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Customer Review Sites: What they are & Top 9

Customer Review Sites are now an integral part of every customer journey. It is, therefore, essential for companies to deal extensively with rating portals. Here are some suggestions.

What are customer review sites?

Customer Review Sites are online platforms that enable consumers to make public opinions and ratings (ratings) on products, companies, or services. As a rule, individual review platforms serve specific industries, such as TripAdvisor for the tourism industry or Yelp for the catering and service industry. 

It is common for opinions to be given in standardized, quantitative ratings like stars or scores with rating portals. These quantitative assessments are usually justified by free text comments describing the brand or customer experience, i.e., the brand and customer experience . 

Rating portals have an opinion-forming function and significantly impact consumers’ purchasing decisions. Consumers use the opinions of other consumers to form an image of brands, products, services, and companies. The ratings, therefore, have a significant impact on consumer buying behavior .

Rating customer review sites as marketing tools

Review portals also have the aspect of a marketing tool. A good ranking on large review platforms can be a great help in customer acquisition because consumers tend to choose the first visible ads, i.e. those that are particularly highly ranked, as a possible purchase option, similar to Google, Amazon, Ebay. 

For this reason, more and more companies are setting themselves the goal within customer experience management of collecting as many positive reviews as possible to improve the ranking and thus be noticed by consumers as early as possible. 

In the third quarter of 2020, the rating portal Yelp.com was visited by around 55 million unique users via mobile devices and 43 million desktop users (source: Statista). These numbers illustrate the importance of review portals for companies and ensuring positive customer experiences to receive as many positive reviews as possible. 

The more positive this customer experience is, the more willing consumers are to reward this experience with a positive rating on a customer review site. The principle of the Net Promoter Score illustrates this clearly.

Importance of rating portals for companies

For companies, rating portals are essential for quality management, measuring customer satisfaction, and determining online reputation score . Anonymously on the Internet, one is often inclined to write one’s opinion with less inhibition than when one is asked for one’s opinion face-to-face in a shop. 

Evaluation portals thus help companies to control and monitor their own reputation management since the public image of a company is of enormous importance for long-term customer loyalty . 

Reviews on review sites allow businesses to identify potential improvement opportunities and work to provide better customer experiences. Evaluation portals thus ensure unembellished and unfiltered customer feedback.

Importance of rating portals for consumers

Rating portals are useful resources for consumers to find the best service, the best product and the most popular brands as quickly and easily as possible. In reality, it looks like this: you want to eat in a burger restaurant, for example, your cell phone is pulled out and you search the Yelp app for a burger restaurant near your location. 

Several corresponding restaurant offers are then displayed and consumers then decide which of these burger restaurants to visit based on the ratings given by other consumers. For consumers, this means finding a restaurant that offers them the best possible customer experience, and for the restaurant, it means finding new customers. An actual win-win situation.

Advantages of customer review sites

There are pros and cons of customer reviews for companies that must be kept in mind when deciding to display products and services in customer review sites.

Some of the advantages are:

• Real customer feedback from real customers on a third party website for free.
• Promotion of customer trust and better chances of gaining customer loyalty.
• Improvement in SEO results and online brand’s corporate reputation .
• Learning about the customer experience to improve company’s efforts. 

Top 9 Customer Review Sites at a glance

1. google my business.

The Google My Business rating portal provided by Google is one of the most essential platforms for the product, brand, service, or company ratings. It is easy to use, straightforward and very useful, especially for small to medium-sized companies, to optimize their ranking in Google search. According to SEO experts, the ratings influence the Google ranking. 

Not only is the higher ranking a clear plus point for the Google My Business rating portal, but positive ratings, as already mentioned above, have a significant influence on the consumer’s decision. 

Google is an important element in almost every customer journey , whether it is online shopping or a visit to a restaurant. There is now almost always at least one online touchpoint with the Google search engine, which is hardly surprising given a market share of more than 90% among all search engines. 

Most of the time, the first thing that catches the eye of Google users are the reviews of the listed companies. And that’s why Google My Business is so important because customers from the first opinion here, and as we all know, that’s one of the most important ones.

2. Trip Advisor

Founded in 2000, TripAdvisor is undoubtedly one of the most important and largest rating portals for the tourism industry. It is also important to note that TripAdvisor is, above all a comparison portal through which you can book hotels, experiences and restaurants. 

With almost 900 million reviews, more than 9 million establishments have been rated so far. In 2019, around 460 million unique users visited TripAdvisor every month. You can see from the key figures mentioned that this evaluation and comparison portal offers a huge marketing potential for companies. 

Due to the specialization of TripAdvisor, every company in the tourism industry is well advised to position itself as well as possible and to be rated positively. Not only in terms of ranking in search results, but also in terms of quality and reputation management. 

Businesses have an average of about 100 reviews on TripAdvisor. The large hotel and restaurant chains in particular have several hundred ratings per location, and of course, they are not all positive. It is important not to simply leave negative reviews uncommented or not to draw any conclusions from them at all because you do not consider it important. 

First, you could lose customers who have had negative experiences for other locations, and moreover, all reviews are important to optimize your offers, especially if you are pursuing a high-price strategy or the market is highly competitive. 

In addition, companies should always respond to negative criticism to signal to customers that you take their ratings first and want to keep them. Due to the high number of users and importance of the TripAdvisor rating platform and the arguments mentioned, companies in the tourism industry should promote good quality and reputation management here.

Yelp was founded in 2004 by former PayPal employees Russel Simmons and Jeremy Stoppelman. Around 200 million reviews and 16 years later, Yelp is one of the top rating platforms for reviews and ratings in the field of gastronomy. 

Unlike TripAdvisor, Yelp is less industry-specific. Yelp gives you the ability to rate almost any service. The structure of the rating portal is somewhat reminiscent of a social network. Yelp offers its users the opportunity to share and like, users can interact more with each other on Yelp than is the case with other rating portals. 

Reviews and ratings thus spread faster, this applies to both positive and negative ratings. Yelp’s business model is purely based on advertising revenue, companies pay money to advertise on Yelp. Reputation and quality management is extremely important here. 

Due to the faster distribution of reviews, the viewability of reviews is significantly higher than on other review platforms. That’s why you should focus even more on responding directly to negative comments in order to possibly improve the review.

Kununu is a rating platform on which employees can rate companies. This review is publicly available and provides a potential new employee with an opportunity to find out more about the company. According to their own information, almost 965,000 companies with 4.5 million reviews have been rated on the Kununu rating portal. 

Employees can rate the company based on 13 characteristics in 4 categories. Applicants can also rate the application process. Kununu has become a confidential source in the DACH region when it comes to publicly available employee feedback. 

The goal of von Kununu is that everyone finds the right company for themselves and, conversely, every company finds the right talents. 

The rating portal G2 is better known in specialist circles and in technology companies since G2 specializes exclusively in software. The market for software and web applications of all kinds is so huge and therefore confusing that G2 is a very useful platform to find out about customer experiences in this area before deciding to buy or license software.

That’s why G2 is also one of the best-known B2B marketplaces in the world. Review platforms have a significant impact on the marketing and sales of companies. That’s why companies should take their presence here very seriously and seize the opportunity to generate leads and increase sales through as many positive reviews as possible.

6. Facebook

Wondering why Facebook is listed here? Of course, Facebook is not really a review portal in the true sense, but primarily a social network. But Facebook also offers users on the so-called company pages to rate products, services and brands. When talking about Facebook, the number of users should not go unmentioned.

Facebook has 1.9 billion users, 342 million of them in Europe alone. This is one of the reasons why Facebook is an indispensable marketing tool for companies. A company that has a company page on Facebook can therefore be rated by Facebook members.

Depending on the presence and popularity of the company, the visibility of these company pages and thus also that of the ratings fluctuates, but nevertheless, due to the high number of users, it can be assumed that the visibility is similar to that on classic rating portals. And finally, as a company, you can also book advertisements via Facebook, which significantly increases visibility.

7. Trustpilot

Trustpilot is certainly one of the most important review portals in the world. Trustpilot is also one of the 1% most popular websites worldwide. No wonder, then, that Trustpilot has become an indispensable part of many a customer journey.

When you think of a customer journey, you probably think of the usual touchpoints such as Google search, social media, TV, radio, etc. On average, a customer often has more than 20 touch points before a product is bought. And each of these touchpoints has an impact on whether customers decide to make a purchase.

Trustpilot has over 4 million reviews per month, which means there’s a very good chance a potential customer will stumble across a review of your business through Trustpilot. Trustpilot also offers companies services such as getting more reviews and thus greater visibility on this important review portal. This should help to create greater trust among consumers.

8. Trusted shops

Trusted Shops probably has the most well-known seal in the world of e-commerce. With its Trusted Shops seal, the rating portal guarantees that a company that receives this award is a reliable provider. Trusted Shops attaches great importance to the fact that ratings are authentic and not fake.

Test analysis and artificial intelligence ensure that suspicious reviews are identified and deleted accordingly. This has the advantage that consumers have a high level of trust in the ratings and can be sure that they are not unfair entries. On the one hand, Trusted Shop fulfills the purpose of a rating portal, on the other hand, it is also a company that ensures the security of the consumers when shopping online.

As the name suggests, Golocal is a review platform that aims to make it as easy as possible for consumers to find local service providers. In addition, the rating portal, similar to Yelp, offers the opportunity to connect and exchange ideas with other users via a forum. For companies, Golocal provides a widget for integration into their website. Consumers can access the reviews on golocal to find out more about the company and write reviews about their experiences themselves.

LEARN ABOUT: Consumer Decision Journey

Always keep an eye on customer review sites

Rating portals are very important for companies because, with millions of users, they are real opinion-makers and are therefore integrated into the customer journey. The great marketing and sales potential that companies with a particularly large number of good ratings have is of course the main reason why companies should take rating portals very seriously. 

Rating portals are also extremely important for quality and reputation management, as this has a direct impact on sales. Good reputation management can ensure that consumers remain loyal to companies and recommend products, brands and services. Quality management should be one of the most important topics in the company, and rating portals are also a valuable feedback provider for this.

Companies should therefore take rating portals very seriously and provide human resources to monitor them and react immediately to negative ratings. QuestionPro is the perfect solution for this. With the web app for online reputation management, you always have an overview of all important rating portals on a single user interface and can react to ratings directly from the app without having to constantly log into each individual rating portal and navigate through the ratings .

→  Information about the reputation management app from QuestionPro.

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40 awesome review sites to fuel your business growth

With more entrepreneurs starting local businesses, online review websites like Google Business Profile, Angi, and Yelp have become crucial for visibility and success in the realm of commerce ( Economic Innovation Group ).

Download the white-label reputation management sales playbook today and get a rebrandable playbook to close more reputation deals.

Consumers lean heavily on review sites, considering the opinions expressed from other buyers about businesses within them before making purchasing decisions. The evidence is clear, both from data analysis and observing people around us: nearly all of us rely on review websites in various ways to inform our choices on where to shop, and what to buy ( Search Engine Journal ).

Table of Contents

• Why are customer review websites important in the buying journey?

3 advantages to adding business listings across multiple review sites

40 quality review sites for customer reviews, 7 must-know business review websites, top 3 review websites for ecommerce businesses, 3 industry-specific review websites, top 2 popular b2b customer review websites, frequently asked questions, why are customer review websites important.

No doubt agency owners understand the importance of local businesses having a strong online presence for success, but what’s changing is how reputation is increasingly influenced by various review sites on different platforms, not just Google. For instance, in 2022, Tripadvisor reached one billion reviews, and Yelp saw 26,830 new reviews generated per minute!

This lines up with our internal Vendasta data, showing that nearly two-thirds of local businesses guided by our agency partners have adopted our Listings Sync Pro tool to establish their presence across diverse review platforms – because relying on just one isn't enough anymore.

As a result, the new frontier in online reputation management is helping clients diversify their presence across review websites. This article delves into the top 40 platforms, offering guidance to your clients on amassing more reviews, refining their online presence in a targeted way, and enhancing their sales potential.

Where review sites fit in the modern customer journey

Review websites are instrumental and effectively underpin the ‘findability’ and ‘reputation’ phases of the modern customer journey, pictured below, for two key reasons:

• Increased visibility and search engine optimization (SEO) benefits: Online review websites often have high domain authority and appear in search engine results. When businesses have a strong presence on these platforms and receive positive reviews, it can improve their search engine rankings. This increased visibility can lead to more organic traffic and potential customers discovering or validating a local business.
• Social proof: Customer reviews provide social proof, which is a powerful psychological phenomenon that influences people's behavior. When potential customers see positive reviews from real people, it creates a sense of trust and credibility in the business. They are more likely to trust the opinions of other customers and feel confident in making a purchase.

Listing across multiple websites brings significant advantages for both local businesses and the agencies that support them.

• Competitive edge: Establishing a presence on various customer review websites provides local businesses with an SEO edge. Maintaining precise information across multiple listings offers a simple method to enhance discoverability. Additionally, it empowers them to connect with customers seeking highly specific or detailed insights, surpassing the usual scope of Google reviews. This is particularly relevant in sectors such as healthcare and home services, where select review platforms enable users to provide feedback for individual professionals.
• Benefit for agencies: By helping local businesses manage their online reputation across multiple review websites, agencies can demonstrate their ability to effectively monitor and respond to customer feedback. This positions them as trusted advisors and valuable partners in maintaining a positive brand image. It also leaves a strong impression on business owners, showcasing the agency's awareness of the latest review site trends and choices, and allows you to justify the cost of your services and sales of reputation management and SEO products.
• Enhanced online reputation: A consistent stream of positive reviews across various platforms bolsters a business's credibility and reliability in the eyes of potential customers. This dynamic influence directly shapes purchasing choices, driving heightened customer engagement. Moreover, local businesses actively engaged on review sites gain the power to safeguard their reputation, effectively addressing negative feedback instead of letting it fester in the public realm. This is discussed further in the video below.

• Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) [the most popular general review site]
• Yelp (a widely recognized platform for local businesses)
• Facebook Reviews (integrates social feedback with online presence)
• TripAdvisor (for travel-related businesses and attractions)
• Yellow Pages (directory for local businesses)
• Angie's List (trusted source for local service providers)
• Foursquare (combines reviews with location-based features)
• Better Business Bureau (BBB) (focuses on business ethics and trust)
• Citysearch (local guide and business directory)
• Manta (showcases small businesses and services)
• DexKnows (local business directory)
• Superpages (directory for businesses and services)
• Trustpilot (trustworthy platform for various industries)
• Thumbtack (matches customers with service professionals)
• HomeAdvisor (connects homeowners with service providers)
• Zillow (reviews for real estate and property services)
• Healthgrades (reviews for healthcare professionals)
• Avvo (reviews for legal professionals)
• Houzz (reviews for home improvement professionals)
• RateMDs (reviews for medical professionals)
• OpenTable (restaurant reviews and reservations)
• Zocdoc (appointments and reviews for healthcare)
• WeddingWire (reviews for wedding-related services)
• Care.com (reviews for care and service providers)
• Trustpilot (a reliable review platform)
• Vitals (reviews for healthcare professionals)
• G2 Crowd (reviews for software and tech products)
• TestFreaks (product reviews and ratings)
• Fyt (reviews for fitness and wellness professionals)
• Cars.com (reviews for automotive services)
• Groupon (deals and local business reviews)
• DealerRater (reviews for automotive dealerships)
• ConsumerAffairs (reviews for various services)
• Indeed (reviews for job-related services)
• Capterra (reviews for software and tech products)
• Apartments.com (reviews for real estate and rentals)
• HomeStars (reviews for home service professionals)
• Porch (reviews for home services)
• TrustRadius (B2B software reviews)
• WeddingVendors.com (reviews for wedding services)

Navigating the vast landscape of review sites can be daunting for both agencies and local businesses. Which platforms deserve a business owner's attention for establishing a presence and soliciting reviews? What sets these platforms apart? Who comprises their user base?

While a comprehensive presence on every site isn't required, gaining insight into the major players as well as some specialized and emerging players is valuable knowledge you can take to a business owner.

1. Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)

A widely recognized platform for customer feedback, Google holds immense value for businesses seeking to bolster their online reputation. Its seamless integration with Google Maps search results , and other technologies, lends it a pivotal role for every local business.

