There are some important reasons to get online reviews for your business. In our tech-driven world, it’s no surprise we turn to the internet for just about everything. Not only do we make countless purchases online, but we also research those purchases well before we take the plunge.

In many cases, that involves scouring the web for customer reviews. These online reviews are seen as trustworthy commentary. In fact, many people trust online reviews from complete strangers just as much as personal recommendations from someone they know! And if your business has very few or only negative reviews, you’re going to have a hard time competing. Let’s discuss why you should make online review generation a priority and how to get more customers to share their feedback on a public forum.

Why Should I Care About Online Reviews?

Without any reviews for your business, customers will have a hard time trusting you. It’s rare that someone will be willing to take a chance on a brand that doesn’t have much in the way of proven customer interaction. Your website might look great and your products or services might be top-notch. But scams are simply too prevalent in the digital age; customers want to avoid getting ripped off or having a poor customer experience. As a result, they’ll be inclined to seek out alternatives that have received some sort of online endorsement from real-life customers.

The occasional negative review may not matter too much, especially if you respond in a way that customers will like. But if you have too many of these reviews, it’ll make it much harder to build customer trust and manage your reputation online. When a business has less than three stars on a popular forum, they may struggle to compete.

Keep in mind that online reviews matter in more ways than one. They can help or hinder your online reputation, but they can also drive traffic to your website and serve as a lead generation tool. Because they’re often permanent, online reviews can help you get more out of your marketing budget (especially when compared to something like a paid ad). There are also a number of platforms you can utilize for online review generation, which makes it possible to spread the word about your business and make it more likely for your brand to show up in Google search results.

With all that in mind, it’s clear that online reviews play a critical role in the marketing and promotion of your business. So how can you generate online reviews? Check out the tips below.

How Can I Get More Online Reviews For My Business?

• Just Ask!

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Because most people won’t go out of their way to write a review unless they’ve had a negative experience, you may need to gently remind customers to share their thoughts. Whether it’s in person, in an email blast, or in a social media post, it doesn’t hurt to simply ask (though you should be careful not to bombard them with requests).

• Establish Different Platforms.

As stated above, there are several different review sites and platforms that make it easy for customers to leave feedback. Yelp, Google My Business, Facebook, BBB, and other platforms can help you spread the word and encourage customers to support your business in a few words. Diversifying where you direct customers can heighten your profile and help you appear more prominently in SERPs.

• Keep It Simple.

No one wants to jump through a bunch of hoops just to leave a review for your business, even if they love supporting you. For best results, aim to eliminate complications and frustrations. Include links in your emails and on your website, keep the feedback process short and sweet, and don’t make them guess where to go or what to say. Simplicity is key; if it takes only 30 seconds to a minute to share their thoughts, they’ll realize how easy it is to show their love for your business.

Summary
Clearly, online reviews hold a lot of power — so you need to devote some effort to review generation. While there’s no guarantee that customers will leave a review (and you need to be careful about incentivizing positive reviews), these tips will make it more likely that they’ll take the time to share their thoughts.