Brand Reputation Management: How to Reach Out for Testimonials

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Testimonials and case studies are two of the most effective marketing tools to manage your brand’s reputation. As potential clients read through a testimonial, they can picture themselves in that person’s shoes and see how they can solve their problems with the solutions that you provide. They help you communicate one of the most important marketing messages, described by marketing guru Seth Godin as, “People like me do things like this.” 

While businesses recognize the importance of testimonials, many struggle to find effective ways to capture them and integrate them into their marketing efforts. Over the years, our team has worked with clients in various industries capitalizing on the power of testimonials for brand reputation management. Here are a few things we’ve learned about how to manage your reputation.

The Power of Testimonials to Manage Your Reputation

Brand reputation is essential for building relationships with customers – both existing and potential. Testimonials play an important role by enlisting your most enthusiastic brand advocates to deliver some reputational equity on your behalf.

Here are just a few statistics that speak to the importance of testimonials and customer reviews:

  • 72% of consumers say positive reviews and testimonials make them trust a business more. (Source)
  • 95% of people say that reviews – whether positive or negative – influence their purchasing decisions. (Source)

Acquiring more customer reviews also has a significant impact on the ROIs of your marketing efforts. According to Bazaarvoice’s Conversation Index Volume 8, when users engage with reviews on your site, three things are sure to occur.

  • Consumers are 58% likely to convert.
  • Your chances to generate more revenue per visitor increases by 62%.
  • Users are likely to increase purchasing by 3%.

How to Get More Testimonials & Customer Reviews

Now you know why testimonials are important, here are our tips on how to get them:

1. Use Customer Survey Platforms and Tools 

In today’s digital world, there are a variety of tools you can use to easily capture customer testimonials and feedback. While we’ve used several survey platforms to capture customer responses for our clients, Green Apple recently began using the Delighted survey platform to capture feedback on behalf of our clients. 

2. Monitor Your Google Reviews

Google is also an important source for customer testimonials, especially as people use the platform to search for your brand. Maximizing the potential of Google reviews starts by setting up a Google Business Profile page and then finding creative ways to generate more Google reviews from happy customers. 

3. Check Out Your Facebook and LinkedIn Reviews 

Your Facebook and LinkedIn pages are also great places to generate reviews. If you don’t have any testimonials, consider asking your followers to leave reviews and incentivize them for sharing their feedback.

How to Use Testimonials to Generate New Business

Once you’ve curated a library of testimonials and customer reviews, how do you maximize their potential? Here are a few ways to turn customer testimonials into solid content marketing that improves how you manage your brand reputation and generates new business: 

1. Strategically integrate testimonials throughout your website.

Testimonials are a great way to support the claims you’re making on your website. That’s why it’s important to include them throughout your website — on your home page, specific products/services, or even your contact page.

2. Create social media graphics with testimonials.

Social media is an excellent platform to promote reviews because it also gives you the ability to tag the reviewer and generate even more reach. Because social media is a more visual platform, it’s a good idea to spend some time making your customer testimonial look sharp and catch the eye of your audience. 

3. Produce video testimonials.

Creating a video testimonial is another way to provide visually-engaging content for potential customers! A video testimonial can be used on several different platforms, including your website, social media, email campaigns, and in sales meetings.

Want to Capture and Leverage More Customer Testimonials?

Green Apple Strategy uses a variety of tactics to help our clients gather, analyze, and leverage essential customer feedback. From content development to PR and social media management, Green Apple Strategy can craft a marketing approach to help you attract and retain qualified leads. Reach out to us today for a consultation.

A Marketing Agency’s Review of LoyaltyLoop

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With several options for survey platforms competing for your business, which one is the best for your business? The right answer for your team depends on your specific needs. So, to help you during the decision-making process, we would like to share our experience with the survey platform LoyaltyLoop. 

LoyaltyLoop is a common tool used by both B2B and B2C companies to better understand their customers’ opinions about their service and improve the customer experience. You may have used one of its competitors, such as Qualtrics (formerly known as Survey Monkey) or Delighted. Or, perhaps, you’ve never used a customer survey platform before and are just getting your bearings. 

Wherever you are in the process, we hope that this review of LoyaltyLoop will help you make an informed decision. We spoke to our Senior Client Relations Specialist, Olivia Cooper, to learn more about the pros and cons of this software.