Use cases: Google Reviews provides a user-friendly channel for customers to contribute reviews directly to a business's Google listing. Positive reviews not only attract potential customers but also enhance local search visibility, resulting in increased online traffic.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 17 billion (source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: The Google Reviews page of restaurant Aba in Chicago

• High visibility: Benefits from Google's search dominance and high user adoption, ensuring high visibility amongst customers.
• Business insights: The platform provides data and insights into how users are interacting with your listing
• Easy Google integration : Easily manageable through a Google business account and applications that integrate with Google.
• Anonymity: Reviewers can be anonymous and use fake names, leading to potential spam and lack of accountability, and removing a fake or malicious Google review can be challenging.
• Lack of customer support: Since reviews can't be turned off or deleted manually , profile owners must reach out to Google directly to dispute a review, which can take time to resolve.
• Nongranular information: Google Reviews often provide a broad 1-5 star rating. However, for specific establishments like restaurants , this simplicity may not facilitate the evaluation of intricate elements like food quality, service, ambiance, and location.

Businesses/industries: Well-suited for all local businesses, especially for those like restaurants competing for foot traffic. (Key tip: Ensure that your local business customers update their Google Business hours )

2. Facebook Recommendations

Facebook is one of the world’s pre-eminent platforms for interactive customer experiences. Like Google, Facebook houses a local business’s essential details including number, location, and website.

How it’s different from Google is that users are allowed to “Recommend” or “Not recommend” a business, and are then prompted to leave feedback and images about their experience, and are given the option to select tags such as “Slow service”, “No Wi-Fi” and “Fresh doughnuts.”

Use cases: Showcase customer service, engage customers on the business's Facebook page.

Global monthly active users: Approximately 3 billion (Source: Facebook).

Alt text/caption: Facebook prompts allow users to include tags such as “great for children” and “fresh doughnuts” that make it easy for consumers to easily see what others like about the business

• Social engagement: Facilitates direct interactions and personalized responses.
• Broad reach: Connects with a wide audience through social networking.
• Limited discoverability: Reviews may not be as prominently featured as on dedicated platforms.

Businesses/industries: Suitable for retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, and local services.

An established review site renowned for in-depth user-generated feedback, Yelp is essential for building credibility .

Use cases: Engage with customers, respond to feedback, demonstrate commitment to customer satisfaction.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 117 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Yelp reviews are structured similarly to Google, but the review site is tailored largely to restaurants

• Improved SEO: Yelp Check-In allows users to share details of their visit and experience at a business, which can positively impact visibility and search rankings.
• Detailed reviews: Extensive user-generated reviews provide valuable insights.
• Community impact: Active user base fosters community credibility.
• Review filter: Stringent filter can impact visibility based on criteria.

Businesses/industries: Ideal for restaurants, salons, professional services, and businesses aiming to establish a strong online reputation.

4. TripAdvisor

A travel-focused platform, TripAdvisor plays a pivotal role for businesses in the travel and hospitality industry.

Use cases: Businesses in the travel sector can benefit from showcasing customer experiences and attracting travelers.

Monthly global traffic: Approximately 150 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: TripAdvisor differentiates itself from other review websites with its travel focus. In this example, a visitor planning a trip to Wyoming has searched for “Top things to do in Wyoming” and then found the top-rated travel experiences.

• Travel focus: Centrally focused on travel and hospitality, catering to a specific industry.
• Attracting travelers: Positive reviews can attract travelers to accommodations, restaurants, and attractions.
• Complements local search: In certain scenarios, Tripadvisor gains an advantage over Google by assisting international visitors to the U.S. (or other countries) in pre-planning their experiences. This approach proves beneficial as it allows travelers to strategize ahead, avoiding the intensified competition for local visibility upon arrival.
• Travel niche: Primarily suitable for travel and hospitality businesses.
• Businesses/industries: Especially beneficial for hotels, restaurants, attractions, and tour operators within the travel sector.

5. Better Business Bureau (BBB)

BBB focuses on business ethics and trust, providing consumers with information about a business's reputation.

Use Cases: BBB accreditation and positive reviews enhance business credibility and trustworthiness.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 12.5 million (source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: A review for John The Plumber on BBB for a plumber

• Ethical reputation: Focus on business ethics and trust.
• Accreditation impact: BBB accreditation can boost business reputation.
• North America: Limited to businesses mainly in North America.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for businesses aiming to establish an ethical reputation and trustworthy standing.

6. Trustpilot

Trustpilot is a widely recognized platform that emphasizes consumer reviews and building brand trust.

Use Cases: Trustpilot is ideal for businesses that prioritize consumer feedback and seek to establish a transparent reputation.

Global & monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 83 million and 17 million, respectively (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Trustpilot let’s users easily filter the services they’re looking for in their local area, such as credit unions, and then find reviews of those institutions

• Consumer trust: Focuses on building consumer trust through verified reviews.
• Wide range of industries: Suitable for a variety of businesses and industries.
• Robust presence in Europe and the U.S.: Businesses seeking transatlantic growth opportunities can benefit from the platform's substantial foothold in both European and U.S. markets.
• Paid plans: Some features require subscription in paid plans.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for e-commerce, service-based, and retail businesses looking to build consumer trust.

7. Yellow Pages

Yellow Pages offers an online directory of businesses, serving as a trusted resource for local businesses and services.

Use cases: Local businesses can gain visibility and credibility through positive reviews on Yellow Pages.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 12 million (Source: Semrush)

Alt text/caption: Screenshot of reviews for a dentist in Chicago

• Local directory: Provides a platform for local businesses to reach their target audience.
• Trustworthy source: A trusted resource for finding local services.
• Lead generation: Yellow Pages allows consumers searching for services to contact the business through functions like chat messages.
• Diverse reviews: Reviews can cover a wide range of industries.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for local businesses across various sectors aiming to enhance their online presence.

1. Amazon Customer Reviews

Amazon Customer Reviews significantly impact purchase decisions on one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms.

Use cases: Businesses selling products on Amazon can benefit from positive customer reviews, enhancing product credibility and visibility.

Monthly active users: Over 300 million (Source: Amazon)

Alt text/caption: Amazon’s reviews, in this case of a Microsoft controller, capture keywords and encourage reviewers to provide photos

• E-commerce impact: Reviews influence buying decisions on a global e-commerce giant.
• Product visibility: Positive reviews increase product visibility and credibility, especially if they achieve the ‘Amazon’s Choice’ designation.
• Product-focused: Reviews tend to be product-centric.
• Businesses/industries: Perfect for e-commerce businesses selling products on Amazon's platform.

2. TestFreaks

TestFreaks provides comprehensive reviews of various products, aiding consumers in making informed purchase decisions.

Use Cases: Businesses selling products can benefit from positive reviews on TestFreaks to enhance product credibility and visibility. It’s especially popular in Europe.

Number of reviews published: Over 100 million (Source: TestFreaks)

Alt text/caption: A retail company’s integration of TestFreaks’ user-generated content system for its ecommerce store and products

• Product reviews: Offers in-depth reviews on a wide range of products.
• Consumer insight: Helps buyers make informed decisions based on real user experiences.
• Product-centric: Focuses mainly on product reviews.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for businesses in the e-commerce sector seeking to improve their product reputation.

3. Influenster

Influenster is an emerging platform that sends curated boxes of products to its members for free in exchange for leaving a review.

Use Cases: Influenster presents a valuable option for local businesses aiming to establish their presence or enhance the reputation of new products. It serves as an effective platform to connect with customers and foster reviews.

Members (users who leave reviews): Over 7 million (Source: Influnster)

Alt text/caption: A review page of a dog toy received by members on Influenster

• Cut-through review generation: Influenster operates on a model where customers receive complimentary products in exchange for reviews. This is advantageous for businesses who may struggle to compete on websites like Amazon, where certain categories are saturated and difficult to establish visibility in.
• Leveraged by prominent brands: Influenster is used by major brands like Dove, Neutrogena, Hasbro, and Doritos, showcasing its industry recognition and trustworthiness.
• Expense: Providing items for free might pose a cost challenge for local businesses.

Vitals is a dedicated platform for healthcare professionals, enabling medical practitioners to showcase their expertise and services.

Use cases: Agencies who are established or seeking to grow in the medical field can leverage Vitals to display their customers’ qualifications and connect with patients seeking medical services.

Number of reviews published by patients: Over 10 million (Source: Vitals)

Alt text/caption: Patient reviews of a plastic surgeon based in New York. You can see granular details including wait times and components of the rating, such as bedside manner

• Expanding geographic reach: Traditionally, individuals sought local family doctors or specialists, confining choices to in-person visits. Vitals transforms this norm, empowering consumers to explore practitioners locally or afar, even fostering virtual consultations. This amplifies opportunities for highly-rated professionals to attract a broader patient base, diverging from those with lower ratings.
• Detailed insights: Vitals encourages practitioners to provide comprehensive details, encompassing years of experience, areas of specialization, and certifications. This fosters trust-building as consumers gain insights into practitioners' qualifications.
• Granular reviews: The website prompts patients to rate various facets of their healthcare journey from 1-5 stars, spanning staff friendliness, bedside manner, and timeliness. This prompts meaningful patient connections by aligning practitioners with the aspects most important to their needs.
• Video content: Agencies can leverage video content within their client’s Vitals listing to foster a personable connection to prospects browsing reviews. See example here .
• Specialized: Primarily beneficial for healthcare professionals.
• Businesses/industries: Suitable for doctors, dentists, therapists, and healthcare providers aiming to attract patients.

2. Fyt Personal Training

Fyt Personal Training is an emerging review site that focuses on connecting users with certified fitness trainers, making it a valuable resource for fitness and wellness professionals.

Use Cases: Generating new leads is often the biggest challenge for fitness trainers, particularly for those who focus on outdoor exercise or want to get into virtual consultations. Fyt allows consumers to fill in a quiz to determine their health goals, and then find a suitable trainer, with reviews being a central part of the process.

Number of reviews published by clients: Over 700 (Source: Fyt)

Caption/alt text: Reviews of personal trainers on the Fyt website

• Fitness network: Potentially helps fitness trainers generate high-quality leads while saving time from having to do extensive, free consultations to determine clients’ needs.
• Certified professionals: Highlights certified trainers for quality assurance.
• Fitness industry: Relevant primarily for fitness and wellness professionals.
• Businesses/industries: Beneficial for certified fitness trainers, wellness coaches, and professionals within the fitness industry.

Angi’s a platform that specializes in local service providers, offering a trustworthy resource for home and service-related needs.

Use cases: Businesses in the home improvement and service sectors can benefit from positive reviews on Angi’s.

Monthly U.S. traffic: Approximately 9.1 million (Source: Semrush)

Caption/Alt text: A potential customer looks for a quote for a carpeting job and is presented with options for local businesses including their ratings

• Service focus: Specializes in home and local service providers.
• Trusted source: Offers consumers a reliable resource for finding trustworthy service professionals.
• Membership fee: Requires consumers to pay for membership to access reviews.
• Businesses/industries: Ideal for home improvement, contractors, and service providers looking to connect with local customers.

1. G2 Crowd

G2 Crowd is a leading B2B software review platform that offers authentic user reviews and insights for various software products and services. It serves as a valuable resource for businesses seeking software solutions.

Use Cases: G2 Crowd is widely used by businesses to research and compare software options. It provides comprehensive reviews, ratings, and comparisons to help companies make informed decisions about their technology stack.

Alt text: A review of Vendasta by a customer on G2

• Authentic reviews: G2 Crowd's reviews come from verified users, ensuring credibility.
• Detailed comparisons: Allows users to compare software features, pricing, and user experiences.
• Market trends: Provides insights into software trends and user satisfaction.
• Focused on B2B Software: Limited to software and technology reviews.

Businesses/industries: Ideal for agencies, businesses, and organizations seeking software solutions for various functions, from marketing to project management.

2. Capterra

Capterra is another well-known B2B software review platform that assists businesses in finding the right software solutions. It offers a wide range of user-generated reviews and comparisons.

Use Cases: Capterra is a go-to platform for businesses looking to discover, compare, and select software solutions that align with their needs and objectives.

Alt text/caption: A review of an accounting firm on Capterra, which captures specific details about user experiences including cost and contributing factors to the rating

• Diverse software categories: Offers reviews for a wide array of software categories.
• User-generated content: Empowers users to share genuine feedback and experiences.
• Easy comparisons: Allows side-by-side comparisons of software features and pricing.
• Software-focused: Primarily suitable for software reviews and comparisons.

Businesses/industries: Valuable for agencies, businesses, and professionals seeking software solutions for specific operational needs, ranging from accounting to customer relationship management.

In today's digital era, online reviews wield an unprecedented level of influence when it comes to shaping the reputation of businesses. However, it's crucial to understand that the strategy for managing online reputation cannot begin and end at Google alone.

There's clear evidence indicating the proliferation of review websites and a growing preference among customers for platforms that provide specific information tailored to their interests and needs.

From well-known platforms like Google to specialized ones such as Vitals, there exists a diverse array of options to cater to various industries and objectives. By navigating these platforms strategically, agencies can help local businesses harness the potential to elevate their online presence, increase customer engagement, and fuel their growth.

In a world where online reviews can hold significant sway over consumer decisions, it's natural to wonder about their reliability and how businesses can navigate this landscape. Addressing common questions about review site trustworthiness and strategies for obtaining reviews sheds light on a topic often clouded by skepticism.

Are review sites trustworthy?

Review site trustworthiness can vary. While many sites have genuine reviews, there's also the potential for manipulated or fake feedback. It's essential to consider the site's credibility, the range of reviews, and consistency in assessing businesses. Review sites have also taken great steps around improving transparency of ratings calculations and introducing processes to take down suspected fake reviews.

How can businesses get more online reviews?

Businesses can encourage reviews by providing excellent service, asking satisfied customers to leave feedback, and making it easy for customers to share their experiences. The below video walks through strategies that you can leverage to help local business customers get more reviews.

About the Author

Vishal Teckchandani

Vishal Teckchandani is a Content Marketing Specialist at Vendasta. A newcomer to Canada, he spent the last 14 years of his career in Australia as a financial services reporter and TV host. He has written extensively about how technology companies are transforming business processes and lives, and interviewed the CEOs of global banking, payments, SAAS, and cloud storage providers including Afterpay, ELMO Software, Macquarie Group, National Australia Bank, NextDC, and Zip Co. When he’s not creating content, Vishal loves to cook, explore Saskatchewan with his family, and volunteer for his community.

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Where to Put Testimonials on a Website? 6 Great Places to Feature Reviews

Direct testimonials have a significant impact on the public perception of your business. Showcasing these customer comments is likewise an excellent marketing tool. But many business managers often wonder where to put testimonials on a website for maximum impact?

A satisfied customer endorsement can be a powerful tool to attract new customers and increase conversions. Knowing that other people had positive experiences with your services or products will make potential clients much more likely to try them out for themselves.

Displaying these testimonials on your website is an effortless way to generate trust among prospective buyers. However, like a good branding strategy, the placement of where to use testimonials is crucial.

In this article, we'll explain why client testimonials, especially those written on third-party review platforms like Google, Facebook, or Amazon, are compelling for building consumer confidence.

We'll explain why you should add reviews to your website - and other owned media platforms. We will also show you where to place these happy customer reviews for improved conversion rates.

Why should you add reviews to your website?

The most common testimonial written by customers online is a rating. This is typically several stars or a numerical value assigned to the quality of a company's service, products, or other offerings. A great small business review can influence new visitors' purchasing decisions . 

Customer reviews in marketing provide social proof to those unfamiliar with your brand or business. In fact, more than 80 percent of consumers who search for products, goods, or services online are attracted to companies with a high volume of positive consumer reviews from third-party users.

For online marketing purposes, a few types of effective testimonials are more potent than others.

Direct product or service reviews 

Direct product or service reviews are where customers explain in detail why they found a particular product or service to be especially helpful. You’ll find these posts on third-party review websites, case studies, social media pages, and a landing page. 

These reviews will often have specific quotes from the customer praising the company, its products, and its services. Customers will often provide examples of how your offerings made their experience more accessible.

High authority website reviews 

High-authority website reviews are where customer stories for your company on a third-party review platform. These platforms can include Google Business Profile, Facebook, Instagram, Tripadvisor, Zillow, and Amazon.

These reviews help businesses build trust with potential customers on those websites and increase their search engine visibility.

However, sharing these posts on your website helps build credibility among new website visitors.

Video Testimonials 

Video testimonials are where customers provide a video review of your business. This may include a customer talking about their experience with the business or a recorded clip of them using the product or service.

These videos can be powerful for creating an emotional connection with potential customers and often have more impact than written reviews.

Why is it important to place customer reviews right?

The placement of customer reviews is just as important as having them. If they are in a spot where potential customers don't see them, they won't impact conversions or website traffic much.

However, positive consumer reviews give new website visitors added trust in your brand. They can persuade a potential customer to hit that 'buy now' or book an appointment' button without regret. On the flip side, publishing reviews too often or in an annoying way can have the opposite reaction.

This is a significant reason why proper placement of the reviews is an integral part of the overall strategy.

