Gaining online reviews

Inside shot of the Perch on Lancing beach cafe

Part of Cobb Digital’s role with Experience West Sussex is to help promote key businesses within the West Sussex region. As well as creating directory listings, itinerary packages for visitors and promoting businesses both on and offline, we have created this document to help gain additional online reviews.

Having reviews for your company is essential if you want to increase visitor numbers. By collecting local reviews on a wide range of sites including Google Local and TripAdvisor, you will attract more new business.

Google Local

 

Reviews on Google provide valuable information about your business to both you and your customers. Business reviews appear next to your listing in Google Maps and Google Search, and can help your business stand out against the competition.

To get reviews on Google, encourage your customers to spread the word about your business by following these best practices:

 

  • Verify your business so your information is eligible to appear on Maps, Search, and other Google services. Only verified businesses can respond to reviews.
  • Remind your customers to leave reviews. Let them know that it’s quick and it can even be done on mobile.
  • Reply to reviews to build your customers’ trust. Your customers will notice that your business values their input, and possibly leave more reviews in the future. You can also create and share a link that customers can click on to leave a review. Don’t be confrontational if they leave negative feedback – take it on board and ask them to contact you directly.
  • Reviews are only valuable when they are honest and unbiased. Don’t offer free things to gain more reviews.

 

So in summary, ask people to leave you a review. It sounds simple, but people forget to do this. If you’re a hotel, ask your customers if they could leave you a review when they’re checking out. If you’re a bar, remind them when you give them their change. If you don’t ask, you don’t get!

Tripadvisor

 

702 million reviews and opinions and 490 million monthly unique visitors prove that people use and (most importantly trust) Tripadvisor. People expect businesses to say that they’re great, which is why so many users now turn to impartial websites for reviews. TripAdvisor is key for attractions, restaurants and hotels and here is how you can gain more reviews.

 

1. Custom reminder cards

Creating your custom business card-sized reminder cards is easy, follow these simple steps:

  • Under the ‘marketing tools’ tab in your management centre select ‘promotional tools’.
  • Select ‘customize yours’ under ‘write a review’ cards.
  • Once you’ve chosen the reminder cards that fit your business click ‘get started’ to customise the cards. Be sure to add your business name and city to the back of the cards.
  • Once you’re pleased with your cards, send them off to print! The first 100 cards are free. (You pay for shipping, but it’s under £10).

 

Tip: distribute these cards at checkout, the end of a meal, or when the tour comes to an end to remind guests to write a review when they return home.

 

2. Review express

Another quick way to get more reviews, is by using ‘review express’ – the review collection tool that allows you to create and follow-up emails that encourage guests to write reviews of your business. There’s even a dashboard to help you monitor the success of your campaigns.

 

3. TripAdvisor App for Facebook

Have your visitors or guests already ‘liked’ you on Facebook? Build on that engagement further by encouraging them to write a review using the TripAdvisor App for Facebook. The app allows you to share your TripAdvisor ratings and reviews with your Facebook fans.

 

At Experience West Sussex, we are ready to help support your business and are happy to provide advice. All you need to do is get in touch with us by emailing getinvolved@experiencewestsussex.com

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