Knowing how to get online reviews for your business resourcefully is a key to staying competitive in the digital age. There are several tactics to ensure you’ll snag more ratings and feedback when you ask for reviews. Of course, one example never gets old – and that is requesting reviews at the right time.
Proper timing in review generation can increase response rates and following up with a happy customer can end things on a high and positive note. Figuring out the “when,” or the peak happiness point, as we at Thrive like to call it, is a critical first step in working out how to get good reviews.
And a lot of good reviews you must get. Think about when consumers encounter two products with similar ratings: Who are they likely to pick? It’s the one with more reviews (SAGE Journals, 2017). And it’s an even bigger plus if most of them are positive reviews. Other studies say favorable responses compel people to convert. This could be as simple as clicking on a company website or as profitable as buying products 31 percent more of the time from the same business.
The quality and quantity of online business reviews play a big part in those scenarios. They speak of your company’s credibility while reducing a client or customer’s uncertainty about a product, service or brand. Another significant benefit is that it boosts online presence. Google displays ratings and reviews in search results, even using them as a ranking signal in local search engine optimization (SEO).
An abundance of glowing reviews helps you build your online reputation and bolster your bottom line. So let’s talk about how to increase reviews for your business using one of the most productive tools out there: time.
How To Increase Reviews: Just Ask
Knowing the best time for seeking online business reviews requires asking for them in the first place. Are you starting out with your review generation services or revamping your online reputation management or ORM marketing efforts? Be proactive and ask for feedback.
A survey conducted found that 77 percent of consumers were willing to leave reviews when prompted by a local business. And many things have changed over the last four years for the better. People are not just willing to leave reviews; they are writing them. Last year, 72 percent said they had left reviews for a local business, up from 66 percent in 2019.
Here are the top five sites for online business reviews:
• Google My Business (Stay with us to learn some tips on how to how to ask for reviews on Google)
• Bing Places for Business
• Facebook Reviews (We also have the lowdown on how to ask for reviews on Facebook effectively)
• Better Business Bureau
• Yelp
The Best Time To Get Reviews for Your Business
At Thrive, we recommend you get reviews for your business right after a service is rendered or an invoice is paid. That’s when the client or customer is at their happiest. And we refer to this time as the peak happiness point.
“The fresher an experience is in the client/customer’s mind, the more meaningful the review will be,” said Rachel Webber, Thrive’s reputation consultant. “For example, some reviewers may just leave a star rating with no content if they only remember their experience vaguely, whereas a more recent customer will be more likely to share details about their experience (‘Our server, Jamil, was very kind and attentive. The guacamole was very fresh!’).”
Of course, there is no “perfect” rule that applies to all industries at once. So, who should be studying how to get reviews immediately?
Webber said that “this timing works best for businesses with a higher volume of customers [and only interact with them] for a limited amount of time.”
Some examples are expected, such as restaurants and online stores. Following Amazon’s lead, smaller-scale eCommerce brands have mastered how to ask for Google reviews. But others, like car wash companies, chiropractic centers and drive-through pharmacies can also benefit from knowing how to ask for reviews on Facebook or Google immediately.
Factors That Influence the Best Time To Ask for Reviews
The peak happiness point, or any time-appropriate survey openness indicator, applies to certain types of businesses. But it can also vary depending on other factors. Consider the following if you want to balance when and how to get reviews:
Whether the Peak Happiness Point Happens Now or Later
Those companies that don’t fall under the category mentioned above may be wondering when and how to get customers to leave reviews. Delaying reviews might work for you if your clients require some time to appreciate your service results.
“For example, a tattoo takes a few weeks to heal. We wouldn’t want to reach out to a tattoo artist’s client when their tattoo may still be hurting, peeling or itching. So we might wait a few weeks when the skin is fully healed, and the customer is happy with the way the art looks,” said Webber.