6 Great places to feature a reviews section on a website

It's always best to put yourself in your customer's eyes - anytime you are building out a marketing strategy. Business managers often wonder what images, videos, colors, fonts, and other branding elements appeal to our consumers.

When placing a great testimonial on your website, it's vital to consider your target audience point of view. But it's just as important to look at it from a business perspective.

If you're going to promote consumer reviews on your website, here are four effective places to place them. Review this section, then consult with a web design or content marketing experts to integrate website testimonials on your platform. 

1. Homepage

On your homepage, displaying customer testimonials has become the norm for a very logical reason - it is where you get the most website traffic. By presenting positive reviews up front, visitors may take notice and be encouraged to explore more of your website.

However, a homepage needs to tell consumers about your business, including what service or products you sell, what is unique about your company, where you offer these products or services, and other essential details.

Testimonials are intended to provide credibility and support to your content.

Here are a few great locations for placing testimonials on a homepage.

Homepage hero image or slider

Posting an excellent direct customer testimonial from real people on your home page's main image or slider is a great way to grab a new website visitor's attention.

Testimonial slider

This is commonplace on most websites. It'll be featured towards the bottom of the home page - after essential business details. It's not overpowering and helps drive the message of trust. You can also create a testimonial page section on your home page that drives visitors there. 

Placing customer reviews in a sidebar is an excellent idea for desktop versions of your website. They typically don't display well on mobile versions, though.

2. About page

Your company about page needs to focus on explaining who you are. However, adding a few testimonials on this page doesn't hurt.

The best type of testimonial for this page is one that showcases the people that make up the organization. This helps to personalize your brand and show new website visitors that others are grateful to work with those in your organization.

Like the homepage, listing reviews in a testimonial slider down the page or main image is a great idea.

3. Product or services page

If a buyer is evaluating one of your offerings, sometimes all they require is that extra convincing to make a purchase. Believe it or not, nearly 90 percent of online customers put as much faith into reviews and testimonies as they do with advice from their loved ones.

So, it makes sense to capitalize on this by displaying positive customer feedback where potential purchasers make buying decisions?

But, like other pages - placement matters. Consider this idea.

If you have your services or products categorized, place your best review within that category. This is an example of a direct customer testimonial - or one articulating their feedback on a specific product or service.

A good tip is to add the testimonial near a pricing section or in association with your company logo. A dedicated testimonial from a product or service your customer offered - such as customer quotes, can influence them into a call to action. 

Different types of testimonials that are general in nature don't hold as much value on this type of page. Instead, post product-specific testimonials on these service or product pages. Save these reviews for a testimonial section on other pages. 

4. Call to action sections

Call-to-actions, such as contact or sign-up buttons, can be great prompts for visitors to convert. However, they don't always provide a convincing reason to click on the button instead of ignoring it.

And that's where customer reviews come into play.

More hesitant users will likely be encouraged to take the plunge if they read through positive experiences from other customers. After all, seeing tangible results from others provides an incentive that any regular "Call Now" CTA cannot offer alone.

You can also add a few testimonials on a contact page for added value. 

5. Topical blogs

If you have a blog where you discuss topics around your services or products, it might not be a bad idea to place reviews at the bottom of those pages.

This is where contextual testimonials come into play. These are reviews where customers discuss their experiences with the topic that you are writing about on the blog page.

You can also place video testimonials within the context of the blog. Particularly if it's discussing a specific feature or solution your service provided the customer.

Don't overdo it, though. Add up to two testimonials on a blog post.

6. Dedicated reviews page

Sometimes, website visitors just want to hear about other people’s experiences. Bringing your reviews together in one dedicated place provides a launch pad for prospects to learn more about you and what you can do for them. 

When you have multiple reviews from various customers, potential buyers are more likely to find a customer success story that resonates with them.

How many testimonials to include on a website?

The number of reviews you post on a website boils down to where you place them.

We suggest starting with 3 to 6 testimonial examples for each page where you post reviews and gradually increasing the number of reviews over time as more people start to review your business or product.

You want to ensure that you always provide the most relevant reviews, so update your review pages with the latest customer feedback.

Including too many reviews at once can turn off users and make them feel you need to try harder. So it's essential to start small and slowly add more as time passes.

Leverage feedback and reviews to improve your online reputation

Get more online reviews and turn your customers into raving fans with ReviewsOnMyWebsite review generation software.

Start a 14-day free trial

Key takeaways

Reviews are a great way to provide social proof for potential customers where your offering resonates the most.

By placing reviews on strategic pages of your website, you can significantly improve user experience and increase conversions. But, before you consider adding reviews to your website, it is vital to increase the number of positive reviews on high-authority websites like those we mentioned above.

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7 Top Reasons Websites with Customer Reviews Outperform Others

The quickest hack to outperform your competitors.

I hate to break it to you, but you know that all singing, all dancing website or yours that you just LOVE?

Well, it might not convert in the way you want it to. 

I know, I know. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but here’s why:

Those visuals are stunning, and that copy? Inspired! 

But it’s missing one crucial element. 

Customer reviews.

Did you know that conversion lifts by 52.2% when a product page has 1-10 reviews on it?

We’re going to explore why this is the case, plus give some practical tips for building a great website with customer reviews, and finally share some of our favorite review management tools to help you out. 

Pssst… If you already have raving reviews on Google, for example, you should add them to your website . An easy and free way to do that is to type in your business location below and embed Trustmary’s Google review widget on your website – in minutes.

7 Reasons Why Websites with Customer Reviews Outperform Others

Look, I know what you’re thinking. 

Surely a 50% uplift in conversions can’t be the result of a few simple reviews? Does anyone care that much?

Well actually, they do. 

Here are 7 reasons why customer reviews can help websites outperform others :

1. Reviews Help to Build Trust

Reviews on your website are a great way to build trust in your brand for potential customers.

By the time a new customer has got to your website, chances are they’ve been exposed to a WHOLE HEAP of marketing messages along the funnel. 

They might be able to reel off your value proposition or product benefits, but most customers are acutely aware that this is marketing spiel. 

Your customers are more likely to take notice when faced with honest feedback, without the sales pitch. 

Infact, 49% of people trust online reviews written by other consumers as much as they trust recommendations from personal contacts.

So, why is trust important?

It builds customer loyalty.

One study showed that 75% of people with high brand trust say they will: 

• Buy the brand’s product (even if it isn’t the cheapest), 
• Only buy the product from that brand, 
• Check out new products from that brand to purchase.

Our Definitive Guide to Customer Loyalty explores what loyalty is and how to capture it.

2. Reviews Provide Social Proof For Your Website

Social proof is when we rely on the opinions of others to tell us how to act, and we’re seeing this more and more in relation to online purchases. 

91% of shoppers said they read AT LEAST one review before purchasing something. 

And the more reviews you have the better. 

A study found that the volume of reviews correlates with lifts in conversion rates: 

• When a shopper is exposed to a product page with 1 or more reviews, conversion lifts by 52.2%.
• 11 to 30 reviews have conversion rates that are over 2x higher than those who visit product pages with 0 reviews.
• 101 reviews or more, we see shopper conversion rate increase of over 250%!

Why is that the case?

“It’s all about sample size,” according to Dr. Sungsik Park , marketing professor at the University of South Carolina, “The more reviews, the more likely the comments will reflect the product’s true quality.”

Find out more about social proof and how you can utilize it for your business. 

3. Reviews Demonstrate Quality 

The main drawback of online shopping is that you can’t actually see the thing you’re buying.

If you’re anything like me, then you like to feel the material, open and close a few drawers, press a few buttons when you’re thinking about buying something. 

No matter how great the visuals are, you just can’t get the same sense of quality from a website.

Enter reviews. 

The way in which your customers speak about your product starts to build a rich picture of its quality.

Potential customers can see first-hand the things that your existing customers love about your products and services.

We especially see this reflected in the way that reviews influence the purchase of higher value goods. 

Did you know that in one study, sales of expensive items increased 380% when placed alongside customer reviews?

4. Reviews Give You an Opportunity to Respond

While we’re talking about quality, let’s think about what happens if you get bad reviews.

It’s all very well displaying positive reviews, but how do you handle some of the more negative feedback?

No one is perfect, and no product can cater for everyone, so you’re bound to get a few negative reviews from time to time. 

It’s how you deal with these customer complaints that matters. 

Negative reviews give you a perfect opportunity to let your customers know that they’ve been heard, tell your side of the story and manage your brand’s online reputation. 

Check out this response from the owner of a restaurant that received a bad review. He gives the customer a chance to be a part of the solution, potentially turning a bad experience into a great one. 

This is a great example, but even a simple, ‘We’re sorry for your experience, but thanks for sharing your feedback,’’ is better than simply ignoring the honest feedback.

And it matters to your customers too. 

89% of consumers are ‘highly’ or ‘fairly’ likely to use a business that responds to all of its online reviews . 

Check out our guides for the best ways to respond to both negative and positive reviews.

5. Reviews Create a Customer Feedback Loop

Businesses that collect customer reviews get insight into what their customers really think about their product.

Sounds obvious, right? But take a second to really think about it. 

Your customers 👏 are telling you 👏 what they love 👏 and hate 👏 about your product.

Those companies who take this feedback on board, and integrate it into improving their customer experience have the chance to truly delight their customers, which in turn leads to?

Yep, you got it. More customer reviews. 

And guess what? As you continue to collect customer reviews, you get a pretty good pulse of how your changes are being received.

Now that’s what we call a feedback loop!

6. Reviews Improve SEO Rankings

We know that customers LOVE reviews, but did you know that search engines do too?

A search engine wants to help its users to find the right product, service or information, fast. 

Reviews can help separate the good from the bad when calculating your search position, to deliver the most appropriate search results for the user’s needs.

In fact, review signals make up 16% of the search engine decision-making process.

Some of the factors that search engines consider when delivering search results are: 

• Number of reviews
• Velocity of reviews
• Diversity of reviews
• Reviews across a number of review platforms
• Positive sentiment 
• Product and service keywords in the review text
• Responses to review

7. Reviews Create a Halo Effect 

Investopedia defines the halo effect as: 

“…a consumer’s favoritism toward a line of products due to positive experiences with other products by this maker.”

While the Investopedia description refers to customer experiences, the same could be said for customer reviews. 

We’ve already established that websites with customer reviews benefit from brand trust and a better sense of quality, while providing social proof. 

Well, this goodwill towards your brand can be transferred to other areas – namely new products and services, that have yet to receive any feedback. 

Remember I said that 75% of customers with high brand trust will try a new product or service? 

Well, another study by Temkin Group found that loyal customers are 5x as likely to repurchase, 5x as likely to forgive, 4x as likely to refer, and 7x as likely to try a new offering.

The potential is huge!

Added Bonus: Relatable & Original User-Generated Content

User-generated content refers to all content that is produced of a company without their influence.

Humans want to relate to other humans. It’s surprising how much social proof affects our buying decisions .

By adding reviews to your website, you’re tapping into the power of the phenomenon of social proof. When a website visitor sees positive reviews from people that’ve already bought from you, they’re 37% more likely to buy from you as well.

3 Types of Reviews for Boosting Conversions

You now know why you should be collecting reviews to improve your website performance, but where do you actually find them?

Let’s look at 3 types of customer reviews you can use to boost conversions :

Reviews From Feedback

Now there’s a good chance that your business already has a review system in place – a way of collecting feedback from the people who buy from your brand. 

Any response where your customers talk about your brand can be utilized as a business review. 

Look through your latest NPS survey results, feedback forms, even brand mentions in social media posts. 

Each one of these has the potential to be converted to build trust and provide social proof for your website. 

Customer Testimonials

What’s the difference between a review and a testimonial ?

Generally speaking, a testimonial is a personal recommendation of a product or service, whereas a review is when someone expresses their opinion, whether positive or negative.

A positive review can be used as a testimonial.

So how do you gather testimonials?

Much like reviews, you can look for positive reviews in existing places where people discuss your brand. 

Or better yet, you can ask your customer yourself.

You can do this in a number of different ways:

• A simple email that directs the customer to an online review site,
• An automated email that is triggered by an event in the customer journey,
• A website or in-app pop up that allows customers to leave reviews easily.

Find out more about how to collect testimonials from your satisfied customers.

Review Sites 

Chances are you’ve come across a review site before. 

Review websites help customers leave reviews for local businesses, but also products and services. 

Customers can search for the relevant business and write reviews which are usually accompanied with a rating on a 1-5 scale. 

The average rating and reviews then appear on the business profile for other users to browse and contribute to.  

The top review sites that consumers actually use are: 

General Review Websites

• Google reviews
• BBB (Better Business Bureau)

Social Review Websites

• Posting a review on a Facebook page
• Video reviews on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
• Personal blogs focused on a particular type of product, such as beauty blogs

Industry-Specific Review Websites

• Leisure and Hospitality: AirBnB, TripAdvisor, Booking.com
• Property: Home Away, Rental Raters
• Electronics: Computer Repair Companies, Which?
• Trade: MyBuilder, CheckaTrade
• Employment and Careers: Glassdoor
• Retail: Amazon

And the power of these review sites is huge. 

For example, Google Reviews can directly impact local search results and your Google seller ratings, which has an influence on your company’s online reputation before the customer even gets to your website. 

Conversion rate goes up by 12% when the star rating on Amazon customer reviews increases from 3 to 5 .

Google Maps creates local search results based on reviews, showcasing the best performing local businesses. 

While review websites can definitely contribute to your growth, they are also a rich source of business reviews for your website. 

For example, the average business has 39 Google reviews . That’s an untapped resource, right there!

Want to get more reviews on Google? Check out our 9 tips to boost your Google reviews. 

How to Build a Great Website with Customer Reviews in 5 steps

So you’re building a website and you want to know how you can incorporate reviews into your pages.

We’ve got you covered with 5 simple steps to building a great website with customer reviews : 

Step #1: Find Your Best Reviews

Your starting point when incorporating reviews into your website is to gather reviews . 

There are two ways you can do this:

1. Request Reviews Directly

Most customers are happy to post reviews for a product or service they’ve used, especially if they’ve had a great experience .  

Simply asking your customers to leave feedback is a great way to start building a bank of business reviews for your website. 

The benefit of directly asking your customers to write reviews is that you can give them guidance on what to cover, certain product keywords, for example, or what they really love or hate about the service. 

From here, you can organize the customer feedback by business reviews and product reviews, positive and negative sentiment etc.

2. Scour the Review Sites

Whether you’re actively seeking reviews, or not, chances are that your customers are already providing feedback somewhere. 

Review sites, such as Capterra, G2 and of course, Google are the best places to find reviews about your business.

Don’t forget to utilize this feedback when collecting reviews. 

Here’s an example of G2’s business profile for Trustmary:

Many review platforms and management tools offer easy integration, so that you can import Google customer reviews, Yelp reviews, Tripadvisor reviews, etc from the review site, directly to your website. 

A Quick Side Note: Never, EVER Fake Reviews

As tempting as it may be to review your own business, the moment new customers grow suspicious that a review may not be genuine, you lose credibility and trust in your brand. 

And 83% of consumers refuse to do business with brands they do not trust. 

Fake reviews are not worth tarnishing your brand image for. 

Focus on collecting genuine and honest reviews instead. 

Trustmary makes collecting reviews directly from customers and reviews sites easy. Start a free trial today. 

Step #2: Decide Where Your Reviews Will Have the Biggest Impact

So, how do you know where your online reviews will have the biggest impact?

Consider your customer journey. 

All the way from when your customers start considering purchasing from you, through to when they’ve received your product. 

Where are the points of friction? What are the events where they need a bit of extra encouragement?

These are the points that could probably benefit from being supported by positive reviews. 

Pindora uses customer reviews on its homepage to bring its value promise to life: 

Mutjutin uses both video and written reviews on its product page to demonstrate the benefits at the point of sale: 

Kattotutka uses business reviews on its company pages to build trust in the business.  They also use exit-intent pop-ups with consumer reviews to convince website visitors to leave a contact request.

Step #3: Make it Easy for Customers to Leave Reviews

Remember what we said about reviews creating trust in your brand? 

Well, giving customers the opportunity to leave reviews also has the same effect. 

Making it easy for customers to post reviews demonstrates openness and transparency, a willingness to receive feedback on your brand. 

We’ve already covered the places where you can display reviews, but some of the best points in the customer journey to collect reviews is where customer satisfaction is at its highest.

For example, have you ever received a request to leave an Amazon customer review after you’ve received a product? 

Goodwill towards a brand tends to be highest post-purchase, after using the goods or services, and after referring, and these are best points in the customer journey to ask for a customer review. 

Sending review requests as automated emails or pop-ups serves as a reminder to leave reviews, helps you collect more customer reviews while taking the hassle out of the process. 

