How To Make The Best Of 3rd Party Reviews

As a business owner, you know that reviews from third-party sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor can make or break your reputation and revenue. While you have no direct control over what customers post on these platforms, you do have influence over how you respond and interact. The key is to make the best of third-party reviews by cultivating them as a valuable source of feedback and an opportunity to build goodwill.

By monitoring 3rd party sites regularly, promptly and thoughtfully responding to all reviews, and analyzing trends to improve, you can turn even critical comments into a chance to strengthen your relationship with customers and boost your brand. With the right mindset and strategy, third-party reviews can become one of your most useful tools for growth rather than a source of stress. This article will help you make the best of reviews, and ensure your business thrives in today's socially-connected world.

The Importance of Reviews for E-Commerce Fashion Brands

For e-commerce fashion brands, online reviews are invaluable. They build trust and credibility, which are essential for customer acquisition and loyalty.

Authenticity and Transparency

Reviews show potential customers that real people have purchased and tried your products. This transparency establishes authenticity and trustworthiness. Negative reviews also add credibility by demonstrating you do not censor or hide complaints. Address negative reviews promptly and professionally.

Social Proof

When customers see many positive reviews, it reassures them of the quality and value of your products. This “social proof” effect motivates new customers to purchase. Aim for a minimum of 50-100 reviews to achieve social proof.

SEO Benefits

Reviews contain keywords and long-form content, which search engines use to determine search rankings. The more reviews you have, the more opportunity for high rankings. Respond to reviews to generate even more content.

Product Improvements

Pay close attention to reviews to gain valuable customer feedback. Look for common complaints or requests to discover ways to improve your products or service. Then communicate changes to build goodwill.

Loyalty and Repeat Customers

Satisfied customers who leave positive reviews demonstrate brand loyalty. They are also most likely to make repeat purchases. Feature your most loyal reviewers on social media or your website to spotlight your brand advocates.

In summary, online reviews should be an integral part of your e-commerce strategy. Put in the effort to generate reviews, respond thoughtfully, and then leverage them to build your brand and boost sales. Authenticity, social proof, SEO, product improvements, and loyalty are all benefits of a robust review program.

How to Monitor and Analyze Reviews From 3rd Party Sites

To get the most value from third-party reviews of your business or product, you need to regularly monitor and analyze them.

Check Major Sites Daily

Check major review sites like Yelp, Google, and Facebook at least once a day to stay on top of new reviews. Respond promptly to both positive and negative reviews. For positive reviews, thank the customer for their kind words. For negative reviews, acknowledge the reviewer's experience, apologize, and ask follow up questions to better understand their concerns. Let them know you will use their feedback to improve.

Look for Trends and Take Action

Pay attention to trends in the reviews. Are customers frequently mentioning the same positive or negative points? Make operational changes to address critical issues. Are certain locations or products getting lower ratings? Investigate why and make improvements. Track ratings over time to see if changes you implement are having a positive impact.

Promote and Curate Reviews

Promote reviews on social media and your website to build trust. Curate reviews by selecting highlights that showcase your strengths. Be transparent that you are featuring select reviews, not manipulating them. Never edit or remove negative reviews, as that violates review policies and the law in many places.

Respond Professionally

Always maintain a professional, courteous tone in your responses, even to harsh reviews. Do not argue or make excuses. Your goal is to listen, reassure the customer, take accountability, and make things right if possible. How you respond and whether issues get resolved can greatly influence a customer's perception of your business.

With time and effort, monitoring and cultivating third-party reviews will become second nature and an invaluable part of your customer service strategy. Staying on top of reviews and responding thoughtfully is one of the best ways to build loyalty and turn critics into lifelong customers.

Responding to Negative Reviews Constructively

Responding to negative reviews in a constructive manner is key to maintaining a positive brand reputation. When addressing unfavorable critiques, keep the following tips in mind:

Remain Professional

Respond to all reviews, positive or negative, in a courteous and professional tone. Do not get defensive or attack the reviewer. Thank them for their feedback and acknowledge their concerns. Explain that you take all reviews seriously in your efforts to continuously improve.

Apologize Sincerely

If the review points out a legitimate issue with your product or service, apologize sincerely for the customer's poor experience. Take responsibility for the mistake and assure the reviewer that you will address the problem to prevent similar experiences for other customers going forward.

Provide Solutions

Where applicable, offer solutions or next steps to remedy the situation. For example, you may offer a refund or exchange if the issue cannot be resolved. Be transparent in explaining how you will make things right and rebuild the customer's confidence and trust in your business.

Improve and Take Action

Negative reviews often highlight areas where a business can improve. Review the feedback objectively and evaluate if any operational or product changes need to be made. Even if you disagree with the reviewer's comments, others may share their perspective. Make incremental improvements to address the overall feedback and comment publicly on the actions you have taken.

Follow Up Privately

If possible, follow up privately with the customer to have a constructive conversation. Let them know you have received their feedback and want to make things right. Speaking directly can help diffuse the situation, clarify any misunderstandings, and rebuild your relationship with the customer. Address their concerns with empathy and understanding.

