According to Pew Research Center, 82% of U.S. adults say they at least sometimes read online consumer feedback before buying items for the first time, including 40% who say they always or almost always look at ratings or reviews.

Consumer Feedback in the form of reviews has become a “need to have” rather than a “nice to have” for most industries. According to a recent report, “90-percent of adult internet users rely on internet reviews to make purchases.” (Trustpilot)

So how can brands leverage this important aspect of authenticity?

3 Tips for How to Promote Consumer Feedback

1. Ask for feedback in a timely manner. Ideally the experience should be fresh in your customer’s mind so they can easily provide a review of your product or service.
2. Obtain permission before using the review publicly. Nobody wants their name, image, or statements used without their permission. Be very clear where the feedback will be posted by your marketing team.
3. Use video and pictures whenever possible. “XYZ product was easy to use,” isn’t nearly as impactful as a video of a consumer showing how easy to use the product is.

2 Things to Avoid with Consumer Feedback

1. Don’t lead reviewers. Asking for feedback is one thing, but asking people to rate you a specific way, e.g. (five stars), is dicey.
2. Falsifying feedback. Purchasing positive reviews or posting under fake names is unethical. It’s not worth the potential negative publicity if you’re caught.

A Note About Ethics

“There is a debate in the industry right now specifically on that question [of ethical incentivizing],” says Jared Watson, assistant professor of marketing at New York University. “There are some who suggest that it creates a biased account of the product when you incentivize reviews. And therefore, when companies choose to incentivize reviews, they’re actually sort of misleading their potential customers. My personal take on it is that [it’s acceptable] as long as you’re forthright about, ‘You’re entered into this contest, regardless of what kind of review you write for the product.’ But anything that helps encourage more reviews is better for the ecosystem.”

American Marketing Association

In Conclusion

There are a few things brands can to do maximize the impact of the reviews that consumers provide. The reality is that most brands can’t afford NOT to share customer feedback because consumers expect to be able to use it when making purchasing decisions.

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