{"id":25636,"date":"2017-04-11T11:17:35","date_gmt":"2017-04-11T09:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/respondelligent.com\/?p=25636"},"modified":"2020-04-07T22:44:51","modified_gmt":"2020-04-07T20:44:51","slug":"generate-online-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/respondelligent.com\/en\/generate-online-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Generate more online reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”0px||0px|”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider height=”20″ color=”#ffffff” show_divider=”off” divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”on” \/][et_pb_text text_orientation=”center” text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#bcbcbc” text_letter_spacing=”2px” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” background_layout=”light” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”] FREE TIPS & TRICKS [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text text_orientation=”center” max_width=”660px” text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_font_size=”72″ text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_text_color=”#1d1d1d” text_line_height=”1.1em” custom_margin=”18px||80px|” background_layout=”light” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.59″ header_font=”PT Sans||||” header_font_size=”72px” header_font_size_tablet=”52px” header_font_size_phone=”42px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_text_color=”#000000″ header_line_height=”1.1em”]<\/p>\n

Generate more online reviews<\/h1>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/alex_blog.png” animation=”off” sticky=”on” align=”center” custom_margin=”-48px|||” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” \/][et_pb_text text_orientation=”center” text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_font_size=”18″ text_text_color=”#323232″ text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”14px||0px|” background_layout=”light” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”] Alexander Zaugg<\/strong><\/span>, Founder [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text text_orientation=”center” text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#363636″ custom_margin=”0px|||” background_layout=”light” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\n

11\u00a0April 2017<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”0px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text max_width=”620px” text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_font_size=”24″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”40px||0px|” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.59″]<\/p>\n

R<\/span><\/strong>esponses are only needed if there are reviews, and reviews are a savvy way to get more user generated content about your local business \u2013 for free!<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already talked a lot about how to deal with online reviews and how you can leverage them to support your business. But in this post we want to share how to actually get online reviews -precisely how to get more of them posted at your most relevant sites, while securing good quality.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text max_width=”620px” text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_font_size=”20″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”30px||0px|” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.59″]<\/p>\n

Level 1 \u2013 Where \/ which platforms?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you are opening a new business, you probably can\u2019t wait for your first online review \u2013 don\u2019t worry, they will come and once started, they won\u2019t stop. Prepare yourself!<\/p>\n

Firstly, you need to determine on which platforms (e.g. Google, TripAdvisor) you\u2019d like to be present<\/strong> and if you\u2019d like to collect reviews on your own page.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get started with the easier part \u2013 reviews on platforms. Depending on the kind of business and your location, you have a wide choice on which platforms you\u2019d like to focus on. We\u2019ve created a list that should help you to decide. However, we believe big players like Google, Facebook and TripAdvisor should be in your set of considerations. So before someone else opens your business as a listing on these platforms, do it yourself and claim your business. Ensure to upload your contact details, logo, nice pictures and opening hours<\/strong>. Like that, even if there are no reviews yet, you make it easier for potential customers to find you.<\/p>\n

Once your customers start writing reviews on these platforms, make sure you respond to them diligently and use them advantageously.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to collect reviews on your own site, you can do that in order to make your homepage more authentic (testimonials)<\/strong> and drive traffic to your own page instead of review platforms. This makes particular sense if you are an already well-established business with\u00a0 lots of regulars. In case you are fairly new in the game, we recommend focusing on big review platforms in order to be found more easily on search engines.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”620px” custom_padding=”50px|||” padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” parallax_method_1=”off” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_divider color=”#aeaeac” show_divider=”on” divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”off” \/][et_pb_text max_width=”900px” text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_font_size=”32″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_line_height=”1.3em” custom_margin=”16px||30px|” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.59″]<\/p>\n

\u201cDon’t get the most, but real and good quality online reviews\u201d<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#aeaeac” show_divider=”on” divider_style=”solid” divider_position=”top” hide_on_mobile=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text max_width=”620px” text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_font_size=”20″ text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_line_height=”1.5em” custom_margin=”30px||0px|” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.59″]<\/p>\n

Level 2 \u2013 How to encourage customers to leave reviews?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, the short answer is, just ask them! But as usual, that\u2019s only half the truth \u2013 especially taking platforms like yelp.com into consideration, who have a very strict policy in place which doesn\u2019t allow business owners to ask customers directly to leave feedback. Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but yelp wants to be a very objective place in order to keep up their reliability, knowing that business owners only ask happy customers to leave reviews. However, this is so far the only platform we know with this strict policy in place and even for this case there are solutions, which we\u2019ll highlight later on.<\/p>\n

When encouraging customers to leave online reviews, we need to differentiate between doing this online or offline. Let\u2019s start with the easier part \u2013 online.<\/p>\n

The simplest way is, if you have email addresses for your customers<\/strong> (if you don\u2019t have them, start to collect them). So next time you send your customers a newsletter, copy in the link of your relevant review-site or your own homepage and ask them to leave some honest feedback. This should be avoided for yelp, but feel free with Facebook, TripAdvisor or Google.<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have email addresses yet, let visitors of your homepage know where they can rate you. Place badges \/ logos from your relevant platforms on your page and link them to your business<\/strong>. These badges \/ logos can be downloaded from most platforms (e.g. TripAdvisor<\/a>). You can also use a good review as a testimonial, but ask the reviewer first.<\/p>\n

On social media you can ask your followers as well to leave an honest review<\/strong> \u2013 for example, after a big event of yours. Just be sure to put your request into context and not just fish for compliments, nobody likes that. Another good option on social media is simply to share a good review you\u2019ve received<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The trickier way, but in our experience more powerful, is to transform the \u201coffline\u201d customer experience into an online-review<\/strong>. Meaning, ask your customers who stayed a night in your hotel or enjoyed a fabulous meal in your restaurant to leave a review. There are many ways to do so \u2013 we list here the ones, where we have had good feedbacks from our customers:<\/p>\n