Pro: Simple and User-Friendly Interface

We have found LoyaltyLoop’s interface to be user-friendly and straightforward. Still, we understand that we as an agency might have a different view of what is “user-friendly” because we use these types of tools regularly. For clients who aren’t well-versed in marketing lingo and processes, we believe that it will also be an intuitive experience. When asked her opinion on LoyaltyLoop’s ease of use outside an agency environment, Olivia replied, “For clients who are using this type of platform for the first time and want to log in and have the experience be as clear as possible, this interface will be great for them too.” 

Pro: Quick and Professional Customer Service

Another benefit of using LoyaltyLoop is the platform’s quality customer service approach. Olivia notes, “I’ve had good experiences with their customer service. They’re always quick to solve our needs, and they follow up regularly on projects we’re working on.” Any time you’re using software essential for business growth—especially one you’re paying for—you want to be sure that you can reach out for help if needed. LoyaltyLoop is an excellent option for good customer service.

Con: Basic Customization Options

One element that our team hopes LoyaltyLoop will improve over time is its customization options for the survey and follow-up emails sent to our clients’ customers. Olivia notes that she wishes “there were more customization options for the communications sent out through the platform.” She went on to give an example for added context: “We use LoyaltyLoop’s follow-up email templates to send after someone completes a survey, but the customization options to design the email are pretty basic right now. However, even with those basic options, these emails are very effective,” she adds. 

Though the basic customization is a drawback, it does not affect the effectiveness of LoyaltyLoop’s customer communications. We’ve found this platform to be a beneficial tool for our clients looking to build trust with their customers and improve their customer service.

Want to Improve Your Customer Service? 

Your customer survey strategy can be a powerful tactic to add to your marketing efforts. Our clients use these types of strategies to monitor and improve upon their NPS scores, customer service tactics, and the overall customer experience. 

We can help. Want us to join your team? Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We are happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can walk alongside you to achieve them.

How to Turn Customer Reviews into Solid Marketing Content

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If you have raving fans, it’s great to let potential leads know it! Customers take online reviews seriously, and the role it plays in consumer decisions continues to increase. Research from BrightLocal shows just how seriously potential customers take online reviews. 84% percent of buyers give online reviews the same weight in decision making as personal referrals. 

Online reviews are now starting to eclipse referral-based business. as Northwestern University finds that consumers are 270% more likely to buy a product or service with 5 positive reviews than a product or service with no reviews. That’s hugely significant! In order to harness the power of these reviews, use them in your marketing efforts to increase consumer trust and boost sales.

Use Customer Reviews To Enhance Your Website SEO

There are a few ways to do this. The first is simply to embed the code for Google Reviews in your website so that Google Reviews. This is a good option if the majority of your reviews are positive. Google’s search engine algorithm will recognize the embedded rating system and is likely to rank your site more highly as a result. 

The second way to utilize customer reviews is to include them on your website, either by using parts of the review text directly or by including graphics of the positive reviews on your site. (Don’t forget to change the alt text on these images so that they’re search-engine friendly) Google and Yelp hold a high trust cache with consumers, and citing positive reviews can help your brand leverage that trust. 

Use Customer Reviews on Social Media

You may also have the advantage of. Keep an eye on videos or posts that tag your brand. If you have a social media manager, have them proactively research any posts where your product or service is tagged. They can use tools like BuzzSumo or Mention to help with this. If they come across a positive review, have your team DM the content creator to ask if the review can be used  in marketing materials. 

Some reviewers are happy to offer their thoughts gratis, while others work as part or full-time product influencers. Both types of social media reviews can be helpful to weave into your marketing strategy. Screenshots and re-posts of positive reviews can build brand awareness on multiple platforms.  

Let Negative Reviews Spur Institutional Changes

Online reviews through Yelp and Google provide business owners with what they say they want most: anonymous feedback close to the point of sale. But business owners are also human, and harsh or negative reviews can leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. After you take some time to feel frustrated, see if you can find the kernel of truth in their words. The frustration may be about an inefficient process, an unhelpful team member, or a product flaw. 

Rather than stew in frustration, take specific actions to address the issue. However, don’t revamp your entire process over one negative review. Reflect and ask your employees if they’ve also seen evidence of what the review mentions. If it comes up several times, it may be time to analyze and address a potential pain point. 