Step #4: Monitor Your Reviews

You wouldn’t launch a landing page and just leave it perform without monitoring and testing new elements, would you?

The same applies to your reviews.

Keeping an eye on review data can give you an idea of how your reviews are performing.  

With this information to hand, you can make informed decisions on whether your review widget needs to be moved to a different section of your website, or if you need to display reviews that address a specific customer concern. 

Utilizing business reviews to optimize your website might sound daunting, but a good review management tool can help streamline the process of analyzing your reviews. 

Trustmary uses AI to analyze the sentiment and effectiveness of your reviews.

Step #5: Refresh Your Reviews

If you’ve been following Steps 3 and 4, you will quickly build up a bank of reviews from your satisfied customers and the data to inform you so that you can rotate your reviews as often as you need.

Updating your reviews regularly serves two purposes.

Firstly, regularly updating your reviews allows you to experiment with different types of review formats and content to find the right formula to boost conversion for your business. 

For example, video tends to convert better than text, and so testing the performance of video reviews could lead to better conversion, just like it did for Satokausikalenteri .

The second reason it makes sense to keep your reviews updated is because that’s exactly what potential customers are looking for.

69% of prospective customers will make decisions based on reviews posted in the last three months, 

That means that the recency of your reveiws can impact whether customers decide to purchase from you, or not. 

Create a review system which allows you to regularly refresh your reviews to maximize the benefits of this social proof. 

Consider Using a Review Management Tool

The benefits of using reviews to optimize your website are clear, but even though you know what to do, the actual task of collecting and managing reviews for your website can quickly become a chore. 

Don’t worry, though. 

There are some fantastic review management tools that can help you create and implement a review system directly on your website. 

These tools vary in features and functionality, but generally speaking, the best will streamline the process of collecting reviews, either directly from the customer or from review sites and easily display them on your website. 

Characteristics of Great Reputation Management Software

Some tools even allow you to collect and display reviews in different formats, such as text and video reviews.

Not only do review management tools make it easy to collect and display your reviews, they can also help manage your brand’s online reputation in two ways. 

The first is by giving you an overview of what people are saying about your business across multiple platforms. The second is by giving you the ability to engage by replying to reviews, or even sharing the best across your own social channels. 

Finally, the analytics that review management tools provide are second to none. 

• Want to A/B test which reviews perform the best? Piece of cake. 
• Want to see which review site collects the most reviews? It’s a breeze. 
• What about integrating the data with other business tools? No problem.

The bottom line is that if you’re serious about building a website with reviews, you can’t afford not to use a review management tool. 

Checklist for Important Features to Consider

• Possibility to use for search engine optimization ( review schema! )
• Get more authentic reviews directly to a specific review site
• Easy to add fresh customer testimonials to web page
• Allows to reply to reviews
• Customizable feedback forms
• Helps you get more 5 star reviews
• Lets you track what works

3 Online Review Management Tools To Try

To help you get started with using business reviews for your website, we’ve outlined three of the best review management tools on the market. 

1. Trustmary

If you’re looking for a cost-effective review management solution with the functionality to boost your website conversions, then look no further. 

Trustmary’s review management tool is one of the easiest tools on the market for collecting, displaying and analyzing reviews. 

The platform lets you collect unlimited video and text reviews which can be displayed on a widget that integrates with most content management systems (CMS), such as WordPress , Squarespace , Shopify , and Wix , with one line of code. 

It also allows you to import reviews from a spreadsheet, but also directly from the review sites, which means you can display Google reviews, Yelp reviews, Tripadvisor reviews and even Facebook ratings without having to collate the information yourself!

Even better, you can share positive reviews on your social channels at the click of a button. 

Analytics are no problem with Trustmary’s easy-to-use dashboard that provides insights for you, and the rest of the business through integrations. 

Trustmary also offers other services including feedback forms and NPS surveys so you can start building a comprehensive and joined up review and feedback system.

But don’t just take my word for it. Read the reviews:

“Excellent service and easy implementation. Quick process to start using and get reviews and testimonials for your website!” Mikko Kuhalampi

“We are able to capture testimonials at the right moment and have found some pretty creative ways to utilize them using the tools that Trustmary provides.” Kyle Turner, Windward Software Systems Inc

“We’re getting precious feedback from our customers and more leads with the help of the reviews. The service is great! Highly recommended!” Ilkka Ahonen

2. Trustpilot 

Trustpilot is synonymous with online reviews and with good reason.

Its online reputation management system helps businesses of all sizes collect, manage and display online reviews. You can even manage your positive and negative sentiment, and create widgets out of your favorites. 

Trustpilot’s analytics dashboard lets you monitor customer reviews and your brand’s reputation on review sites across the web.

Trustpilot is one of the most widely used review management tools on the market, but even so, it still has some drawbacks. 

For starters it doesn’t collect video reviews and you are limited to 100 text reviews with the free plan. 

While you can display reviews on two widgets and share via social, you can only import reviews on a CSV file. 

As I’ve mentioned already, Trustpilot has a free plan, although this does include ads. A standard plan starts at $199 per month (based on impressions).

Yotpo let’s businesses gather top-quality customer ratings and reviews to dynamically display positive feedback using the power of automation and AI.

The platform lets you send customizable review requests to customers via email and SMS. 

It integrates with other third-party tools like Mailchimp, Hubspot, and the review widget is customizable to align with your brand.

Video reviews aren’t collected, and testimonial forms are only available for post-purchase. Importing reviews from other sources isn’t enabled either, so once you’ve joined, Yopto is your only source for reviews and their analytics. 

Yopto is also an ecommerce marketing platform, with tons of features for data-driven decision-making, including a great analytics dashboard. 

The tool allows you to integrate your solutions for SMS marketing, loyalty, referrals, visual marketing, customer reviews, and more.

Yopto’s free plan allows you to collect reviews, but for more sophisticated reporting, you may want to explore upgrade options. 

People love people. 

Which is why a website with customer reviews will outperform one that doesn’t. 

Reviews build trust between your brand and your new customers. They’re a great source of social proof and a good way to show the quality of your product or service, and can even create a halo effect that helps you cross-sell. 

They also allow you to manage your online brand, by giving you an opportunity to tell your side of the story, and set the record straight. 

The practice of regularly collecting and displaying reviews can create a valuable feedback loop with your customers, and even improve local search results for your business.

With all this to gain, it’s no wonder businesses use reviews to boost their website conversion by finding the place where reviews will have the biggest impact (and the best place to collect more customer reviews too!), monitoring and regularly refreshing their reviews. 

Managing a review system can get complicated pretty fast, though, but an online review management tool can help streamline the process. 

There are lots of great tools on the market but we love Trustmary’s review platform which lets you easily gather and display unlimited video and text reviews for your website.

Further Reading

• How to Get Testimonials From Customers (With 7 Examples)
• How to Add Google Reviews to Website (for Dummies)
• Adding a Google Review Widget: WordPress Edition

Why should I be collecting reviews for my website? 

Research shows that including reviews on your website can improve conversions by 54%, and that performance improves with more reviews added. 

Reviews can be used to:

• Build trust
• Provide social proof
• Demonstrate quality
• Provide an opportunity to respond
• Create a customer feedback loop
• Improve SEO
• Create a halo effect

What are the different types of reviews I can collect?

Reviews can be found in any place that people are talking about your brand. 

Feedback mechanisms such as NPS results, feedback forms or social media posts about your business are a good source of information that can be utilized as reviews.

You can also request testimonials directly from your customers. 

Finally, review sites like G2, Capterra, Yelp and Google gather reviews about companies which can be imported to your website.  

What are the best online review sites to find reviews?

Different review sites serve different purposes. 

Online review sites like Google, and Yelp help customers leave reviews for businesses across many different sectors, whereas industry-specific review websites like TripAdvisor, Glassdoor and Amazon, are more tailored to a certain customer experience. 

Social media is playing a bigger role in online reviews as well, as consumers take to platforms like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok to leave reviews about products and services they’ve used.

Where shall I place reviews on my website? 

Your review strategy should support your customer experience.

Start by identifying the best point in your customer journey to include reviews. These may be points of friction, or just where a bit of extra encouragement is needed to perform an action, such as at point of sale.

You can then start testing and updating reviews depending on how they perform. Or you can let Trustmary’s AI-generated review score do the work for you.

Why should I use an online review management tool?

Gathering, displaying and analyzing reviews can quickly get complicated but review platforms can help streamline this process. 

What should I look for in a review management tool?

The best review platforms will streamline the process of collecting reviews, directly from the customer or from other review websites, as well as displaying reviews on your website in different formats, such as video and text. 

They will help you manage your online reputation by providing an overview of what is being said about your business, and allowing you to share reviews via your own channels. 

They will also provide analytics to help you dive a little deeper, and integrations so that you can share what you’ve learnt from your customers with the rest of the business. 

• Google Reviews
• Facebook Reviews
• Tripadvisor Reviews
• Capterra Reviews
• Yelp Reviews
• Lead Generation Widgets
• Lead Generation Forms
• Lead Generation Pop-ups
• Social Proof Pop-ups
• Testimonial Widgets
• Get Google Reviews
• Get Facebook Reviews
• Get Tripadvisor Reviews
• Get G2 Reviews
• Get Capterra Reviews
• Get Yelp Reviews
• Get Customer Feedback
• Get Video Testimonials
• Measure NPS (Net Promoter Score)
• Measure CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)
• Testimonial Forms
• Bigcommerce
• Clickfunnels
• Google sites
• Hubspot CMS
• Oxygen builder
• Squarespace
• Accounting firm
• B2B company
• Car dealership
• Chiropractor
• Cleaning company
• Construction company
• Design agency
• Education provider
• Financial services provider
• Health care provider
• Higher education provider
• Insurance agent
• Insurance company
• IT Services provider
• Life insurance company
• Local business
• Manufacturer
• Mortgage broker
• Network marketing representative
• Personal trainer
• Professional services provider
• Real estate agent
• Real estate business
• Real estate investor
• Sales representative
• Small business
• Staffing company
• Travel agent
• Web development company
• Affiliate program
• Legal Overview
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Data Protection Addendum
• Case Studies
• Help Center
• Contact Sales
• 8 Branded Google Review Widget Templates
• Embed a Google Review Widget with Elementor
• Add Google Reviews to Squarespace – in 5 minutes
• How to Ask for Google Reviews: The Dos and Don’ts
• Authentic Review Generator: Why You Need One

Trustmary is the most effective way to convert more sales by improving digital trust.

© Copyright Trustmary

The Ultimate Guide to Customer Reviews and Testimonials

Learn why customer reviews and testimonials are important and how to generate more positive reviews that prove value to prospects.

20 FREE REVIEW RESPONSE TEMPLATES

20 Prompts to Respond to Your Customer Reviews

Updated: 05/18/22

Published: 04/14/22

When thinking about purchasing a new product, what would you trust more: A sales pitch or a customer review?

I pick the latter — and I'm not alone. Did you know that 81% of consumers rely on google reviews to evaluate local businesses ?

People consult reviews and testimonials to determine whether or not they trust a product, service, and even a seller. Let’s take a look at why and how customer reviews and testimonials impact consumers and businesses of all sizes.

What's a Customer Review?

Customer Review Sites

Asking For a Review

What's a Testimonial?

Why Reviews & Testimonials are Important

Reviews & Testimonials in the Sales Process

What is a customer review?

A customer review is a reflection of a customer's experience with your company’s products or services. Reviews can be found on sites such as Google Reviews, Amazon, Yelp, and Facebook.

Consumers use customer reviews during the buyer's journey to understand how your product works and whether it’s worth the investment.

Most everyone can publish a review online, and these reviews can contain good information, negative experiences, and sometimes even untrue claims about your business.

Since they’re posted on third-party sites and from real users of your products, consumers view these reviews as a reliable source of information. In fact, customers find online reviews to be so helpful that 49% of consumers trust them as much as personal recommendations.

There are many sites where consumers can leave their reviews. These include broad customer review sites, such as Google Reviews, Facebook, and Yelp (where any business can be reviewed), as well as industry-specific customer review sites, such as TripAdvisor , a travel-related review site, Zomato , a restaurant and food-related review site, and G2 Crowd , a site dedicated to software reviews.

Let’s dive into two of the more broad customer review sites that people use: Google Reviews (which is part of Google My Business ) and Yelp .

Google My Business Reviews (a.k.a. Google Reviews)

Google Reviews is currently the most commonly used platform for customer reviews . This is because … well … it’s Google. All types of businesses can be reviewed and rated on a 5-star scale.

How to Set Up Your Google My Business Profile

With the help of a Google My Business profile, anyone can create a presence for their company so it can be found via Google search.

Step 1: To receive Google Reviews, businesses have to complete a Google My Business profile . Not only is it simple to set up your business profile on Google, but it’s also exceptionally easy for customers to review your product or service.

Step 2: Once you set up your profile, you need to create a review link so customers can write about their experiences or give you a rating based on a five-star scale.

Step 3: Make sure you have both a link to your reviews that consumers can find through a Google search as well as a link using the Place ID Lookup tool. With this, customers can write a review by simply looking up your company or searching for your location on Google Maps.

How to Leave a Review on Google

If you are the reviewer and are hoping to leave information about your experience on Google, all you need to do is provide your first and last name. Google does not allow any reviewer to remain anonymous. Anyone can see your name along with your review, as well as any other reviews you've left and photos you've added to Google Maps.

If you have a Google account already, you have an “ About Me ” page that Google My Business will link to your reviews. Here's mine:

Google requires you to give this information for three reasons:

• It makes your review more legitimate to those reading it.
• People are typically less likely to make false statements when their personal information is attached to something.
• It gives credibility to your review.
• It allows the owner of the company to follow up with you about your review.

How to Respond to Google Reviews

You may be asking yourself, “What if someone still decides to leave a fake review about my company?” Or, “What if I want to respond to a positive or negative review?” Google helps you out with all of this.

Responding to reviews is very straightforward. After you've signed into your business account, find the original review you want to respond to and click Reply.

Image Source

Although you can’t remove negative reviews, Google will remove reviews that do not meet the requirements of their User Contributed Content Policy . Some of the reasons that a review may be removed include hate speech, fake comments, spam, illegal information, a conflict of interest, and more . If you notice something Google doesn’t, you can flag the review , and they will check the content and remove it if necessary.

How to Optimize your Google My Business Profile

Now that you see how popular and important Google Reviews are for all businesses, you may be wondering how you can optimize your Google My Business profile. After all, reviews are just as necessary for your business to improve as they are for customers to make informed decisions.

Here are some ideas for optimizing your Google My Business profile to get more customer reviews and (hopefully) positive interactions:

• Complete all information on your Google My Business Profile. Otherwise, consumers can go in and “suggest” their own edits. These can go live without you receiving a notification or update. Log in to your account regularly to review updates and make sure nothing is changed without your permission.
• Create a Google My Business Post . These are like mini advertisements within your Google profile that give people an idea of what you sell or the service you provide.
• If you provide services, add a booking button so they can schedule an appointment or meeting with you efficiently.
• Ethically ask for reviews from customers. Don’t ask a friend to write you a super positive review just so you can have it on your site. If a legitimate customer finds out, why would they want to trust you in the future?
• Engage with customers and reviewers under the “Questions and Answer” section. Express gratitude for compliments, and thoughtfully respond to those who had a poor experience. Make your customers feel like you care about them no matter what they have to say about you.
• Allow reviewers to add photos and videos of your office, store, or restaurant. This adds a personal touch to their reviews. It also makes their reviews even more credible .
• Add your services or menus to your profile. You don’t want to lose a potential customer because they can’t locate your services and prices fast enough.

Due to the popularity of Google Reviews for consumers and the importance of actually ranking on Google businesses, this is an exceptionally powerful and important tool for every company.

Yelp Reviews

Another popular customer review site is Yelp . Yelp can be used for reviewing any kind of business or service. Consumers can write reviews and rate their experience on a 5-star scale, similar to Google My Business Reviews.

One unique feature of Yelp Reviews is that the website instructs companies on how to use both positive and negative reviews to their advantage and how to respond to these reviews. The way you react to a review or rating can make or break your business, which is why the training Yelp provides is a great bonus.

How to Set Up Your Yelp Business Profile

To create a profile for your company on Yelp, you’ll have to start by claiming your business . This is a free process that puts you in charge of any information that customers and reviewers can read on Yelp.

Visit the Yelp Business Page to start your claim. During the process, Yelp may contact you to make sure you are the rightful owner of the business. You definitely don’t want just anyone running the content on your profile, do you?

Once you've created your profile and Yelp has given you the green light, you’re able to update important profile information, add photos, respond to reviews privately or publicly, and track views and leads.

