When a customer is torn between two brands and finds out that one has positive reviews, which one do you think they’ll choose?
In many instances, online reviews can be the make-or-break factor for brands.
They are essential in shaping consumer decisions, especially this holiday shopping season. Positive reviews foster trust, while constructive feedback guides brand improvements. Both directly impact consumer confidence and tip the scales when it’s time to choose between brands with seemingly comparable offerings.
In this blog, we’ll look at the impact of reviews, how to promote them effectively and, of course, easy strategies for getting more.
| How Online Reviews Can Boost Sales This Holiday |
| • Focus on Authenticity and Credibility |
Holiday Shopping Trends
Customers rarely jump into a purchase without doing their homework first. In fact, before trying out a new brand or product, most consumers follow a multi-step process to ensure they’re making the right choice.
Around 80% might look into price comparisons, 60% also read up on reviews across various retail sites and 75% likewise search online for in-depth feedback.1
Here are more shopping trends to inform you when developing holiday sales strategies:
• 59% of holiday shoppers know what gifts they’ll buy by December, with about 75% of purchases from October to January researched in advance.
• 75% of holiday shoppers monitor promotions throughout the season rather than on single days.
• In 2023, consumers had only 43% of holiday shopping completed by December, leaving a large market for late-season sales.
• Over 40% of early 2024 shopping searches on Google included a brand or retailer name, with one in five holiday purchases made using loyalty points.2
These shopping trends or insights highlight the need for brands to meet various shopper mindsets throughout the season.
Leveraging online reviews is a powerful way to build trust across these phases. Positive reviews can reinforce a brand’s reliability for deal-seeking shoppers, validate decisions for last-minute buyers and foster loyalty among devoted customers who shop after peak periods.
📗 Related read: 30 Key Social Shopping Statistics You Need To Know in 2024 + Tips
How Online Reviews Increase Sales
When it comes to attracting new customers during the holiday shopping season, reviews do more than just sing your praises. Online reviews are strong, strategic assets that increase sales. Here’s how:
1. Focus on Authenticity and Credibility
When people are considering a purchase, authenticity matters and perfect ratings can seem suspicious. On the other hand, a collection of online reviews (ideally a mix of mostly positive and a few honest criticisms) paints a picture of a real, active business.
It lets potential buyers feel they’re getting a genuine look at your product or service. Authentic online reviews show that you’re not just another pop-up store with paid-for reviews. Such can be all it takes to convince customers to buy from you.
2. Differentiate Your Business From Competitors
A collection of online reviews under your belt might be the edge you need to stand out. Unless you’re serving an ultra-niche market, chances are, there’s someone else selling a similar product or service.
Your strong lineup of customer testimonials can be the differentiator when potential customers are deciding between you and a competitor. These online reviews are solid evidence that what you’re selling works.
3. Help Set Clear Customer Expectations
One of the most helpful things about online reviews is that they bring in real-life experiences from customers. Unlike a company pitch, it’s real feedback from people who’ve used your product.
Potential buyers get an idea of what to expect, from product quality to customer support. They can see for themselves whether you’re delivering on your promises, which can help prevent any unpleasant surprises and promote buyer confidence.
4. Promote Your Brand’s Online Presence
Online reviews don’t just build credibility, but they also improve visibility, especially for local businesses. On platforms like Google Maps, a complete profile filled with reviews is more likely to show up at the top of search results.
The same is true on Google Shopping and Amazon: Products with more reviews tend to rank higher. So, the more feedback you collect, the more you increase your brand’s chances of bubbling up in search results.
5. Inform Your Overall Marketing Strategy
Every review offers a look into what people love (or don’t love) about your brand. If you’re noticing consistent praise around a certain product, that’s a good sign that it might be worth putting a promotion behind it. Maybe one of your products gets rave reviews for its durability — that could be your next promotional angle.
Or, if a pattern of feedback suggests room for improvement, you can refine your approach to create a better customer experience. Use reviews, both negative and positive, to your advantage and better understand what your customers value most.
5 Tips for Promoting Your Customer Reviews
The holiday shopping season is the perfect time to spotlight what makes your brand special, and customer reviews can be powerful endorsements to show potential buyers why they’ll love your products or services.
Here are five creative ways to integrate positive reviews into your holiday marketing strategy:
1. Feature Reviews in Social Media Ads
Social media ads are fantastic for reaching holiday shoppers on platforms they’re already scrolling through. Include snippets from your best reviews to showcase popular products or standout services.