Be Proactive about Interacting With Reviews

If you don’t have a Google My Business account or haven’t updated the account you have, you could be missing out on major opportunities to shape how your brand is perceived. One of these ways is by interacting with online reviews. Brands that interact with customers on Google cultivate a reputation for being proactive and conscientious. Plus, interacting with reviews often can allow you to pinpoint and identify possible customer needs or frustrations before they go viral. 

In the world of online reviews, negative feedback begets negative feedback. It shouldn’t go unaddressed, or you may see more of it. Instead, if you see a review that’s unfair or lacking context, you can provide that in your response to an online review. You can also offer to make it right, which goes a long way in securing customer loyalty. It says to potential buyers, “Even if we make a mistake, we will correct our error.”

Need Help Utilizing Your Positive Reviews?

Our strategic, full-service marketing team can help you plan and deploy an innovative marketing approach to court customers and build brand loyalty. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your marketing goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.

What is Digital PR (And Why Do You Need It)?

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It’s no secret that our world is more digital by the day. Advertising and media relations have completely shifted as the internet has grown and changed. And, of course, the exponential (and constant) growth of social media has completely transformed the way we communicate with our audiences. That’s why a PR strategy alone won’t quite cut it anymore. So, where do you go from here?

To stay ahead of your competition and remain present for your audience, it’s vital that you and your marketing team have a comprehensive digital PR strategy. In this article, we’ll cover what is involved in a digital PR plan and how you can begin putting yours together today.

What Does a Digital PR Strategy Include? 

In your digital PR toolkit, you’ll need: 

  • A customer survey tool to collect positive reviews
  • Backlinks in trustworthy publications
  • Proactive press releases and connections with the media
  • A comprehensive social media strategy

How Do You Put these In Place? 

1. A Customer Survey Tool to Collect Positive Reviews

One of the most important ways to build trust with your customers is through positive reviews. In fact, according to BrightLocal, 91% of customers from the ages of 18 to 34 trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Knowing the power of reviews, it’s imperative that you have a strategy in place to collect them. We recommend that our clients use LoyaltyLoop; however, there are many other tools out there to explore to see what would serve your business best. 

Here are a few of the top ways to collect reviews: 

  • A survey tool, such as LoyaltyLoop
  • Instructing your team to encourage customers to leave reviews
  • Linking to your Google, Yelp, or Facebook pages in your email signature
  • Offer your customers an incentive 
2. Backlinks in Trustworthy Publications

Your digital PR strategy should also include ways to obtain backlinks on trustworthy sites. A backlink is when another site links to yours because you have relevant information to offer. One of the most successful backlink methods we’ve tested is using HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to submit helpful information to reporters. Though it can be time-consuming, responding to one or two requests per week could significantly increase the number of backlinks you have, and therefore boost your SEO. 

Another effective method is creating a guide packed with a lot of helpful, actionable information. A large guide is a time investment on the front end; however, it provides you with long-term results. Provide your audience with information that they want to share with others, encouraging them to link out to your guide, which may have tips, steps, statistics, or other information that would be especially helpful. 

3. Proactive Press Releases and Connections with The Media

To send out newsworthy content, your team must stay ahead of any upcoming stories so that they can be ready to have a timely press release out to the media. Think ahead to what you may be able to highlight in the upcoming weeks or months—events you may be involved in, charity work you plan to do, or big changes to your company. Does nothing come to mind? It might be time to make some waves! 

Make sure that you’re submitting your press releases to journalists who will be interested in what you have to say. You might consider looking for publications within your industry or focusing on reporters who specialize in your topic. Try making personal connections with these reporters when you can. Knowing someone on a first-name basis can go a long way in getting your story out there. 

4. A Comprehensive Social Media Strategy

Can you believe we waited this long to get to social media? Well, that’s in part because, although it’s important, social media isn’t everything. Your digital PR strategy should be well-rounded, including all parts of the picture. With that said, social media is an important piece of your plan. Work with your team to decide which platforms work best for your industry and your audience and what types of content you should be creating for each. Create a strategy that works for your business specifically. Tips on content and when and how to post can be helpful, but at the end of the day, you want to spend your time where you’re seeing the best results and getting the most value. 

Looking for a PR Agency to Get the Word Out About Your Business?

The landscape of marketing is changing so rapidly that if you aren’t staying on top of it constantly, you’ll fall behind quickly. We won’t let you fall behind. Contact Green Apple Strategy today to schedule a consultation. Our team is happy to sit down with you to discuss your goals and how we can help you achieve each and every one of them.