How to Leave a Review on Yelp

If you want to be a reviewer on Yelp, you’ll have to create a free account. To write a review, click on the business you want to review through the search bar and begin writing. You cannot post anonymously on this site either.

Have you ever been in a situation where you had a really bad experience with a business or product and went online to write them a poor review ... then customer service impressed you by immediately contacting you and rectifying the situation?

You might then have felt obligated to write another review and retract what you said? Not a problem with Yelp! You can find your original review, click Update below it, and tell everyone on Yelp how the company listened to you and helped solve your initial issue.

A Word of Advice About Responding to Yelp Reviews

Yelp makes it easy to respond to customer reviews — just go to the original comment and click Write Response.

Keep in mind, however, that putting your profile on a customer review site means not everything is going to be a happy tale of a customer loving your company. If you get a positive review, then that’s fantastic!

But whether or not you agree with what someone wrote, the way you react to criticism says a lot about your company’s values and character. Remain positive towards all reviewers – and ask for more detailed feedback if you need it – no matter how frustrated you might be that this review is viewable to potential customers.

Like all review sites, Yelp gets its fair share of fake reviews too. The site has an automated review filter, which is part of their Recommendation Software , that is used to weed out false information and spam. They also investigate all tips given to them by other reviewers and Yelp visitors to ensure only legitimate information is on the site.

For more information on other popular customer review sites and their features, check out this blog post .

How to Ask for a Customer Review

Businesses of all sizes need reviews to gain new customers and build trust. But how do you get reviews? Sometimes, you just need to ask. Here are a few ways you can do that ethically and professionally.

1. Bring it up naturally in conversation.

If you’re talking about your business with someone, or if they tell you how they feel about one of your products or services, ask them if they would be willing to write you a customer review.

Of course, don’t force your mom to write a raving review of the product you sell (unless she actually uses and loves it … and says she’s your mom) since that would be a conflict of interest. All of your reviews should come from legitimate sources.

2. Ask in response to praise.

When someone tells you how much they love their purchase or experience, whether it’s in-store, over the phone, or online, ask them to share that information in a review. Make it easy for them by providing a link to your business review page.

3. Send an email blast.

If your company has an email list, send a message that asks for honest feedback. Provide email recipients with easy-to-follow directions on how they can complete a review. And since the reviews aren’t anonymous, you can always provide reviewers with a reward of some kind to say thank you!

4. Request a post-purchase review.

After a customer makes a purchase, ask them for feedback. Stores do this all the time — you often see a prompt to write a review or provide feedback at the bottom of your receipt.

For information on strategies to promote positive customer reviews, read this blog post .

What is a testimonial?

Customer testimonials are honest endorsements of your product or service. Testimonials are posted on a company's website and used in marketing materials.

They include information about someone’s overall experience, how your products provide value, and highlight specific cases that help prospects feel confident about doing business with your brand.

All testimonials are unique, but they should always be relatable, sincere, and specific. This is how your company builds credibility.

Wouldn’t you feel more at ease spending your money on something that multiple people claim to love, versus a product that you can’t find any relatable information on from another customer’s point of view?

Customers trust other customers. That’s why it is so important to have powerful testimonials that include buyers who can honestly promote your brand.

Your testimonials can include impactful and positive quotes from consumers, a photo of the person who provided the testimonial , or a video of the person relating their experience. These techniques make your potential customers feel as though they can trust you and your company.

It’s important to remember that each buyer is unique, and your testimonials should speak to each of your buyer personas. Every testimonial should highlight different types of people using your products or services in ways specific to their needs. This is because buyers want to know how people similar to themselves are using your product.

You can also create a case study highlighting your customer’s story and obtain a testimonial during this process.

How to Ask for Testimonials

Now that you see the positive impact a great customer testimonial can have on your business, you may be wondering how you can get a few on your site. There are techniques that can help your business receive strong testimonials from relatable and personable customers.

1. Ask immediately.

Ask for testimonials from customers who have recently gotten value from their purchase. You want the information they give in their testimonial to be fresh, accurate, and as specific as possible.

2. Showcase the complete experience.

It’s always great having a customer testimonial on your site that has information about their end-to-end experience. This shows customers how your product or service has resolved a challenge that another individual was experiencing.

3. Ask again.

If you ask for a review and don’t get one, wait a couple of weeks and try again. There is no harm in sending a friendly follow-up email asking if they would like to share their experience. Who knows, maybe their purchase made a positive impact on their life in the last couple of weeks that they are now excited to tell others about.

4. Make it easy.

Tell your customers exactly how they can leave you a testimonial, whether it’s written or in video format (we will discuss more about video testimonials shortly). Give customers guidelines on what they should include in their testimonial.

Looking for specific questions to ask customers who are completing testimonials for you? Check out this post .

Video Testimonials

Video testimonials are a highly personal way of promoting your brand. When customers can actually see and hear other customers talk about their positive experience, it’s significantly more compelling than just reading words on a page. It allows your potential customer to engage with a real customer who is similar to themselves – and it makes the testimonial more relatable.

89% of marketers say video testimonials are the most effective content marketing tactic . So, why not give it a try?

Creating Video Testimonials

You can ask a customer to create a video testimonial the same way you would ask them to create any other testimonial. However, since you are putting them on screen, you’ll need to consider a few additional aspects.

Will you travel or hire a production company to film the testimonial? Do you have the resources in-house to produce the video?

You want to make it as easy as possible for your customers to say good things about your business. By controlling the production, you’ll be able to ensure the quality of the video and prompt them to get the footage you’ll need to help build trust with your prospects, alleviate any doubts, and convince them that your services or products will solve their need. However, this can be a large resource commitment, and you may not have the budget.

There are tools available to help you create professional video testimonials on a budget. Apps (that require a subscription), like Bravo and Nimbb , allow users to record testimonials with the webcam on their computers or smartphones and send them your way, so you can get them up on your site efficiently, without a hitch.

Why Reviews and Testimonials Are Important

The importance of online reviews is high for both businesses and customers.

From a customer's perspective, reviews and testimonials heavily influence how much a customer can trust a new brand or product. Even one negative review can dissuade a potential customer. Additionally, a business with no reviews raises a red flag; both positive or negative, reviews are beneficial in a customer's eyes.

Another important part of customer reviews is a business's response to them. BrightLocal found that 55% of consumers felt positively after seeing a business owner responding to a review. This means engaging with customer reviews can give your business a competitive advantage.

From a business's perspective, reviews and testimonials help businesses understand why they are retaining or losing their customers. With reviews and testimonials, companies can make educated decisions about what needs to remain the same and what needs to change to be as successful as possible. Lastly, positive reviews help convert interested consumers and leads into buyers and loyal customers.

Customer Reviews and Testimonials in the Sales Process

A positive review or a powerful testimonial has the potential to convert a lead into a customer. With both reviews and testimonials, you can answer a customer’s questions and show them how other people like them have used your product or service.

By using reviews, you are putting your customers first and selling by showing how others have gotten value from your products — it’s no longer a pitch, but a conversation. Testimonials give consumers important information without being “salesy” and give potential customers the opportunity to do their own research and due diligence.

Adding Testimonials to Your Sales Deck

Adding customer testimonials to your sales deck can provide readers and potential buyers with the additional support they need to make a decision. In a sales deck, businesses typically include information that relates to prospective buyers’ needs, possible solutions to the challenges they may be facing, and proof that your claims are accurate. Customer testimonials will help you do all of this.

Using Landing Pages for Your Testimonials

To make the biggest impact on potential customers, showcase all of your testimonials in one easy-to-find location , such as on a single landing page.

Check out HubSpot’s testimonial landing page for reference. This highlights the variety of companies using our products and how they’ve each benefited differently. Also, notice how each testimonial is paired with a picture. Potential customers can put a face to the name and have a more personal experience.

If you’re looking for specific testimonial examples and landing page examples, read this post .

Start Collecting Customer Reviews

Remember: Customer reviews and testimonials are key to understanding why people are using your products — or maybe even why they found the experience less than stellar. This is just one more way to use feedback to improve your overall offerings and how you interact with prospects and customers.

To get as much accurate feedback as possible, businesses should encourage customers to write them honest and specific reviews. Companies should reinforce the positive feedback and respond to negative reviews with the goal of understanding how they could have done better and if there’s a way to repair the relationship.

By encouraging customers to provide you with reviews and testimonials, you can better understand your audience’s pain points, prove your value to prospects, and build the best possible experience for all your customers.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Best Consumer Business Review Websites in Your Industry

This is the ultimate guide to   Consumer Business Review Websites.

In this guide we’ll show you the top 19 review websites, what type of businesses they are best for, and some unique features about each.

Let’s get started.

Did you know that more than half of business-goers visit an establishment within 48 hours of an online search?

According to BrightLocal, 70% of people read multiple reviews before choosing a business and only 53% consider patronizing a business with less than 4 stars. Clearly, online reviews have an influence on where people choose to shop.

It doesn’t matter if you own a small artisan coffee shop that relies on local foot traffic or a high-end spa that primarily gains customers from referrals. Local businesses of all types will benefit from having an active presence on more than one review website.

In this guide, we provide a comprehensive view of the top review websites, the characteristics of their user bases, and the different features and rating scales offered by each.

Jump ahead:

Google Business Profile - A must for every local business

Yelp - Great for organic local search

Facebook - #1 social network

Angie’s List - The home of home services. Membership required?

Better Business Bureau (BBB) - A place for business owners to build trust and credibility

CitySearch - Great for entertainment and hospitality businesses reliant on tourism

Judy’s Book - Users can add you to their “books” which will help your business

Merchant Circle - Be found based on price

Superpages - Directory for anybody and everything

Manta - For “mom and pop” shops

Foursquare - Ideal if you rely on foot traffic

TripAdvisor - Your customers travel to you

Zomato - Restaurants, listen up

Trustpilot - One-stop-shop for reviews, free for both sides

PlanetRate - If your customers are looking for specific features

DealerRater - Biggest auto-specific review site

Cars.com - Popular shopping site for all dealers

CarGurus - Value-forward shopping site for dealers in US, Canada, and UK

Edmunds - Editorial powerhouse with some shopping activity

Google Business Profile (GBP)

A must for every local business

According to HubSpot , there are 70,000 Google searches every second. This equates to about 5.8 billion searches per day, making Google the most widely used search engine. An active GBP page is crucial for local business owners to increase their web traffic and engage with customers online.

While Google Business Profile offers many helpful tools for business owners to market themselves online, such as appointment booking and social posts, their review service is the stand out.  

Google uses a five-star rating system, with one star being the lowest possible score. Every business's average rating is readily displayed on their page next to the total number of reviews they’ve received.

Reviews have a maximum character amount of 4,000 and no minimum character requirement, meaning that many Google reviews contain no commentary at all. Reviewers have the option to edit their review, so if their experience was improved after the fact they can update their rating to reflect that. 

Google has a   detailed content policy   and reviews are monitored to ensure that illicit content and spam are removed. In addition, Google uses commonly used keywords to organize reviews. For example, if you search “BMW of Ramsey,” the keywords that pop up include finance, lease, and professional. Researchers can then click these terms to see reviews relevant to their needs. 

Google offers a variety of tools to help local businesses gain online traction. For a complete, comprehensive guide to your GBP page, please refer   here .

Great for local organic search

Yelp is one of the most well-known online directories, with   184 million reviews   across their platform. In fact, some search engines such as   Bing   and   Yahoo   have eliminated their own review feature and integrated Yelp reviews into their platforms. 

Users can choose to view reviews in different ways, like by highest rating or through the unique “Yelp Sort” feature, which lists reviews by specific quality factors such as relevancy and distance. In order to leave a review, users must set up a Yelp account, which they can do for free. There is no character minimum for Yelp reviews, but the max is 5,000 characters. Users are given a 30-day period during which they can update an old review. Yelp has strict policies in place to ensure reviews are authentic and accurately reflect the customer’s experience, and anyone has the ability to report reviews they believe violate these policies. 

Business owners can also create free Yelp accounts and update their profiles with contact information, business details, and photos. They can choose to respond to both positive and negative reviews publicly, or handle disputes over private messaging.  Yelp’s reporting feature displays data such as number of reviews received per month and what users do after visiting the page, like visiting the business’s website. 

If you own a business that requires reservations and appointments, Yelp offers a booking option which can be integrated into your Yelp page, making it simpler for customers who want to visit you. There are also paid options for businesses who want to go the extra mile in establishing their online presence. Advertising campaigns help boost listings to the top of search results, although they are clearly marked as “Sponsored Results.” 

Yelp provides a number of video clips designed to help business owners utilize the platform in its entirety. For example,   here   is a video of a business owner explaining how to respond to Yelp reviews.   Here   is another that teaches business owners how to update their profile. These resources may benefit business owners hoping to get the most out of their Yelp page.

#1 social network.

Facebook   has   2.5 billion active   monthly users, making it one of the most popular social media sites. While initially designed as a social networking site, Facebook has gained popularity among businesses as well. It provides a ton of potential for direct customer feedback and engagement through recommendations, posts, comments, and ads. Business owners can create free pages specific to their business. 

Facebook’s feature is a little different than other   business review websites . Only people with a Facebook profile are able to leave reviews, and instead of a rating scale, customers answer the question “Do you recommend this business?” After selecting yes or no, they can add comments, photos, and even tag the employees they worked with, if the employees also have a Facebook page. Posts have a character limit of 63,206. Who knows how they came up with that number - email us if you know!

Any Facebook user can leave a review or comment, and it’s not uncommon for businesses to receive unfounded feedback. Business owners should remain professional no matter how absurd a comment or review may seem. It’s especially important to be tactful when engaging with customers on Facebook since it is such a public and highly-used network, where threaded conversations are the norm. It’s not uncommon for anonymous Facebook users to support an upset customer in an argument with a business - it’s important not to let these threads spiral out of control. While particularly absurd reviews and comments can be reported, Facebook will only remove them if they directly violate   their content policy .

Beyond reviews and comments, Facebook has a lot to offer both small local businesses and large companies. Business owners can flesh out their pages with contact information, a list of services offered, photos, videos, and more. Facebook offers an appointment booking feature, direct messaging, and targeted advertisements to help businesses reach prospective customers. For more in-depth information on how to set up a Facebook Business page, please review our   guide . 

Angie's List

The home of home services. Membership required?

Angie’s List offers listings for local businesses in the United States. It is a popular site among home service providers, but currently features listings for more than 720 different types of services. There are certain industries that aren’t allowed to post their information on Angie’s List, including lawyers, restaurants, large utility companies, schools, hotels, and airlines. Setting up a listing is free and simple; business owners and service providers simply create an account and fill out the required information. 

Membership is required for consumers who want to use Angie’s List, and they can choose between a few different options. The free “Green” membership offers access to service providers, ratings, and verified reviews. The “Silver” and “Gold” memberships offer unique support tools, like access to the Angie’s List customer service team. They can help users compare prices, book appointments, and find a provider.  

Members also have the option to post reviews. According to their site, the five million Angie’s List members submit more than 60,000 reviews each month. This site grades on an A-F scale, rather than the standard star-rating. While Angie’s List keeps user data and contact information confidential, reviewers’ names are included with their review. This policy is in place to ensure that reviews come from actual customers who are posting about genuine experiences. Angie’s List also takes steps to ensure authenticity by background checking the businesses who advertise with them. For providers to win the “Super Service Award,” a badge on their profile indicating high levels of service, they must also pass a background check.

Beyond the usual review feature, Angie’s List has a complaint resolution team to help users and businesses work through their issues. When a negative review is posted, the team informs the business owner. Once the issue is resolved, the old review is sent back to the user so that they can update their feedback. If the issue is not resolved, the original review remains posted.

Better Business Bureau (BBB)

A place for business owners to build trust and credibility

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a nonprofit organization that evaluates business operations against a set of “best practices” for how businesses should treat customers. According to their website, their mission is to advance marketplace trust. The BBB never endorses businesses or products and they don’t offer any paid advertising options, as that would lead to an unbiased display of information. 

Business owners must apply to have a listing on the BBB. Once the listing is created, owners can claim their business profile and add additional information. Businesses become accredited when their practices meet the standards set forth by the BBB. They also receive a rating on an A-F scale. 

Any person can post a review on a BBB page, rating the business from one to five stars. A full history of past complaints and whether they have been resolved are listed publicly. These complaints influence a business’s accreditation status. 

City Search

Great for entertainment and hospitality businesses reliant on tourism

CitySearch serves as a local guide for dining, entertainment, retail, travel, and professional services in the United States. Their online directory has a search tool which allows users to research a type of business in a specific location. Search results are always determined by keyword and distance. 

