture has flexible options to increase credibility.
The platform’s review widget features allow you to:
- Embed photos, videos and text testimonials on your site
- Show customer trust with a Trust Score Badge
- Create a Trust Page to feature the best customer experiences
- Boost SEO with review content filled with keywords
- Customize widgets to match your brand and website design
9. Show Reviews in Your Newsletters
Showing customer reviews or testimonials in your regular email newsletters is a great way to remind your audience of the value of your products. Highlighting real customer experiences not only reinforces trust but also encourages others to leave their own feedback. You could even create a “customer of the month” section to feature top reviewers and make the newsletter more engaging and interactive.
Tips to use reviews in newsletters:
- Personalize the content: Show reviews related to the products that a specific segment of customers have bought so the newsletter is more relevant to each reader.
- Use a call-to-action (CTA): Ask readers to leave their own reviews by including a link to your review platform, making it easy for them to do so.
- Keep reviews short and sweet: Choose short, impactful reviews with star ratings or photos to grab attention without overwhelming the reader.
Showing reviews in newsletters will keep your audience engaged and collect more customer feedback over time.
10. Turn Bad Reviews into Opportunities
Negative reviews don’t have to hurt your brand. In fact, they are an opportunity to show you value feedback and are committed to improvement. When you respond professionally and offer solutions, it shows accountability and can even increase trust. Potential customers pay attention to how businesses handle criticism, and a well-managed response can leave a good impression.
But how do you turn a bad review into a great testimonial? Here are two ways:
- Ask for a review update: Once the issue is fixed, contact the customer and ask them to update their review. A simple message like “We hope we’ve fixed the problem and if possible would love you to update your review” can turn a negative review into a success story.
- Engage on social media: If the customer shares their positive experience on social media after the issue is resolved, respond publicly to show your commitment. This can help show you care about customer satisfaction and turn a negative into a positive.
Getting customer reviews is key to growing your business and getting valuable feedback. From integrating review requests into the buying journey to using SMS for faster response, there are many ways to get feedback.
Strategies like user-generated content, review widgets, and turning bad reviews into opportunities will increase customer trust and convert browsers into buyers.
And with tools like RaveCapture, you can do it all with ease, from automating feedback requests to showing reviews on your site.