Customer Touchpoints That Require Review Generation Services
Maybe you’re thinking about how to get online reviews for your small business or online store effectively. Unlike tattoo artists, restaurants or chiropractors, you can get online reviews for your business at various customer touchpoints. You may have different schedules for each point of contact. If you’re delivering products, you may have to wait a week to a month after purchase before asking for a product and delivery review. But when providing customer support, it’s possible to get reviews for your business immediately.
If this is your case, grasping how to get good reviews while running daily operations might complicate things. A business reputation management company can simplify the process for you, specifically one that offers review monitoring services across multiple digital touchpoints.
Significant Trends That Shift Customer Behavior
Strategic ORM marketing specialists study the trends regularly. They understand that customer behavior determines review send schedules, and it shifts from time to time. In 2020, the pandemic drove a few trends governing how to get customers to leave reviews. At Thrive, we statistically saw the most success on Fridays and into the weekend. However, with COVID-19 restrictions being lifted this year, people are getting busier or traveling during weekends. They may have less time to check their computer or prioritize other activities while using their phones.
Other Factors
Sometimes, understanding how to get customers to leave reviews effectively takes time. You’re probably new to business reputation management altogether, so there’s no prior data to work with. Or your current database, segmentation and the resulting data need to be updated.
A quick Google search gives you the information on how to get online reviews for your small business. But the peak happiness point for customers in your niche or industry is not readily available, or you find standard time slots that are mostly generalized or outdated.
One solution to this problem is to hire an ORM marketing firm with extensive experience in your space. This way, you can take the guesswork out of scheduling and leverage the data it possesses.
Read on to find out how to ask customers for reviews via the top search and social platforms, Google and Facebook.
Quick Tips on How To Ask for Reviews
While you’re determining the best time to send out review requests, work on how to get good reviews with the following tips and tricks:
How To Request Google Reviews
Here’s how to ask for Google reviews, which 57 percent of consumers consult before buying anything:
- Ensure your Google My Business (GMB) is up to date. Use your custom link to send customers to the review page.
- Here’s how to request Google reviews like a pro: send them with a sticker personalized by Google. You can find this on the Google Marketing Kit.
- Craft compelling copy for your feedback form.
How To Ask for Reviews on Facebook
How to ask customers for reviews:
- Don’t be shy. Leverage Facebook’s reach, engagement and connection. You can ask for reviews via chat or your timeline.
- Make it visual, easy and fun.
How To Get Online Reviews for Your Small Business
If you’re new to online reviews or need a refresher on how to request Google reviews, here are a few starting points:
- Create some space between the first and second review requests. And limit yourself to two sends with at least a one-week interval.
- Go beyond focusing on how to ask for reviews on Google and explore other sites your customers are likely to engage with.
- Make sure to respond to reviews to increase your chances of capturing new leads and, eventually, customers.
- Instead of individually researching how to ask for Google reviews, Facebook reviews, Yelp reviews and so on, manage everything in one place via the Thrive review widget. You can add the widget to your site and make reviewing your company a swift and enjoyable task for people.
Schedule Seamlessly
Peak happiness point is an important tool in your quest to get online reviews for your business. It informs you when and how to ask for reviews on Google. It adds to your confidence regarding how to ask customers for reviews. Also, it allows you to understand your customers more.
Customer satisfaction is at the core of figuring out how to request Google reviews, Facebook reviews, etc. You want to know when is the best time to get feedback to avoid being disruptive. However, doing it right means you have to gather data, schedule review sends and monitor responses day in and day out. In this regard, you need an ORM marketing strategy that encompasses all of these tasks to be effective in the long run. Better yet, leave the strategy creation and more to the experts (and automation tools!).
Here at Thrive, our business reputation management capabilities are amplified by our cutting-edge reputation management software. This multi-purpose dashboard lets our clients see all the essential details in one go. It automates our suite of review management, review response and review generation services. All of these are designed to deliver on the quality and quantity of online reviews.
Snag more positive reviews starting today when you download our free Thrive review widget. And if you want the full software experience, drop us a message or call 727.777.6206.