CitySearch uses publicly available information to create their listings, which business owners can then claim. Business owners can also choose to set up their own profile. Once claimed or created, profiles can only be updated and edited by verified owners to ensure that all the information is valid. 

Any person can post a review on a business’s page, no membership required, using CitySearch’s thumbs up, thumbs down rating feature. Not only can users leave reviews, once a year they can vote on the “Best Of” list. The “Best Of” list highlights business in specific categories, such as “kid friendly restaurants” and “high end hair salons.” To provide extra insight for potential buyers, CitySearch integrates reviews from other websites into their platform. While they have strict review content guidelines regarding spam as well as potential conflicts of interest, they can only remove reviews that have been posted through their platform. 

Judy's Book

Users can add you to their “books” which will help your business

Judy’s Book is a searchable database that showcases information and reviews for a plethora of businesses and services. It currently has 11 million business listings, 4.5 million reviews, and 1 million monthly page views. The SocialSearch tool, which is their internal search engine, helps users find local establishments.

While Judy’s Book is free for consumers, business owners must pay to claim their listings. Paid membership includes access to local advertising and enhanced content, such as the ability to add media, search and keyword analytics, and more. 

Both members and non-members can leave a review; however, if a user does not have a membership, they cannot go back to edit a review after posting. To post a review, users “vote” either thumbs up or thumbs down and then leave more detailed feedback, if they wish. The website has auto-filters in place to weed out any fictitious or spam reviews. Judy’s Book also integrates reviews from other websites into their platform. 

Users are given the option to create “books” of their favorite and least favorite businesses. Since books are viewable by other users, having your business chosen as a favorite is a form of marketing. Another unique feature of Judy’s Book is their “kid score,” a 1-100 rating system of how kid-friendly an establishment is. 

Merchant Circle

Be found based on price

Merchant Circle is a listing site designed to help potential customers find the best local option by comparing price quotes for specific services. Currently, it has 100 million users and around 2 million business listings. 

Search results are arranged by the highest rating and most frequently viewed. Both users and non-users can rate and review businesses. In addition, reviewers can privately message a merchant instead of posting their review publicly.

MerchantCircle offers paid features such as marketing and analytic data and the ability to claim listings across other web listings, providing more uniform search results for consumers. 

Directory for anybody and everything

Superpages is another online directory with search results organized by relevance, ratings, or distance. Businesses and reviews are categorized by specialty, such as professional services, local contractors, and healthcare providers. 

A Superpages profile is free for consumers, and anyone with a profile can leave a review for a business. There is a character minimum of 100, with the option to add photos as well.

While business profiles are free, Superpages also offers paid features. There is a tool that allows business owners to screen for listing errors across multiple sites and then update any incorrect information. Their marketing solutions include additional SEO & SEM tools and social media advertising. 

For “mom and pop” shops  

Manta’s slogan is “The Place For Small Businesses.” They claim to be a listing site for mom and pop shops and other local businesses. Business owners can create and customize their listings for free. Manta also offers paid marketing features, through which businesses can run advertisements on Manta, build and design a website, and claim listings across the web.

Search results are organized by keywords first and then rating. Ratings out of five stars are clearly displayed on business profiles. Any person can leave a review and return to edit or update their comments at any time.  

Ideal if you rely on foot traffic

Foursquare is a social-networking app and website designed to help users find businesses. As of January 2019, Foursquare had 55 million active users . Any user can create a listing, however, only business owners can claim these listings to become the authorized page manager. In addition, there are options for chain establishments to manage their locations individually or as one brand. 

FourSquare may be most well-known for its unique “check-in” feature. The site offers incentives for users to check-in, or digitally declare that they’ve visited a location, encouraging them to be more active online. It also encourages users to leave more reviews.

The rating and review feature on Foursquare is based on a 1-10 number scale. Businesses are assigned a rating, not only from average of customer ratings, but based on an algorithm that accounts for direct feedback on the app as well as likes and dislikes from other social sites. Users can view the rating once they are on a business page, where they will also find more detailed information and what Foursquare calls “Tips.” Tips are both positive and negative comments that users post after their visit. Other users can then vote on whether they agree with the tip or not. For example, if a user posts a tip that says “great cafe, free wifi,” but the cafe owner recently got rid of the free wifi, another user can downvote this tip and state that the information is outdated.   

TripAdvisor

Your customers travel to you

TripAdvisor is a review site best-suited for businesses that attracts tourists, including restaurants, entertainment venues, museums, transportation companies, hotels, and other lodging accommodations. There are currently 6.5 million accommodation listings and around 350 million reviews on TripAdvisor, making it easy for customers to learn about previous guest experiences while planning a trip. The website is translated into 28 languages.

Official representatives of travel businesses can create listings for free. These listings appear on the TripAdvisor directory, as well as on other travel websites. There are four listing categories to choose from: hotels, restaurants, attractions, and vacation rentals. 

Any internet user can leave a review on TripAdvisor. Reviews are on a five-point scale, one point meaning terrible and five points meaning excellent. Reviewers are also prompted to list what time of the year they were travelling and what type of trip it was, such as a business trip or a family vacation. After the initial information is provided, reviewers are prompted to add photos and additional details, such as how well they slept and what type of extra amenities were offered. For those using TripAdvisor as a research tool, they have the option to compare businesses by rating as well as price quotes. 

Restaurants, listen up

Zomato is a review website and app specific to restaurants. Originally launched in Delhi, India, the website now has 1.5 millions listings across 24 countries around the world and 100 million active monthly users.

Business owners must create their restaurant listing, after which they can add details such as if their restaurant has wifi, a smoking area, happy hour, and vegetarian menu options. Table reservation and online ordering can be integrated into Zomato profiles, and business owners can also run paid advertising campaigns. Zomato users can filter listings by rating, cost, and popularity. Users can also toggle the results to be categorized by attributes of the restaurant, such as dine-in, take-out, or type of cuisine.

 While the general public can read reviews, diners must create an account to post a review. Dine-in reviews have a 140 character minimum, while take-out reviews do not have a character minimum. Both include a rating from one to five. Users are limited to one review per establishment but have the option to edit their content. Reviews that are older than six months often get deleted and, like most sites, Zomato forbids spam, fake reviews, and malicious content. 

One-stop-shop for reviews, free for both sides

Trustpilot is a listing site which services 65 countries, including the US. There are 83 million third-party verified reviews on the site. 

Trustpilot claims to be a one-stop-shop for online reviews. Both users and businesses can create accounts for free. After a customer completes a transaction with a business, they are sent an invitation to post a review. The invitation includes instructions that walk the customer through the review process. 

Trustpilot has strict legal guidelines surrounding review content to avoid spam and inappropriate content, with humans and robots screening every review to make sure the content is accurate. The website also offers insights for businesses on how to combat fake reviews.

If you customers are looking for specific features

PlanetRate is a listing site for virtually any industry. If a business owner can’t find their industry listed as a category, PlanetRate claims they will take steps to create a category and help get that business listed on their site. 

PlanetRate uses specific filters so that consumers can find exactly what they are looking for. For example, users can search for a doctor who takes insurance, or a gym with a parking lot. Customer reviews also help consumers with their search, as reviews include specific criteria ratings such as cleanliness of facilities and affordability.

For users to post a review, they must create an account. PlanetRate “verifies” users by linking their PlanetRate profiles with a personal Linkedin or Facebook profile. Ratings are done on a 1-10 scale and include written commentary as well. 

DealerRater

Biggest auto-specific review site

DealerRater coined itself the “gold standard” for car dealership reviews and research. Designed to help car buyers and sellers find the right dealership, the website also has car recall information and helpful tips for car buyers. 

Currently DealerRater attracts 14 million monthly users and has over 6 million customer reviews. 

Dealerships must claim their listing to be featured on DealerRater. They provide the option to syndicate review content for other websites such as the dealer’s website, Cars.com profiles, and Facebook pages. DealerRater keeps it personal, allowing customers to review and contact specific members of the sales team. It also allows dealerships to post their positive DealerRater reviews to Facebook, for added exposure. 

The review feature allows any person to leave a review, as long as they have not been employed or affiliated with the location for the past five years. Reviews have a 25 word minimum, and users are prompted to add a star rating, select employees, and select whether their feedback is for the sales or service department. DealerRater has an auto-filter to monitor content and eliminate spam; dealerships also have the option to report reviews that may violate the guidelines. In addition, DealerRater notifies dealers when they receive a negative review. 

Locations can also apply to become DealerRater certified, meaning they have taken additional steps with the site to prove their commitment to customer satisfaction. Once accepted for certification, DealerRater will provide these dealers with best practice training, closely monitor their reviews, and alert them when conflict resolution is needed. 

DealerRater also offers three options of paid membership, which come with additional benefits: DealerRater Connections, DealerRater Connections Plus, DealerRater Essentials for Independents (used car dealers). These memberships give business owners a two-week grace period where their negative reviews remain private as they attempt to resolve the complaint with the customer. Other solutions include personalized employee profiles and SEO tools. 

Popular shopping site for all dealers

Cars.com has around 30 million visits per month. It was created to help connect car buyers with car sellers, and customers can inquire about vehicles directly through the website. While both dealers and independent sellers can sell through this site, only dealers are allowed to be rated and reviewed. Dealership ratings are a calculated average of reviews from the previous 24 months, providing researchers with an up-to-date perspective. 

Anyone can leave a review, but only those who create a Cars.com account have the ability to save vehicles, receive price drop information, and get notifications on new listings. Previous employees and affiliates, such as employee family members, are prohibited from leaving reviews. Cars.com limits users to one review per dealership, and no spam, personal information, or illicit content can be posted. 

When leaving a review, the user will be asked to provide their reason for visiting the dealership - either new sales, used sales, or a service visit. Other information they are prompted to share includes whether they recommend the location and if they followed through with the purchase. They are required to leave an overall star rating, as well as a star rating for four categories: customer service, buying process, quality of repairs, and facilities. Reviews have a 25 word minimum that maxes out at 4,000 characters. 

Cars.com offers paid services for dealers, including vehicle advertisement and online performance analysis. Some additional features for car shoppers include vehicle history, a payment calculator, car comparison, and trade-in value tools.  

Value-forward shopping site for dealers in US, Canada, and UK

Cargurus is designed to help customers make informed decisions when buying a car. Available for shoppers in the US, Canada, and the UK, it is the most visited car shopping site among other third-party options. 

CarGurus has over 5 million car listings. Each includes the vehicle’s price, information about the seller, and CarGurus’ analysis of whether the deal is fair or not. All dealerships are notified when they receive a customer inquiry. CarGurus offers paid options including the dealer dashboard, which provides data to help price and sell more effectively, and marketing services. 

Customers are prompted to leave a review after interacting with a dealer through the CarGurus platform. In order to leave a review, they must agree that they have contacted the dealer, are not associated with the dealer in any way, and are not employed by them. CarGurus confirms this information by checking the users phone number or email address. If the contact information isn’t found in the dealer’s archives, they are not able to proceed. Each review goes through a screening to ensure the CarGurus guidelines are being met. Dealers can dispute reviews they believe are fraudulent. If the review is determined to be fake, the reviewer may lose permission to use the platform in the future.

Dealerships have the option to publicly respond to reviews, and other users can mark reviews as helpful. While all reviews remain on the site, only reviews from the previous two years are calculated into the overall score for a location. In addition, CarGurus gives out “Top Rated Dealer” awards annually to the dealerships with the highest-rated reviews.  

Editorial powerhouse with some shopping activity

Edmunds is another site that helps catalyze the car-buying process for shoppers and dealers. Their services include a car finder tool, a vehicle comparison tool, and a discovery tool that directly connects interested buyers to local dealerships. While the platform only receives about 300 reviews annually, Edmunds remains a valuable option for car shoppers and local dealerships. 

Reviewers select sales or service before posting their feedback. Once reviews are submitted, they will be screened by the Edmunds team prior to being published. After publication, reviewers can edit their feedback only once. Dealers are able and encouraged to respond to reviews. These responses go through the same screening process as reviews to ensure authenticity. Dealership ratings are an aggregate of their review scores from the previous two years. 

Beyond dealership reviews, Edmunds also has reviews for specific vehicles. The Edmunds team test drives cars and assigns them a rating from one to ten on a variety of categories, such as the vehicle’s interior, comfort, storage, and overall value. They also provide a list of pros and cons. Vehicle prices are listed according to their True Market Value (TMV), which makes it easy for buyers to compare dealership prices and make an educated decision. 

Now it’s your turn

While creating a listing on every business review site is unnecessary, staying active on Google, Facebook, Yelp, and a few industry-specific sites is vital for maintaining your online reputation. It’s equally important to respond to your reviews in a timely and thoughtful manner. Responses help boost your SEO, increase the numbers of reviews you receive, and even improve your overall rating. 

If the notion of answering all of your online reviews is intimidating, Widewail is here to help. We answer reviews on behalf of our clients and enrich our responses with SEO-boosting keywords. We only notify our clients when they receive a negative review, saving them time and energy that can be better spent with their in-person customers. 

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Discover the Best Customer Review Sites for Your Business

Tobias Roelen-Blasberg

Creating an excellent presence on the best customer review sites is considered a more effective marketing strategy than paid advertising. A 2022 article states 9 out of 10 read reviews before buying a product.

But here's the catch: regardless if you have heaps of positive reviews, a 5-star rating, and a high response rate, if you're not on the correct review platform for your niche, then your efforts are futile. In this blog, we'll teach you how to find the best customer review site for your industry to connect with the relevant market and, hopefully, gain new customers.

Why do people use review websites?

Consumers use review websites when doing their research. Recent studies show that 59% of customers report being influenced by false advertising claims, while 34% admitted they fell into a false advertisement trap at least once. Because of these increasingly alarming market trends in advertising, consumers are now extra careful when purchasing a product or booking a service.

Aside from this, consumers also use review websites to help others make their purchases. They post online reviews to warn other consumers regarding businesses that gave them unsatisfactory experiences and recommend companies that offer pleasant ones.

Why use a review platform?

Customer reviews can be a powerful tool for businesses, providing valuable insights into customer satisfaction and helping build trust with potential customers. Reviews can also help businesses identify improvement areas and make changes that will benefit their customers. Here are some more benefits if you make customer reviews a top priority:

• Increase visibility: Customer reviews can help increase your business's visibility, as they often appear in search engine results. This can attract more customers and increase sales. To learn more on how you can boost your ranking on relevant searches, click here.
• Improve online reputation: Positive customer reviews can help build trust with potential customers, leading to increased sales and a better reputation for your business. An excellent overall rating is usually improving the ranking on any platform.
• Increase engagement: Customer reviews can also help engage customers, as they allow customers to share their experiences and opinions about your products or services.
• Increase customer loyalty: Positive customer reviews can help build customer loyalty, as customers are more likely to return to a business they trust and have had a good experience with. You can boost customer loyalty by responding to your positive reviews and thanking customers for their feedback.
• Learn from feedback: Customer reviews can provide valuable feedback on products or services, improving the quality of your offerings and making them more attractive to customers.
• Leverage free testimonials: Customer reviews can also be used as free testimonials, which you can leverage to promote your business and attract more customers. Testimonials are a great way to show potential customers that your products or services are high quality and have been positively reviewed by other customers.

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What are the largest review platforms?

The three largest review platforms today are Google Reviews, TrustPilot, and Tripadvisor. These three websites cover a variety of industries within their platform. However, you must also optimize your presence on niche-based review platforms. Here are some of the top consumer review platforms based on the industry:

Best customer review sites for hospitality

For the hospitality industry, guest experience is everything, and this could be advertised online through reviews. Some major online booking websites also serve as the best customer review sites. Here are some the most important platforms:

Google My Business for hotels

Booking.com, tripadvisor for hotels, travelocity, facebook for hotels.

Reviews on Google often appear in search engine results, which can help draw attention to the hotel and make it easier for potential customers. Additionally, positive customer reviews can help build trust with potential customers, as they allow customers to share their experiences and opinions about the hotel.

Click here to learn more about how to optimize your Google My Business Profile.

Booking.com has extensive marketing strategies, appearing first in both the advertisement and regular search sections of Google. Creating a strong presence on the website allows you to make the most out of this free marketing. Furthermore, Booking.com has a straightforward booking process which most travelers prefer compared to other websites.

Read our complete guide on how to write the best replies to Booking.com reviews.

Tripadvisor is a review website that allows customers to compare prices across various booking platforms. Because of this, most travelers often go to Tripadvisor first to find good deals before booking their stay. An excellent profile, matched with a good deal and a handful of positive reviews, allows you to compete with other hotels on various booking platforms.

To know more about how you can fully optimize your Tripadvisor profile, click here .

