The Monster List Of Ideas To Generate Reviews
An extensive list of ideas to generate reviews for your business.
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1. Actionable Schema
Make it easier for customers to review you! Send an email with action schema, which allows customers to write a review quickly without even opening your mail. These emails are often known as transactional emails. Google has a great explanation on adding markups to the email.
Have a look at this end-to-end implementation of a Review Email Schema.
2. Find Local Bloggers
Local bloggers are a great way to get the word out about your business and their reviews also act as a source of authority on sites like Urbanspoon who use trusted reviews as a metric.
3. Embeddable QR Codes on Posters & Cards
QR codes skip a few steps and take the customer to the exact place where they need to be in order to write a review by simply scanning the code. This makes the process of writing a review much easier, increasing the likelihood of your business receiving reviews.
4. Review Handouts
Review Handouts are printable instructions for writing a review for your business on top of directory listing sites like Google and Yelp. Instructions are pretty easy and detailed, and this makes it easier for users to go through the instructions and review your business.
Here is an example of a Review Handout from WhiteSpark.
5. Send out Thank You Postcards
Sending Thank You cards to your customer makes them feel special, and at the same time, it also gives a boost to your relationship with them. Make sure you follow up the services rendered to them with a ‘Thank You’ card with the QR code which might even lead to them giving you a good review.
6. Generate reviews via Facebook advertising.
Facebook Custom Audience targeting is a great way to drive reviews. This nifty feature allows you to target specific customers by their email address, name or Facebook profile. All you’ll need to do is collect customer emails or profiles and create ads targeting them requesting reviews.
7. Pop Ups.
Display a pop-up or modal on your website requesting users to add a review. While setting this up, ensure that you’re not displaying it more than once for every customer.
8. Website Review Widgets.
Embed a review widget like Synup’s or BrightLocal’s Review Plugin on your website and use this to drive more reviews to your profiles. Not only is this a great way to link customers directly to your profiles on different sites, but is also a great way to generate reviews organically.
Here some good widgets for your website to get you started :
Google Review Widget
Trip Advisor
9. WordPress Review Widgets.
On top of generic website review widgets, there are also specific review widgets built just for WordPress. These provide better user experience and also come with features to let you control what reviews you want to display for customers.
Here some good plugin widgets for your website to get you started :
Embed Yelp Review
Google + Review
10. Twitter Advertising.
Similar to Facebook, you can also target a specific audience using Twitter. This allows you to advertise to customers who have already visited your store or business and remind them to leave a review for your business.
Here is a breif: https://business.twitter.com/solutions/username-targeting
11. Promotional Material
Many review sites like Yelp, Urbanspoon or Google will provide you with free or cheap promotional material that you can use to request users to leave reviews on your profile pages.
12. Stickers & Posters on your store front.
You can also use stickers and posters in your storefront to encourage more reviews.
13. Email exisitng Customers.
Once you have a mailing list of existing customers, be sure to follow up by sending them emails, requesting feedback for the product bought or service already offered.
14. Use check-in offers from FourSquare.
You can run a check-in offer on Foursquare to generate more walk-ins which could eventually result in reviews.
You will of course need to ensure that you provide good service to all of these walk-ins to ensure that customers review you positively.
15. Adding a 'Review Us' link on your emails.
It’s fairly simple to include a link to your Yelp or Google+ review page in your signature. This is a non-intrusive way of asking customers to follow or review you on these sites.
16. Provide free Wi-Fi.
This will encourage more people to login to your Wi-Fi and will encourage them to check-in or add more reviews. Moreover, you can also list in Wi-Fi friendly directories.
17. Update your online profiles.
Setup and update your major business listings on websites where you want your customers to review you. Ensure that you’re active on these sites so that customers can see!
18. Setting up Review Landing Pages.
Setup a review landing page on your website and make it easier for customers to review you. Link it with your testimonials page on your website.
19. Video Reviews
Almost everyone is walking around with a smartphone nowadays, so lets put them to good use. You can easily take a video testimonial of your happy customers during or after service.
20. Meetup & Events
Not only is this a lot more personalized, but it’ll help your business stay unique, original and stand out.
21. Respond Pro-Actively to Reviews
It’s fairly simple to include a link to your Yelp or Google+ review page in your signature. This is a non-intrusive way of asking customers to follow or review you on these sites.
22. Make your store Interesting.
If there’s something fun, funky or interesting about your store, it increases the chances of a potential customer adding a review of your business.
23. Discounts for Reviews
Give people discounts on their next purchase if they write a review for you. Send it in an email or perhaps right after purchase on the website.
24. Identify Potential Reviewers
It’s always a good idea to ask your customer where they found you. If they found you on a review site, there’s a high probability that they’re going to review you online.
25. Just ask them.
If you want something in life ASK for it, otherwise never complain that you did not get it. The same goes for reviews. Setup a process, inculcate the practice within your organization to ask customers to review you.