For example, use a glowing review as the ad’s focal point, paired with an image of the product mentioned. An authentic customer adds voice to your ads, which can encourage more clicks.
📗 Related read: Social Media Reputation Management: The Only Guide You’ll Need
2. Include Customer Testimonials in Email Campaigns
Email is also one of the most effective channels for holiday promotions. Add a few testimonials from happy customers to your emails, especially those promoting best-sellers or limited-time holiday deals.
You can place a quote near the product image or as a pull quote to grab attention. It adds credibility and may be the final push customers need to make a purchase.
3. Highlight Top-Rated Products on Your Website
Dedicate a section on your homepage or a holiday-specific landing page to showcase top-rated products. Snippets from positive reviews can build trust.
For extra impact, consider tagging these products with a “Holiday Favorite” or “Best Gifts” badge and a few key customer quotes so shoppers know exactly why others love them. This also makes it easy for shoppers to find products that have already been vetted by others.
4. Showcase Reviews in Helpful Holiday Content
Many customers are hunting for the best gifts, and content like a holiday gift guide can help highlight your top-reviewed items. You can create a themed series of blog content or newsletters like “Top-Rated Gifts for Tech Lovers” or “Best Stocking Stuffers” and add relevant customer reviews for each item.
Doing this not only showcases popular products but also gives potential buyers a sense of why these items make the best gifts.
5. Add Customer Quotes to Paid Search Ads
While paid search ads typically have character limits, you can often fit in a few words that summarize customer feedback. Words like “Customer Favorite” or “Best-Selling, 5-Star Rated” give an extra boost of trustworthiness.
If space allows, add a direct quote, like “Excellent gift choice!” — these small additions can improve click-through rates, especially during the holiday rush.
Image: Molekule / PowerReviews
You can also feature a snippet of a catchy positive review on your homepage heading or hero section.
Overall, using reviews in your holiday marketing highlights the voice of your existing customers to help new ones feel confident in their purchase decisions. With reviews woven throughout your seasonal campaigns, you create a compelling, credible presence that resonates with holiday shoppers.
📗 Related read: How To Turn Negative Online Reviews Into Business Opportunities
So, How Do You Get More Online Reviews?
Getting more online reviews takes a little strategy, but when done right, it can encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences – ultimately, driving sales and solidifying your position in the industry as a trusted, credible brand.
Here are some effective ways to get the ball rolling:
• Offer Incentives: Provide a small discount, entry into a raffle or loyalty points for customers who leave a review. Just ensure your incentives follow the guidelines of the review platform you’re using.
• Send Follow-Up Emails: After customers buy online, send friendly follow-up emails asking for feedback. Keep it short and add a direct link to the review page to make it easy.
• In-Store Signages: If you have a physical location, place signs by checkout counters or entrances reminding customers to review their experience. Add a QR code that links directly to your review page.
• Make the Review Process Simple: Avoid multiple steps or overly complicated forms. Include a direct link in your emails, website or social posts to make leaving a review straightforward and hassle-free.
• Engage on Social Media: Occasionally post reminders on your social channels, encouraging customers to share their thoughts. Let them know their feedback not only helps other customers but also helps you continue delivering what they love most.
• Don’t Buy Online Reviews: It’s an unethical practice to buy online reviews. Many businesses fall victim, believing it will help their reputation. In the end, a damaged and unreliable reputation is all they get.
Encouraging reviews not only builds credibility but also shows your customers that you value their opinions. A steady flow of new customer feedback and proactive review management can help your business stay visible, relevant and appealing to new buyers. Ultimately, it can help you boost sales this time of the year.
📗 Related read: How To Get Customer Testimonials [+ Request Templates]
It’s the Season for More Customer Reviews and Holiday Sales
So, if your goal is to increase sales, encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences and highlight their reviews front and center of your marketing efforts.
Remember, when it comes to marketing messages versus online reviews, potential shoppers will choose the reviews every time. Real stories from satisfied customers speak for themselves.
Our team at Thrive Local is here to help you make things happen. Some of our services are:
• Review monitoring
• Review response
• Review widget
• Review checker
Talk to us!
Source (2):
Think with Google: Consumer Journey Insights
Think with Google: Consumer Trends Holiday Sales Day Season
