With over 45,000 online businesses reviewed on SiteJabber<\/span><\/a>, we\u2019ve had the opportunity to study what works for business owners \u2013 so, it is our pleasure to bring you the five best practices for leveraging consumer reviews to build trust and earn more loyal customers.<\/p>\n 1. Choose the right review platform and reputation strategy 2. Be proactive about your online reputation 3. Continually ask for feedback to improve, engage and show off 4. Respond to every good <\/b>and<\/b><\/span> bad review 5. Use bad review reviews to help<\/em> your business Final tip: getting started should be completely free So with all that said, good luck and may your online business reputation grow and help you to succeed!<\/p>\n —<\/p>\n![\"Vector](\"https:\/\/www.yola.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Fotolia_61959083_XS.jpg\")
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\n<\/b>Choosing a credible, consumer-focused review platform is critical to building trust with prospective customers. While it may be tempting to pay for thousands of glowing 5-star reviews, consumers are smart and can spot phony reviews and phony non-consumer-focused review sites a mile away. An eConsultancy Survey<\/span><\/a> recently uncovered that 68% of consumers actually trust reviews more when they see both good and bad ratings <\/i><\/b>and in 2010<\/span><\/a>, researchers from Stanford found that negative reviews can increase sales. On SiteJabber, we\u2019ve found that the best performing businesses methodically build a collection of legitimate reviews from real customers and don\u2019t sweat the occasional bad ones, as they know that their success in the long-run depends on building real trust with real customers.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>If you still have some concerns about negative reviews, the best way to get out in front of them is by claiming and developing your online reputation as soon as possible.\u00a0 You can use consumer review sites to tell your business\u2019s unique story through text and pictures and invite customers to review you. Having a well-developed online profile on review sites can be a valuable tool to generate new business, but also should your business receive a negative review, it can be read in the broader context of your business.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>The mere act of asking for feedback can signal to your customers that you care and can inspire greater loyalty<\/span><\/a>. And by listening to fans and critics alike, you can equip yourself with the knowledge to continually improve your business. While you can certainly collect this feedback privately, using a public review service can be particularly useful because it gives you the chance to resolve issues with unhappy customers before they cut and paste their complaint all over the web. Additionally, collecting reviews publicly is a great way to show off to prospective customers how much existing customers love you\u2014even one great review can be read by thousands of your potential customers.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>On SiteJabber, we\u2019ve found that ecommerce businesses that respond to every review tend to receive better reviews over time and as a consequence, more business. We recommend publicly thanking all reviewers regardless of how they\u2019ve reviewed your business because it communicates to existing and potential customers that you care, and it doesn\u2019t look like you\u2019re only doing damage control when you respond to a negative review. Smart consumers can easily identify engaged, customer-centric companies and reward them with more business.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>One of the most amazing things we see on SiteJabber is how often business owners are able to establish a human connection with a grumpy reviewer that results in the reviewer giving the business a second chance. If you feel like you can resolve a customer\u2019s complaint, it\u2019s often best to send a private message offering a resolution. Once the customer\u2019s concern has been satisfied, you can then politely ask the customer to reconsider their review. One study<\/span><\/a> found that 95% of unhappy customers will return if an issue is resolved quickly and efficiently. And don\u2019t forget, your public responses will be viewable to potential customers. These prospects will see your commitment to providing customers with the best possible experience, even if you\u2019re not able to reach a resolution.<\/p>\n
\n<\/b>For ecommerce business owners, claiming and managing your basic business profile on review sites shouldn\u2019t cost you anything.\u00a0 Avoid services that charge to remove reviews or otherwise promise to \u201cmanage your reputation.\u201d Also avoid sites that charge by the number of reviews you collect and force you to gain a certain number of reviews in order to earn higher star ratings. These sites\u2019 pricing and services are not aligned with the success of your business.<\/p>\n