While gaining more engagement on your social media posts and content is the sign of a successful social media marketing campaign, reviews on your social media profile act as a powerful testimony to people who are considering interacting with your business or brand. However, for those who are new to social media marketing, you might be a little confused about getting these reviews.Â
Some people may think that reviews on social media are more trouble than they are worth, but it is a fact that up to 80 percent of customers trust social media reviews as much as they trust recommendations from people they know and trust. Not sure where to start? Below we dive into social media reviews and how to implement them for your brand.Â
Platform-Specific Tactics
Facebook
If you use Facebook, then Facebook reviews should be at the top of the priority list for your social media marketing campaign. Many users will search for businesses on Facebook in order to find “social proof†of the legitimacy of the business, making this a powerful platform to have in your arsenal.Â
Make sure that your Reviews tab is visible and activated by clicking on your page’s settings, scrolling until you see “Reviews†and turn this on. You should be sure to respond to all reviews, whether they are positive or negative. Users will see this interaction and it will improve the trustworthiness and legitimacy of your business or brand. Be sure not to respond aggressively or negatively, even if the review is unpleasant or negative.Â
Google Business
There is one sure fact in the digital and social media marketing world, and that is that the Google Business Listing feature is a powerful tool. Many people use Google Maps to look for local businesses or use the search engine to find brands selling what they need and they will go to the reviews section to see what experiences people have had with the business.Â
You will need to verify your business on Google Business, as this will allow the reviews to be shown on Google Maps when users search for your keywords or business name. This will also allow you to respond to reviews, showing that you are an interactive and trustworthy brand. You can also rate positive reviews as “Helpfulâ€, which will ensure that the most helpful, insightful, and positive reviews are shown first to users.Â
Instagram
Now, it might be a little bit more involved to obtain reviews on Instagram, but it is not impossible. There are ways to gain feedback from your followers that will allow you to see how people are experiencing your brand. You can use Instagram Stories for this by adding question stickers and polls. Question stickers are extremely effective tools in any social media marketing strategy, as they allow consumers to ask your business questions, showing you what they really want.Â
Asking and answering questions will increase engagement between you and your followers, and if there are positive questions and answers you would like other consumers to see, you can add these Stories to your Highlights reel so they will be shown for as long as you like, rather than disappearing after a day. Polls can also allow consumers to give feedback about products and services in a fun and interactive manner.Â
General Tactics
Always Respond To Reviews
Gaining reviews from customers is not an easy process, even after you have set up the correct channels and tabs. However, once you do have a review on your social media, it is important that you respond as quickly as possible and in a positive manner. Your feedback can be as simple as a, “Thank you for the review!†or as complex as responding to a disgruntled customer who had a bad experience. Any form of engagement is a plus for your brand.Â
Send Email Requests
If you find that you are not receiving any reviews despite your social media marketing campaign efforts, then it might be worthwhile to send an email to a customer asking them for a review. This can be done after they have paid for and received a product from your store or after they have made use of your services. Be sure to include links to the social media platforms you would prefer the reviews to be left on.Â
Remember To Resolve Issues
While it is good to respond to negative reviews, you should always remember to actually resolve the issue at hand, rather than simply apologising to improve your social media standing. You should apply all necessary changes to your products, services, or business as a whole in order to rectify these issues, especially if you notice a common thread in the complaints.Â
More so than seeing a company respond to a review, finding out that the issue was properly resolved will make your brand appear trustworthy and legitimate in the eyes of your consumers. If you would like to improve your social media marketing strategy and gain positive reviews, speak to NetMechanic today to find out how we can help you.
