As someone who has spent over a decade in customer advocacy, reviews are my absolute jam. They offer invaluable insights into product-market fit, customer sentiment, and areas for improvement. Simply put, reviews make products and companies better. But getting reviews – especially thoughtful, detailed ones – is easier said than done. And keeping them updated? That poses its own set of challenges.
In this post, I’ll share my best tips for enticing customers to not only leave reviews but to craft thoughtful ones brimming with rich feedback. I’ll also reveal proven tactics to get customers to refresh reviews after they go stale.
If you’re more of the video-watching type, I cover everything below in under 7 minutes here.
Episode 2
The Power of Answered Reviews
I learned this early on in my career when I inherited an app with not a single new review for over a year. Meanwhile, our direct competitors boasted thousands. I’ll be honest – I panicked. But what I learned was game-changing: recent reviews matter far more than bulk quantity.
See, there’s a recency bias. Outdated reviews, even in large volumes, simply don’t captivate readers like a smaller number of your latest ones. Nor do the review sites weigh old reviews the same way they do with new ones. In fact, most review sites only attribute 3% of the score of a review over 24 months old. So rather than manically mass 50 reviews in one month for some award, drizzle in a few each month. Take the number you need for that review sites award inclusion (ex: 50 reviews in a year) and divide them by the weeks you have left, then aim for that as a weekly goal. This keeps your review feed fresh, timely, and relevant.
Now, for the magical review-enticing powers of answering feedback. When customers observe thoughtful back-and-forths in your reviews, it subconsciously primes them to participate.
So respond to every piece of feedback with care and detail, even negative ones. Show customers their voices are heard. Then, weave this into conversations: “We know reviews like the ones you read guide your decision. Please help fellow customers by sharing your experience.”
Give Clear Review Guidelines
If you want thoughtful reviews, ask thought-provoking questions! Share 2-3 focus areas you want covered. Perhaps it’s onboarding, support response times, or ease of use. Questions spark reflection.
And help them visualize effective reviews by linking examples. Don’t just set them free – guide them to success.
Repurpose Existing Content
Here’s a slick shortcut: repurpose your customers’ own content into reviews! If they’ve done webinars, podcasts, or written blogs for you, pump that material through an AI summarization tool to create a draft review.
Then say, “We consolidated your own words from [content name] into this draft review. Would you post this authentic feedback for us?”
Boom! Instant detailed review without them lifting a finger.
The Art of Refreshing Reviews
Almost all review sites count a refreshed review after a year as a shiny new entry. This lets you consistently vie for awards with a limited customer base. But how do you track eligibility?
I used to manually log review asks and receipts in a spreadsheet. I’d record exactly when I asked, when they posted, and the screenshot they forwarded of the reviewer site’s thank you message. This allowed me to know precisely when their review was left so I could time my update request.
Today, I use review management software that automatically reminds participants when it’s time to freshen their review. But manual tracking still does the trick if automated solutions are out of budget.
When asking for refreshed reviews, personalized video requests work remarkably well. Share why it matters so much to you and what accolade you’re vying for. Ask them to give shoutouts to specific team members they’ve worked with too – it means the world.
Pro tip: when they update their review, refresh your reply! Thank them profusely for making the extra effort to keep your product looking fantastic.
So there you have it – my best tactics for getting and keeping awesome customer reviews. Now go unleash the feedback floodgates!