Expedia is an online travel company offering flights, hotels, car rentals, vacation packages, and other travel-related services. It is one of the world's largest travel companies, operating in more than 30 countries. Because of its extensive reach, hotels that target international tourists must strengthen their Expedia profile through customer reviews.

To know more about how you can manage your Expedia profile and customer reviews, click here.

Also a part of the Expedia Group, Hotels.com is an online travel agency that specializes in providing discounted hotel accommodations. It offers over 325,000 properties worldwide, including over 5,000 boutique and independent hotels. Creating a strong presence on the website allows you to expand your market, as this wide variety of options attracts tourists of all kinds–families, solo travelers, backpackers, and more.

Click here to read our article about optimizing your Hotels.com content.

Agoda is an online travel booking platform that offers hotel and other accommodation options in over 200 countries. It also provides users with low rates and a variety of payment options. However, what attracts most travelers to Agoda is its risk-free cancellation policy, allowing people to fully refund their payment seven days before their booking date.

Also a part of Expedia Group, Orbitz creates a strong market by providing generous discounts, rewards promos, and cashback offers to their users. Aside from this, they also have last-minute deals that give travelers a full-refundable option and a 15% discount even if you booked seven days before your check-in date. These awesome deals made Orbitz famous for spontaneous travelers.

To know more on how you can manage your Expedia profiles, including Orbitz, click here.

According to Expedia, Travelocity is their booking website that caters more to the US family market, including Middle America and US Latin territories. Their hotel options and booking deals tend to be more flexible to target a large group of people, excursions, travelers with kids, and more. If your business has plenty of lofts made for groups, creating a solid presence on Travelocity through customer reviews is a must.

To know more on how you can manage your Expedia profiles, including Travelocity, click here.

Airbnb offers more variety of accommodation options. Instead of a booking website, it's considered an online marketplace for short-term homestays and experiences, with options ranging from condominium units to hotels, villas, and more. Through an engaging Airbnb profile, private owners can earn generous income from renting their property.

On the flip side, the website has a handful of property owners who tend to have inconsistent booking modes and billing charges. So, it's essential to boost your credibility as an Airbnb host. To do this, read our complete guide here .

According to Hootsuite , Facebook has over 2.91 billion monthly active users, which gives businesses 72.5% of reach to their target market. This makes Facebook one of the most effective social media platforms for advertising. Hotels can collect reviews on their Facebook page with a simple post and comment method, which could still reach hundreds of thousands of people. Consequently, other hotels share customer testimonials from other review websites and promote them on Facebook to get better market reach.

A Tripadvisor company, Viator is famous for being a one-stop shop for travelers. Aside from accommodation, transportation offers, private tours, and even skip-the-line tickets for major tourist attractions. Hotels must create a strong presence for all-in booking websites like Viator, as 45% of travelers prefer booking a trip from start to finish from a single website.

Best customer review sites for restaurants

After getting directions to a restaurant and looking at food photos, 60% of people read reviews before going for a meal. Here are the top review websites where you can attract more diners.

Google My Business for restaurants

Tripadvisor for restaurants, facebook for restaurants.

Customer reviews and replies in your Google My Business profile allow your customers to find your restaurant through location-based and category-based keywords. People who search for "best steak around Central Park, New York" or "affordable pasta dishes Pasadena" are more likely to find your restaurant if you have more content on your GMB profile.

To know more about how you can optimize your GMB profile, click here .

Yelp is a global review platform for businesses in various industries. In fact, an average of 92 million mobile users use Yelp every day. Many customers rely on the website to help them pick the best restaurants and brands, so it's imperative to build and grow a positive reputation on this website.

To learn more about how you can create a solid reputation on Yelp, click here.

As mentioned a while ago, people are more inclined to complete all their travel bookings on one website. This includes restaurant reservations. A whopping 93% of travelers use Tripadvisor to find restaurants during their trip, while 94% of Tripadvisor diners claim they made their decision upon reading the responses to the customer reviews.

This is why it's essential to create a fully optimized Tripadvisor profile. Here's our complete guide on how to do this.

OpenTable made it easier for people to make online reservations and read reviews on their desired restaurants. While this is common among review websites, what made OpenTable popular among diners is the point system for every booking, which allows them to get free meals on their next reservations. If you want to reach more people for your website, creating an OpenTable account is a must.

Like hotels, Facebook allows restaurants to expand their reach significantly. An average Facebook user has at least 338 friends , meaning a single share from an average profile can reach more than 300 people. Some restaurants even offer their diners discounts and free meals in exchange for Facebook reviews just to boost their visibility.

Foursquare is a location-based platform that allows businesses to connect with their customers. Diners who aren't looking for particular food items and would just like to dine near their place often go to FourSquare. The website has also made reviewing easier for customers through its Facebook integration.

Zomato originally targeted tourists in Asian regions who wanted to discover restaurants. In 2013, it expanded its reach to New Zealand, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, the United States, and Australia, making it one of the biggest restaurant review websites. The website also integrated real-time delivery location-tracking technology on its food delivery platform, Zomato Trace.

So, if you want to reach more customers beyond your location, creating a fully-optimized Zomato profile is essential.

Best customer review sites for local businesses

97% of people learn more about local companies online than anywhere else. Because of this, it has become increasingly important for local and small businesses to create a solid online reputation. Here are the top 4 websites where you can do this:

Google My Business for local businesses

Facebook for local businesses, yelp for local businesses, trustpilot for local businesses.

Customers are 2.7x more likely to consider a business reputable if they find a complete Business Profile on Google Search and Maps. Furthermore, customers are 70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to purchase from local stores with a strong presence on Google, making GMB the top review website for local businesses. Click here to learn more about how to optimize your profile .

Facebook Marketplace has been a go-to place for customers who want to get awesome deals or discounted items, making it a gold mine for local businesses. Approximately 1 billion people use the Marketplace each month, with businesses ranging from fashion brands to home decor, gadgets, and more.

Yelp has successfully mastered the art behind community recommendations among consumers, with 77% of its users actively recommending brands and companies to another social networking website through Yelp. Since 2004, millions of businesses have used Yelp as their major online review platform. So, to gain organic online reach for your local business, you should create an active Yelp profile.

Trustpilot is one of the most credible business review websites, as it continuously protects consumers from online scams. In 2021, the website removed 2.7 million fake reviews during its massive fraud crackdown . Due to its extensive consumer protection activities, more and more customers are turning to Trustpilot before making online purchases.

Best customer review sites for Health Care

77% of patients use search engines before booking medical appointments. This is why businesses in the healthcare industry should also prioritize gaining search engine visibility and building a strong online reputation. Here are the top 4 review websites where you can do both:

Google My Business for health care

Google My Business is also an excellent review platform for healthcare providers and individual professionals. Aside from showcasing patient reviews, your GMB profile also allows you to give a detailed guide of your location, consultation hours, appointment procedures, and other operational information to your patients. It also shows your business’s peak hours for walk-in patients.

WebMD offers credible and in-depth medical news, features, reference material, and online community programs for all health concerns. Because of this extensive content, it has also become the top healthcare review website, with more than 75 million active users every month. While it’s an America-based company, their resources are available for international access.

3 out of 4 patients search online to find out about a doctor, dentist, or health specialist before booking an appointment. For healthcare professionals who want more online visibility, it's best to create a fully-optimized profile at Doctor.com. The website allows patients to do their complete research before booking a medical appointment, from finding and comparing various healthcare providers to reading patient reviews and discovering individual medical practitioners.

While other websites take pride in their extensive medical content, booking process, and other healthcare feature, Doctify is focused on "capturing the voice of patients." The review collection platform promotes transparency among healthcare providers and professionals by publishing unfiltered patient reviews. Doctify has established itself as a significant player in healthcare by connecting over four million people with over 25,000 healthcare providers in the last five years.

Best customer review sites for eCommerce

Search engine visibility is the heart of the eCommerce industry. Here are the top websites that can help you boost your SEO and build credibility through customer reviews:

TrustedShops

Trustpilot for ecommerce, bazaarvoice, consumer affairs.

TrustedShops offers trust-building services for eCommerce brands and their customers. With more than 20,000 online retailers, the Trustmark rating system is considered a reputable mark of legitimacy as it gathers data through fully-fledged customers and authentic feedback. On the other hand, TrustedShops Buyer Protection offers a money-back guarantee for customers.

Trustpilot remains one of the top customer review websites as of 2022, with retailers ranging from hospitality, tech, retail, and more. Every month, people share over 3 million reviews on Trustpilot, which allows consumers to find great companies and make better buying decisions–that's 3 million potential customers for a single, fully-optimized Trustpilot profile.

With over 500 million users worldwide , Bazaarvoice enables retail-centered eCommerce brands to connect with customers and generate more revenue by providing online and offline shopping data. It allows brands to target customers better by creating more relevant and engaging content and amplifying positive reviews.

ConsumerAffairs is a software-as-a-service platform (SaaS) specializing in big online purchases, including real estate, automotive, financial services, and more. It connects merchants to customers, collects reviews, and manages sales creating a one-stop-shop for online reputation building.

eKomi is a customer feedback platform that showcases reviews for over 30,000 product and services oriented companies worldwide. Some of the industry verticals with the most eKomi visibility include home & garden, finance, lifestyle, and consumer services. If your business falls into any of these niches, you might find relevant leads on eKomi.

Reviews.io gives eCommerce brands tools to collect and manage reviews across various third-party platforms, giving webshops unprecedented control over their online reputation. The website enables companies to collect genuine text, video, and photo reviews in under 10 minutes which could be excellent sources for online marketing content.

Feefo is a cloud-based consumer review and rating management software that enables brands to collect, manage, and respond to consumer feedback. Despite having fewer users compared to other online review platforms, the API and Facebook app social sharing feature of Feefo allows brands to reach social media users.

With over 30,000 users and 8 million reviews, Kiyoh provides a review system that can directly boost Google Ads and Google My Business ratings. It also allows customers to post individual product feedback apart from a general store review, giving eCommerce brands more flexibility in boosting their search engine visibility.

Best customer review sites for Apps & Software

Mobile apps are considered to be one of the most lucrative products today. In 2021 alone, over 3.8 trillion hours were spent using mobile apps. Here are some websites and apps where you can reach the relevant market for your mobile app.

Google Play Store

Software advice, trustradius, product hunt, gartner reviews, omr reviews.

Apple's App Store reported a whopping 85.1 billion in revenue last 2021, making it one of the top app review websites to date. Research has demonstrated that approximately 79% of users will look at an app's review page before deciding whether to install it , making positive reviews a fantastic way to draw in new users.

To learn more on how you can optimize your app's profile on App Store, click here.

In 2021 alone, Google Play Store generated 47.9 billion in revenue. Despite this clearly lucrative market, a staggering 97% of Google Play app reviews go unanswered , leaving app users feeling abandoned and unimportant. To make your app stand out amongst the crowd, it is essential to attend to customer feedback and show that they are heard. To know more about how you can do this, read our complete guide here.

Capterra is a free online marketplace vendor serving as a middleman between buyers and technology vendors within the software industry. As of this writing, the website has 22,225 active companies on its user index. Capterra assists consumers with selecting the software for their needs with user reviews and research. So, if you're a tech vendor looking for SaaS buyers or regular users, it's best to secure a fully-optimized Capterra account.

G2 Crowd is a peer-to-peer review website with a focus on aggregating user reviews for business software. It's one of the most trusted review websites for apps as it uses an algorithm that identifies employees at companies reviewing their own products and employees at companies reviewing their competitor's products.

GetApp is a review platform that helps users to review, compare, and evaluate multiple business software. With over 30,000 software profiles, 1.9 million verified reviews, and 1.8 million monthly users, GetApp continues to be a reputable website for businesses to find the best tech vendors in the market.

Software Advice provides advisory services, research, and user reviews on software applications for businesses in over 300 market categories, including medical, CRM, HR, construction, business intelligence, and marketing automation. As of this writing, the website was able to assist 931,140 people in finding the right software for their needs.

TrustRadius is a buyer intent software that helps businesses track verified reviews and ratings of different products. The platform enables managers to add products across various categories to attract and engage prospects. The company has reported annual revenue of $25 million by connecting software vendors to enterprises, startups, and other businesses.

Appvita is an online resource to locate the finest browser-based web applications. Web users can download and review more than 1,600 apps through the website, ranging from entertainment, communication, and content creation apps, and more. It enables apps to reach more users beyond smartphone users.

Product Hunt is a community-driven platform where product creators and marketers can showcase their products to a tech-savvy audience. The community engages with the product through votes and reviews, giving praise and feedback equally – essential ingredients in the early stages of product development.

Gartner Peer Insights is a technology review platform where users can review software they have experience with as well as view reviews from other users. These reviews are used to create interactive visualizations with customizable criteria ranging from product features to market trends and even roadmap decisions.

A European tech review website, OMR Reviews enables brands to choose among tech software and tools based on real user reviews. With IT vendors providing solutions for project management, SEO, CRM, marketing, affiliate networks, and other business needs, OMR Reviews is a one-stop-shop for B2B products.

Other important customer review sites

93% of consumers across industries read online reviews before making purchases. Here are other customer review platforms that can help you reach a relevant audience:

Yellow Pages

Better business bureau (bbb), merchantcircle.

Amazon is easily one of the most popular marketplaces in the world, with over 350 million items across its categories and services. According to 2020 research, Amazon holds 47% of the US eCommerce market , resulting in an annual net revenue of $47 billion. With extensive reach in the US market, US-based enterprises, retailers, individual sellers, and other modes of businesses should prioritize creating an optimized Amazon seller account.

Angi (formerly Angi's List) is an online review website focusing on service-oriented businesses. With categories ranging from bathroom remodeling, snow removal, dryer duct cleaning, furnace repair, and more, Angi helps homeowners to compare and review projects with user-friendly project price tags and cost guides.

Yellow Pages remains to be a trusted directory of businesses and services providers worldwide. Compared to other online review websites targeting the younger demographic, the largest age group of visitors of Yellowpages.com is 55-64-year-olds . So, if your business has the same target market, it's best to secure a Yellow Page profile.

The BBB is a nonprofit membership organization with chapters throughout North America that aims to provide two functions two consumers: first, rating companies based on reliability and performance, and second, facilitating consumer complaints and providing plausible resolutions. Because of these consumer-protection activities, the bureau remains one of the most-trusted organizations by businesses and customers.

MerchantCircle is a digital company helping small and midsize businesses network with other local businesses and reach local customers through various marketing strategies such as business listings, free marketing tools, internet advertising, and, most importantly, user review collection. The company currently has over 5 million merchants listed nationwide, with major industries like real estate, health and beauty, recreation, retail, and more.

How to respond to all your reviews in no time:

Creating a solid online reputation across these review platforms is essential to any business. Not only does it boost your visibility in search engines, but it also fosters customer trust and brand loyalty among your consumers.

We know that this is easier said than done. Apart from creating engaging content such as enticing photos and appealing and SEO-optimized copies, it's also essential to get a high response rate for your customer reviews. Unfortunately, one of our recent researches suggests that the average response rate across industries is only 50%, with a staggering response time of 6 minutes per review.

The MARA AI review reply assistant allows businesses to achieve a 100% response rate on online reviews, expediting response time by up to 3x.

The AI review reply generator enables companies to craft well-written and optimized reviews with a simple copy-and-paste method. Other features include:

• Generating SEO-ready responses for better search engine visibility;
• Crafting industry-based replies that will resonate with your target market;
• Works for every feedback from any review platform;
• Supports all languages to automatically translate review responses, making it compatible to location-based review websites; and
• Easy integration to your working CRM through APIs and Chrome plugin.

Maintaining a business is difficult in itself. So, whenever possible, it’s best to unload essential tasks to tech solutions–like writing review responses. Register for a FREE MARA account today and start building a reputable online brand reputation.

This article is part of our hero content series on “ Optimize Your Hotel Listings to Increase Bookings - All You Need to Know ".

Frequently Asked Questions:

Internet review sites are platforms where consumers share their purchase experiences from certain businesses. This includes products and service providers. Consequently, these review websites are used by companies to build their online reputation and attract new customers.

Google Reviews, Trustpilot, Tripadvisor, and Yelp are examples of review platforms. Businesses can create a profile on these websites, and customers can share their experiences with other users.

As of the moment, the best customer review website is Google. When your business has an optimized Google Business Profile with a regular flow of reviews, Google can easily rank your business in relevant searches. This allows you to reach a high number of warm leads who are ready to make their purchase.

Businesses should have an efficient process of collecting reviews from customers. This will help generate authentic reviews and online content that boost your online credibility.

Unfortunately, business websites can easily post fake reviews. This is why consumers trust online review platforms better, as these websites are managed by third-party companies that run their own algorithms for monitoring and managing customer reviews.

