Online reviews are the bread and butter of any local business looking to thrive on search engines—but getting even the most satisfied customers to leave a review is often easier said than done. Minimizing the steps required and keeping things as straightforward as possible is one of the best ways to help encourage reviews for your business, and this can be achieved with review software.
In this blog post, we’ll be examining the benefits of investing in review software and why you could be leaving money on the table without it. If that sounds applicable to your business, you’ll want to keep reading.
Online Reviews: As Good As Gold
There’s a good chance you’re already aware of the pivotal role that reviews can play when it comes to finding success online, but just in case, let us really emphasize their importance.
According to a 2023 study by BrightLocal, a whopping 98% of people reported that they read online reviews for local businesses. No matter which industry you’re in, you can bet that your target audience is looking at your reviews during the purchase decision process.
In addition to influencing consumer decisions, the quantity and quality of your reviews can significantly strengthen your online visibility. Search engines like Google prioritize businesses with higher ratings and more reviews because these factors indicate relevance and authority.
Finally, reviews provide you with a powerful opportunity to engage with your customers, gain valuable feedback, and demonstrate your company values.
But… Getting Reviews Can Be Hard
Let’s face it, leaving online reviews can often feel like a chore, and it quickly becomes an afterthought once a transaction has been completed. Getting your satisfied clients to take time out of their busy lives to navigate to your online profiles and figure out how to leave a review can often be the barrier that prevents them from bothering with the entire review process.
Here at LinkNow, we’ve learned that cutting out as many steps in the review process as possible is the best way to increase your chances of getting those much-desired testimonials. Our solution to this problem? Review generation software!
What Is Review Software?
Put simply, a review generation tool is a piece of software that collects your clients’ contact information and sends them messages with everything they need to review your business.
You start by uploading your contacts, which can be entered one by one or in bulk to speed things up. You can then send review generating templates via email or text message, providing the recipient with links to your various online business profiles, such as Google and Facebook, as well as clear instructions for how to share their testimonial.
But that’s not all. Many types of review software also offer additional features, such as the ability to get detailed reports on the success of your review generation campaign.
What Are the Advantages of Using a Review Generation Tool?
Automating the online review process will benefit both you and your clients. Here’s how!
1. Reduced Workload
First of all, you won’t have to worry about remembering to remind clients to leave a review at the end of a job. It will also save you a lot of time when it comes to messaging clients and explaining how each review platform works.
2. Higher Review Response Rate
Automated review tools send timely prompts to customers, encouraging them to share their experiences. With an easy-to-use review software, you’ll be rewarded with more positive reviews for less work—what could be better than that?
3. Detailed Reports and Analytics
Your review software will also likely provide valuable insights into customer sentiments and trends. By analyzing which messages result in more reviews, you can finetune and optimize your process over time.
4. Solicit Reviews Across Multiple Platforms
Review tools can streamline the process of collecting reviews on multiple platforms, which means you never have to prioritize one over the other. Whether it’s Google, Facebook, or industry-specific sites, review software ensures a broader reach and consistent presence across key review sites.
5. Personalization Options
Review generation software offers customizable templates that can be tailored to reflect your brand voice and style. Personalization increases the likelihood of customers responding because they will feel valued and recognized.
Does Review Software Violate Platform Policies?
Review generation tools don’t violate policies on review platforms when used correctly. Most review platforms encourage authentic feedback and transparency, and the software facilitates these principles by automating the review request process without altering or influencing the content of reviews.
However, businesses must ensure compliance by avoiding practices like incentivizing reviews or filtering negative feedback. Using review software responsibly promotes genuine customer opinions while adhering to platform guidelines. That said, always check the specific policies of each review site to ensure full compliance and avoid potential penalties.
LinkNow’s Review Generation Tool
Here at LinkNow, we were tired of hearing our clients complain about how hard it is to get good online reviews, so we took matters into our own hands. Our new review generation software has all of the features that we have discussed in this blog, including review generation by SMS and email, bulk uploading, and full reporting.
Our review generation software is compatible with over 150 review platforms, which means wherever you have a profile, you can guarantee we’ll be able to track it and help you get new testimonials.
You don’t have to take our word for it, though—tons of LinkNow clients have already seen their reviews skyrocket after adding our review generation tool. Several of our clients have gone from single-digit to triple-digit review counts with our software, which has also led to more website traffic and phone calls.
Start Getting More Reviews Today!
The importance of online reviews has only increased over the years, and it continues to trend upward. Without a solid review generation strategy and the accompanying tools, your business can quickly get overshadowed by companies investing in their online reputation.
If you are interested in learning more about LinkNow’s new review generation tool, we encourage you to click here or schedule a call with one of our reps.