Responding to negative reviews in a positive, solution-focused manner demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction. Handling critiques constructively and improving based on feedback will build your reputation and consumer loyalty over the long run. Make the most of third party reviews by learning from them at every opportunity.

Turning Reviews Into Marketing Opportunities

Turning reviews into marketing opportunities allows you to leverage third-party validation to build trust and credibility with potential customers.

Address Negative Reviews

Address any negative reviews promptly and professionally. Respond to the reviewer publicly, thank them for their feedback, and explain how you will resolve their issue or dissatisfaction. Apologize for their poor experience and reiterate your commitment to quality and customer service. This demonstrates to future customers how you handle problems and turn complaints into good outcomes.

Promote Positive Reviews

Promote highly positive reviews on your website and social media. Feature excerpts that highlight your key strengths and value propositions. Link to the full review so visitors can read the details and authenticity for themselves. Ask happy customers if you can use their reviews in your marketing efforts and advertising. Quotes and testimonials from real customers are very persuasive.

Build a Reviews Page

Compile reviews from various platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp onto a dedicated “Reviews” page on your website. This makes it easy for visitors to see the breadth of your reviews in one place. You can organize reviews by source/platform or filter by star rating. Update this page regularly as new reviews come in to keep content fresh.

Respond and Engage

Respond to as many reviews as possible, both positive and negative. Thank your reviewers for taking the time to provide feedback. For positive reviews, ask follow up questions to encourage further engagement and dialog. Build personal connections and relationships with your reviewers and their network. Engaging with reviewers and their audiences can expand your reach and influence.

Offer Incentives

Consider offering incentives in exchange for honest reviews. Make it clear that you welcome both positive and negative feedback, and the incentive is not contingent on a five-star rating. Free or discounted products, account credits, and exclusive offers are examples of incentives you can provide to your customers in return for a review. This can motivate more people to review your business, increasing your overall reviews volume.

Using Review Data to Improve Products and Services

Third-party reviews provide valuable insights into how your products and services are perceived by customers. Analyzing review data and making changes based on the feedback can significantly improve your offering and build brand loyalty.

Monitor Review Sites Regularly

Check sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, and Facebook Reviews frequently to stay on top of the latest reviews. Look for trends in the comments to identify areas that could use improvement. Respond professionally to both positive and negative reviews, thanking the customers for their feedback.

Address Legitimate Complaints

If multiple reviewers point out the same issue, it likely needs to be addressed. Reach out to unsatisfied customers to apologize, clarify the situation, and determine how you can make things right. Then, work to resolve the underlying problem to prevent similar complaints going forward. Your responsiveness and solutions will be appreciated by the customers and build goodwill.

Highlight Positive Feedback

Positive reviews showing what your business does well are equally valuable. Look for themes in the praise and determine how to leverage your strengths. You might highlight selected positive reviews on your website or social media to build trust in potential customers. Let your staff know about the good feedback they have received—it will boost morale and encouragement continued great service.

Make Meaningful Changes

The key to leveraging third-party reviews is using the data to drive real improvements. Meet with your team to evaluate options for addressing issues and determine the changes that will have the biggest impact. It could be retraining staff, improving a product, updating policies or procedures, or streamlining a process. Roll out changes methodically by location or department and monitor reviews to measure the results and make further tweaks as needed.

With an effective review response and improvement strategy in place, third-party reviews can be an invaluable tool for strengthening your business and optimizing the customer experience. Paying close attention to feedback and making meaningful changes will turn customers into loyal brand advocates.

Conclusion

You now have the tools and knowledge to make the most of third-party reviews for your business. Monitoring reviews regularly, responding promptly, and taking action on key insights are the hallmarks of review marketing excellence. Your customers will appreciate your responsiveness and transparency.

Over time, consistent quality and service will be reflected in your star ratings and online reputation. While you can't please everyone, you can aim to address issues, learn from mistakes, and strengthen your relationships. Reviews are a chance to connect, gain valuable feedback, and build trust. Approach them with an open and willing attitude, focus on listening, and make reviews work for you. The rewards of review marketing done well are real. Your customers, and your business, will be better for it.

About Lykdat

Lykdat is a software development company in Amsterdam, providing customer-focused AI-powered solutions, to help fashion ecommerce businesses succeed.

We recently released Woven Insights, an AI-powered fashion analytics software, empowering fashion retailers, merchandisers, research teams, and manufacturers with accessible actionable fashion insights, by leveraging Artificial Intelligence.

Gone are the days when actionable fashion analytics was accessible only to larger, more financially robust fashion businesses. We are democratizing fashion intelligence with the most affordable pricing in the industry

Join the market leaders, and gain a high-level understanding of the fashion market, by leveraging insights from more than 40 million online shoppers and 2 million+ products from more than 120 of the top global fashion brands.

Learn more about Woven Insights.