It is in our nature, as humans, to follow the crowd. When the majority supports something, it is usually correct. This principle also applies to buying a product. If an Amazon product has lots of great reviews, a customer is more likely to purchase it. Similarly, if it has considerable negative reviews, we’re more likely to find an alternative, so we don’t waste time or money.
Years ago, sellers may have faked reviews, got their peers to rate their item or paid someone to write a positive one. Nowadays, stricter rules prevent this, so customers have more faith in an item and its positive reviews. Therefore, getting genuine Amazon reviews is essential to growing your revenue. This article highlights how sellers can use Amazon marketing to elevate the customer journey and encourage more natural reviews.
Evaluate Your Amazon Product
First and foremost, business owners must ensure their products are worthy of good reviews. During the product development stage, businesses must test the product to make sure it’s fit for its purpose and delivers a favourable experience. Having an excellent offer is the first step to pleasing your customers.
Optimise Your Product Listing
Setting a product page up correctly could increase reviews. By implementing SEO and having an effective Amazon marketing strategy, you can ensure your listing targets the right audience.
Optimising your listing means positioning it as a quality product to rank high in search results, but it also means promoting your item correctly. For instance, having a clear, concise and compelling copy will help customers understand what they are buying, manage their expectations and increase conversion rate.
For example, perhaps you’re getting negative reviews because customers consistently say the item doesn’t fit or is too small. In this case, it indicates potential issues with the product or that you have failed to add this vital information to your product page. Proper Amazon marketing is essential to growing your eCommerce brand. Due to the vast competition, many business owners consider hiring an Amazon management agency to set the business up for success.
Listen to Customer Feedback
Following on, it’s essential to address common concerns and customer feedback. If possible, address the issues in product development or rectify individual problems with the customer. As we mentioned previously, a quality product is the first step to securing great feedback.
Provide Excellent Customer Service
Excellent service is one way to increase reviews over time. When the buyer has a positive experience, they are more likely to leave glowing feedback for other potential buyers to see. There are various ways to improve your customer service. Some business owners use Amazon FBA services that manage the customer journey from the moment they purchase. Not only does it offer a seamless experience, but it also gives you access to Amazon’s customer service team.
Additional Proven Methods to Get Genuine Amazon Reviews
Before taking any action, it’s essential to address those initial points in the previous section. In the following paragraph, we outline proven ways to increase the number of customers who leave a review.
When considering how to increase reviews, the number one thing to do is ask! Here are some ways to encourage buyers to leave a review without filling their email inbox or breaking Amazon’s rules.
Use Amazon’s “Request a Review” Button
This button gives businesses the option to ask for reviews manually on individual orders. You can find it in Seller Central for orders within 4 to 30 days of purchase. However, this method may be time-consuming as you must go on every order and click this button. Some people consider automations that do this for you.
Amazon Programs
Amazon designed some services to help brand new items get reviews. The Early Reviewer Program was one offer that Amazon started in 2018. In short, Amazon asks shoppers for a review and then offers an Amazon gift card in return. This was only available to items with less than 5 reviews and cost more than $15. Despite its initial success, Amazon stopped taking applications in 2021. Amazon Vine is a similar alternative to the Early Reviewer Program, as Amazon sends free products to verified reviewers in return for an honest review.
Product Insert
There are many reasons customers may not review an item, from the process being too complicated to simply forgetting. A proven method to increase reviews is by putting an insert into the product packaging itself. This option helps you connect with your customers as you can use it to express gratitude for their purchase, how reviews help your business and kindly ask for a review of their experience. Product inserts are also a great place to leave your contact information if the buyer has any feedback or complaints.
Utilise Your Email Marketing Campaign
After purchasing an item, Amazon buyers don’t want to receive loads of emails about their purchase. In fact, too many emails can put them off buying again! Thus, it’s best to keep emails to a minimum. That said, make sure you send a follow-up email after they receive the item and ask for a review!
Final Thoughts
Reviews are fundamental to increasing sales. By creating an excellent product, optimising your listing and providing excellent customer service, you are well on your way to getting more organic, genuine reviews. An Amazon marketing agency can help you focus your efforts on creating a product page that converts, alongside creating Amazon PPC campaigns, improving SEO and more.
As you encourage customers to leave a review, make sure you follow Amazon’s rules. In 2016, Amazon banned brands from incentivising reviews. For example, brands can no longer offer a free product in return for a review. While the Amazon Vine program is similar, Amazon can vet reviewers and provide a secure system to get honest reviews. This is especially useful for younger brands and new products.