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Top 6 customer review sites to grow your business

10 min read Last Updated Aug 6, 2023

Your customers care about your reviews. Studies show that 92% of customers consult customer reviews before purchasing. And because customers have become increasingly reliant on online reviews, they have to navigate a vast sea of opinions to find your business. 

To help them navigate through millions of reviews easily, customer review sites have become their savior. 

But what are customer review sites?

Customer review sites are online platforms where customers share their experiences, opinions, and ratings about products, services, or businesses. These become valuable insights and feedback to help potential customers make informed decisions.

There are hundreds of review sites all over the Internet. Here is a list of the top 6 customer review sites to enhance your online reputation starting now.

Table of contents

Why should businesses pay attention to these 6 customer review sites, 2. facebook, 6. foursquare, 1. g2 crowd, 2. comparecamp, 3. trustradius, 1. consumer reports, 2. citysearch, benefits of customer reviews, send review requests automatically, monitor and respond to reviews across the internet.

• Share reviews on social media 

Frequently asked questions about customer review sites

Collect more reviews with birdeye.

By monitoring and actively engaging with customer reviews, businesses can address concerns and improve their offerings. 

Businesses should pay attention to customer review sites because: 

• Impacts their reputation and success
• Builds the brand’s image 
• Houses positive reviews to attract more customers
• Demonstrate the brand’s commitment to customer satisfaction

Now that you know why you should be using them, here are the 6 top customer review websites:

Right now, Google is the king of the review ecosystem. After all, Google reviews have more visibility than reviews posted anywhere else. Anytime a customer searches for your business, Google reviews are one of the first things they see. 

If you want your business to stay ahead of the competition, claim your Google Business Profile . Claiming this profile will make your business easier to find for your customers. 

Show up Where Your Customers Search

Want to see the impact of Birdeye on your business? Watch the Free Demo Now.

As of 2023, Facebook has 2.95 billion global monthly active users. Of course, social media isn’t the only place where Facebook is a winner. While Google stands above the competition, Facebook is the second-best review website people trust.

Facebook’s review system is more integrated into its social media platform and serves as an additional way for users to share their experiences and opinions about businesses.

Facebook is unique amongst these best review websites because it doesn’t use the typical 5-star rating system. There, customers have two options: Recommend or Don’t Recommend. 

3. Yellow Pages

While some people might be throwing away their physical Yellow Pages books, there is one place where the concept is alive and well: yellowpages.com. Like Facebook and Google, businesses of all stripes have listings on Yellow Pages. 

Yellow Pages attracts around 13 million visitors every month. While Yellow Pages might not have the same monthly user count as Facebook and Google, every review site is important. You never know where a prospective customer could discover your business. 

Check out our article on how to create a Yellow Pages free listing to get more customers .

Chances are that your business has a free Birdeye listing that builds custom profiles of businesses based on information available on places like Google and Facebook.

Birdeye aggregates reviews from hundreds of review sites all over the Internet so that you can see reviews from all over the Internet on your Birdeye profile. If enough review signals are picked up on Google’s algorithm, these Birdeye profiles rank high in search results. 

Click here to find and claim your free Birdeye profile . 

Porch is a local home services website that helps homeowners with projects, maintenance, and repairs by connecting them with quality professionals. Customers can reach out to you directly after reviewing your profile.

Last but not least, Foursquare, the app founded way back in 2009. Nowadays, Foursquare is an app that allows customers to check in to local businesses and leave reviews. 

Again, while Foursquare might not have the same usage as Google and Facebook, the app has a sizable audience. Foursquare has more than 50 million monthly active users. 

Check out our article on how to create and update your Foursquare business listing .

Best review sites for B2B companies

So far, we’ve showcased some of the top customer review sites available today. But did you know there are review sites specific for B2B and B2C companies?

Here are some of the best B2B review websites to check out:

• CompareCamp
• TrustRadius

G2 Crowd is a review platform that helps businesses find the right software and products for their needs. With over 700,000 verified user reviews, G2 Crowd provides accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of products. In addition, G2 Crowd publishes regular reports on the latest trends in the software industry, so you can stay ahead of the curve.

If you’re looking for an easy way to compare different products, services, or software, then you’ll want to check out CompareCamp. This website provides concise, unbiased comparisons of all sorts of things, so you can quickly find the best option for your needs.

And unlike other review websites, CompareCamp doesn’t accept paid advertising, so you can be sure that the information is completely impartial.

TrustRadius is a site that allows businesses and individuals to find and read reviews of products and services. The site also provides a platform for businesses to offer discounts and coupons to reviewers.

The reviews on TrustRadius are written by actual users of the products and services, making them a reliable review site.

Best review sites for B2C companies

B2C companies sell products and services directly to consumers. They need to provide a good customer experience in order to build loyalty and repeat business. Reviews play a big role in their strategy.

Here are some of the best B2C review websites today:

• Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports is a well-respected authority when it comes to product reviews and ratings. The nonprofit organization tests thousands of products yearly, ranging from cars and appliances to food and electronics. In addition to providing critical information about product performance, safety, and reliability, Consumer Reports also offers advice on how to choose the right product for your needs.

Citysearch is a website that provides reviews and listings for businesses in cities across the United States. Whether you’re looking for a new restaurant to try, a place to get your car repaired, or a hotel for your next vacation, Citysearch reviews can give you an idea of what others think before you decide.

If you’re not already using customer reviews as part of your marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity. Potential customers are more likely to trust the opinions of other consumers because they are impartial. Here are a few benefits of taking customer reviews on these review sites:

• Collecting customer reviews on the best review websites like Google and Facebook can show potential customers that your product or service is reliable and, therefore, worth their money. 
• Customer reviews can help you identify areas where your business could improve. By paying attention to the feedback you receive, you can make necessary changes to ensure that your business meets your target audience’s needs.
• Customer reviews, in the form of feedback, ratings, and testimonials, serve as a valuable resource for potential buyers. 
• Businesses enhance their reputation and improve their products and services.
• Customer reviews on these best review websites validate that real customers have tried, tested, and approved your product or service. 

Ultimately, incorporating reviews into your marketing strategy is a win-win situation for both you and your customers. Get a higher ranking and build your brand loyalty with good reviews.

Customer review tips

If you’re a business owner looking to get reviews across the Internet, you should consider using a online review management like Birdeye. Here’s how review software can help your business. 

With Birdeye, you don’t need to send review requests manually. Our platform will take care of it for you. Birdeye automatically sends review requests to your customers via text and email with your select customer review sites as options.

All we need is an integration into the software you’re already using. Birdeye integrates with over 3000 business systems and many CRMs, including Salesforce , HubSpot , ServiceTitan , and Yardi .

This allows you to seamlessly manage reviews on 150+ review sites, get alerted about each incoming review via SMA and email, respond to reviews in one place, send out customer surveys to get in-depth customer feedback, and more. 

There are hundreds of review sites on the Internet. You don’t have to switch between your different profiles on different review sites. With Birdeye, you can see all your business reviews in one place. 

You can even respond to different customer reviews within the Birdeye dashboard. When you post your response, the review will appear on the site where it originally appeared.

Share reviews on social media 

Your reviews don’t have to stay on the site where it was originally posted. Since reviews work as authentic social proof, make sure they have as big of a reach as possible. Post them on Facebook so they’re visible to your followers.

With Birdeye, sharing your reviews on social media is simple and easy. Birdeye allows you to automatically share your 5-star reviews so that you’re displaying social proof for the world to see.  Ensure all your followers know your happy customers’ opinions. 

The best way to leverage SaaS customer review sites is to respond to negative reviews politely, thank customers for their positive reviews, and optimize listings for maximum visibility.

You can find customer reviews on Google, Facebook, Yellow Pages, Birdeye, Foursquare, Avvo, and so on. The best review website would be those that define your industry.

To find honest reviews of a company, customers can search for the company on third-party review sites such as Google, Facebook, and so on.

The best way to evaluate a business is to search for the business on third-party review websites and check if the reviews include purchase details, service terms, and so on. Some may be fake if the business has only positive reviews.

You can find product reviews on Google, third-party product review websites, and the company’s website.

While most customer reviews on reputable sites are genuine, it’s important to acknowledge that not all reviews may be authentic. Some reviews could be biased, fake, or influenced by external factors. So, it’s always advisable to consider multiple sources of feedback when making decisions based on customer reviews.

Don’t fall behind on Google, Facebook, or other review sites. Collect and leverage authentic reviews with Birdeye. Birdeye was named the #1 review software by G2 Crowd and is trusted by over 100,000 businesses. Click on the banner below to get the free guide.

Originally published Aug 06, 2023

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5 Examples of Customer Reviews That Can Help Your Business

Customer reviews are critical to your business and ignoring them is a grave mistake.

They provide a window into how your customers feel about your products and services and lead to important changes that help increase customer loyalty and retention.

Research from Reevoo has found that conversion rates increase according to the number of reviews per product.

They also found that these rates don't plateau, the conversations keep growing as reviews increase.

In short, good customer reviews lead to more sales.

In this guide we'll go through what customer reviews are, see some examples of customer reviews, and learn how to get more of the customer reviews that matter.

Already understand what customer reviews are and where to find them? Then, jump ahead here: 

What Are Customer Reviews?

• Examples of Customer Reviews
• How To Get Customer Reviews
• What To Do With the Reviews

Customer reviews are often unsolicited information left by your customer. They provide a quick summary of the customer's experience with your organization, product, or service.

This could be related to the service they receive from your customer support team, the usability of your product, or really anything about the customer experience they receive.

Customers can leave these reviews in a wide range of different ways. Common places include company websites, social media, or third party websites, like Google Reviews, Yelp, and TripAdvisor, to name a few.

Often these reviews are left spontaneously, but you can (and should) actively request reviews from your customers .

Reviews can be good, bad, neutral, long, or short. They can also be detailed and packed with useful consumer insights , or lacking in any usable information.

In order to know whether or not they contain useful information you have to analyze your customer and product reviews , but more on that to come.

Reviews are critical to the health of your business.

They tell you when something is going wrong but they also signal to other customers whether they should or shouldn't purchase your products.

According to Trustpilot , 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchasing decisions .

On the other hand, 94% of customers said they have avoided a business due to negative reviews .

So, you need to read your reviews, identify any pain points, and put in place measures to fix them and generate positive reviews.

It's only then that you will start to experience increased growth. 

Examples of Customer Reviews & Where to Find Them

There are a number of different ways customers can tell you what they think of your organization. Here are the 5 most common examples of customer reviews:

• Review sites
• Quotes and testimonials
• Social media
• Brand ambassadors

1. Review Sites

Third party websites devoted to reviews like Google Reviews, G2 , and Yelp are filled with valuable customer insights.

The reviews found on these sites are often detailed and tell you what your customer likes and doesn't like about their experience with your company.

Here's an example from Google which shows star ratings following up with a comment. 

The great thing about third party websites is that the reviews are impartial and unfiltered. Therefore the reader has more confidence that they are authentic.

As a business, you can also take a look at the kinds of reviews your competitors are getting. This shows what they are doing well and what you could be doing more of.

It's worth noting that reviews on these sites are very public and visible.

Therefore it's important that you work hard to respond to all reviews, mitigate any negative reviews, and generate more positive ones . 

2. Quotes and Testimonials

Testimonials can be a powerful tool to generate new business. If your existing customers have had a positive experience with your company, they'll also be more likely to provide you with a testimonial.

These kinds of reviews are normally housed on your website or your social channels.

Here's an example from water filter company Second Nature's website: 

This testimonial lets any prospective buyer know that existing customers think the service is affordable and that it makes their lives easier.

Customer testimonials do have less reach than something like a Google review, however as you are the one publishing it, you have more control of the message.

You make sure that the most positive, authentic reviews are the most visible. 

Videos have become a popular place to leave verbal reviews, and to go searching for reviews.

They can be easier to consume than a lengthy blog post as they require less attention. This can make them more attractive to potential customers.

They also allow the reviewer to go into a lot of detail regarding what they did and didn't like about the product or service.

Common places to see customer review videos include YouTube.

Let's say you're looking to buy a cordless vacuum cleaner but you're not sure which one, a quick YouTube search brings up videos comparing various models:

Seeing a real person in the flesh recommending (or not) a product can be much more influential than just words on a page.

TikTok product reviews are also becoming more common and have the potential to go viral quickly.

4. Social media

The fact that almost everyone uses some form of social media means it's the perfect place for a highly visible review.

This is especially true if your customer base or target audience is mainly made up of Gen Zs and Millennials.

Reviews on social media are easily shareable. Reviews on your products and/or services, be they good or bad, can reach a large amount of people in a short amount of time.

Common social media platforms where reviews can be left include Instagram, and, as we saw in the previous section, TikTok, and YouTube.

TikTok product reviews tend to be shorter with less detail. That can also be attractive to customers with shorter attention spans, or less time, who need fast reviews.

To give you an idea of the reach of TikTok, the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt currently has 12.1 billion views.

And, according to research from TikTok , 67% of users say TikTok introduced them to products they had never even thought of before .

5. Blog Posts

We know that when people embark on their purchasing journey they are likely to seek out reviews with a quick search.

Often, you'll find impartial and detailed blog posts that compare products. This makes it easier for customers to believe that the reviews can be trusted.

They're also a great place for consumers from demographics that wouldn't go straight to social media to seek out reviews.

Blog post reviews can also help businesses see what is working for your customers and what you need to improve. 

6. Brand Ambassadors 

Brand ambassadors are people who love your products and services and will endorse them to their following in the form of a review.

These reviews are effective because normally the ambassadors' following trusts their opinions. This makes the followers more likely to purchase what they recommend.

Often consumers can also interact with the brand ambassador to ask further questions about the product and get all the information they need.

The only drawback to this kind of review is if the ambassador's audience doesn't have much trust in them and suspects their reviews are inauthentic.

This can be countered by brands thoroughly researching potential brand ambassadors before coming to any agreements. 

How to Get Customer Reviews

Now you're aware of the different types of customer reviews and the benefits they can bring you, you'll want to know how to generate more customer reviews.

Here are a few ways you can get more reviews:

Ask for them. It might sound obvious, but the best way to get more reviews is to ask for them. This could be via email, SMS, on a thank you card, or over the phone following on from a purchase or a delivery.

You could also get creative and request them via a social media campaign with a dedicated hashtag.

Incentivise your customers to leave reviews. Offering your customers something enticing in return for a review can be successful. Incentives could include discounts, offers, and giveaways.

Make it easy. If you give your customer an easy way to complete the review, they are more likely to do so. This might look like embedding a survey request in an email or adding a pop-up after purchase.

What to Do with The Reviews

Acting on your reviews is crucial. This is because when you read your reviews and act on the insights, you can make improvements to your customer experience that then lead to future positive reviews.

This all leads to more business and more revenue. Research from Search Engine Land even found that businesses who have more reviews than the average generate 54% more revenue .

However, when you are dealing with a huge quantity of reviews, it's impossible to read through and analyze all of your individual reviews manually.

Here is where tools like MonkeyLearn can help.

Harnessing the power of AI, MonkeyLearn can automatically analyze tens of thousands of reviews in a matter of seconds.

With no-code templates, you can quickly sift through your reviews to detect keywords , sentiment , topic , and more. You can then visualize all of your results in real time with our studio dashboard .

Let's take a step-by-step walk through what that would look like with a tutorial of our App Review Analysis template. 

Choose the App Review Analysis template to create your workflow:

Upload your data:

Match your data to the right fields in each column:

• created_at: Date that the response was sent
• text: Text of the response or the review
• rating: Number or star rating given by the customer

Name your workflow:

Explore your dashboard!

Once you're here, you can:

• Filter by topic, sentiment, keyword, or rating.
• Share via email with other coworkers.

When you have all of your data insights in front of you in an easy-to-read format, it's much easier to prioritize and take action.

These actions might include reaching out to your customers who have left reviews to thank them for a positive review.

It could also mean reaching out to a customer to ask for more information regarding their issue so that you can resolve it.

Whatever you do, make sure that you act . 

Customer reviews can be found in a wide range of places. They can also have a huge impact on your business and your business' growth.

For this impact to be positive, it's essential that they are handled correctly. 

This means analyzing your reviews to draw out as many insights as possible, responding to these reviews, and making any necessary changes to the customer experience.

To analyze a large amount of reviews, you need analysis tools that give you accurate, easy-to-interpret, and quick insights.

MonkeyLearn offers just that with its varied analysis tools and studio dashboard.

To see how you can turn customer reviews into meaningful insights that allow you to make positive changes for your business, sign up to MonkeyLearn for free today .

Inés Roldós

May 18th, 2022

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