Social media reviews are a powerful form of user-generated content that can boost your brand awareness, credibility, and trust. But how can you turn them into leads for your business? In this article, you'll learn six practical strategies to leverage social media reviews to generate more leads and sales.
The first step to turn social media reviews into leads is to have a system in place to collect, monitor, and manage them. You can use tools like Trustpilot, Yotpo, or Bazaarvoice to integrate reviews on your website, social media platforms, and email campaigns. You can also create a dedicated hashtag, landing page, or email address for customers to share their feedback. Make sure you have a clear and consistent review policy, and encourage your customers to leave honest and detailed reviews.
Automating this is great for businesses that do volume in sales, but if you work with fewer clients, you could consider making this part of your CX outreach right after the sale. I have found that Google reviews are wonderful exposure for local businesses. That is the place where I suggest you send most of your customers to leave a review.
The second step is to respond to reviews, both positive and negative, in a timely and professional manner. This shows that you value your customers' opinions, appreciate their support, and care about their satisfaction. You can also use your responses to highlight your unique selling proposition, address any concerns or objections, and invite customers to take the next step in the buyer's journey. For example, you can offer a discount code, a free trial, a consultation, or a referral program.
No matter whether it is positive or negative, you need to respond. If the review is 3 stars or less, I respond by asking for a private conversation. I try to take if offline as fast as possible, by asking for an email address or phone number. If the review is 4 or 5 stars, I thank them for leaving the review and their feedback. I do have a document with at least 10 different responses that can be used as a template for responding to reviews. I highly recommend personalizing your response by using the reviewers name
The third step is to showcase reviews on your social media channels, website, and other marketing materials. This helps you build social proof, attract more attention, and generate more interest in your products or services. You can use tools like Fomo, EmbedSocial, or Loox to display reviews on your website, or create graphics, videos, or stories to share reviews on your social media accounts. You can also feature reviews in your blog posts, newsletters, case studies, or testimonials.
Absolutely showcase reviews, but be sure to post the right type of review to the right type of social media channel. ;) Video reviews do well as reels on Instagram, while Google reviews with the start visible would do great as a screenshot shared to twitter or LinkedIn. It's social proof that you are a legitimate business doing wonderful things.
The fourth step is to reward reviewers for their feedback and loyalty. This helps you increase customer retention, advocacy, and referrals. You can reward reviewers with points, badges, coupons, freebies, or exclusive access to your products or services. You can also create a loyalty program, a contest, or a giveaway to incentiv reward-based reviews. Make sure you follow the rules and guidelines of each social media platform, and disclose any incentives or partnerships.
One way to do this is by offering your loyal customers a membership in a community where you can share some of these perks. Customers love to provide feedback, and if their feedback is valued and acted upon, they will continue to do so for a long time. Imagine a community of brand ambassadors, super fans who will help you test new products and services and will help grow your community and alow you to do research etc.
The fifth step is to segment reviewers based on their feedback, behavior, and preferences. This helps you tailor your communication, offers, and content to their needs and interests. You can use tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, or Zapier to segment reviewers based on their rating, sentiment, keywords, or purchase history. You can also use surveys, polls, or quizzes to collect more information about your reviewers. Then, you can send them personalized messages, recommendations, or invitations.
The sixth and final step is to nurture reviewers along the sales funnel. This helps you build relationships, trust, and authority with your potential customers. You can use tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Sprout Social to schedule, track, and analyze your social media posts, messages, and interactions. You can also use tools like Leadpages, Unbounce, or Instapage to create landing pages, opt-in forms, or webinars to capture and convert leads. Finally, you can use tools like ActiveCampaign, ConvertKit, or Drip to create email sequences, newsletters, or campaigns to educate, engage, and persuade leads.