Are you still cleaning up comments, removing all the negativity? Do you think that this will increase the conversion? The situation could be exactly the opposite. Why? We’ll tell you in the article.
The role of positive reviews in product promotion
A review is always a subjective assessment based on the personal experience of a particular person. Despite this, people tend to trust outsiders’ opinions. Moreover, it affects the decision of potential customers to make a purchase.
Both the number and the nature of the responses matter. A large number of which indicates that many people used the product / service, the position is popular. An assessment from the outside helps to get a clearer picture of the product, to dispel doubts. Research confirms this:
- GetApp Lab found: for 30% of users, responses are the #1 argument when choosing.
- Zendesk found that 90% of customers will abandon a purchase if a product doesn’t have positive reviews.
- Reevoo provided data: 50 or more comments increase conversion by 4.6%.
- eMarketer says people trust reviews more than product listings.
Advertisers and business owners know about the “magic power” of positive reviews and do everything to ensure that there are as many of them as possible. But the situation also has a downside.
When Positive Reviews Reduce Conversions
So, we choose a product, check the rating, read the comments, and there – five stars out of five, only positive reviews. We begin to doubt, because there are no ideal things that everyone likes. Dry responses without explanations are especially alarming: “I liked everything”, “the product is super”, “worth the money”.
The Reevoo report indicates that 95% of people in such a situation lose confidence in the site and leave: they believe that the reviews are custom or the comments of dissatisfied users were simply deleted. But if among the mass of positive responses there are a couple of negative ones, they stay on the site 5 times longer and increase the conversion by 85% compared to other visitors.
Of course, sales will drop if the page is dominated by negativity, but 1-2 comments with criticism for a dozen positive ones will create the feeling that the product is being evaluated honestly. This will strengthen the confidence of potential buyers, and constructive, justified criticism will help you make a choice.
Can critical feedback increase conversions?
Negative reviews warn of high expectations. The University of Groningen analyzed 600,000 purchases and found that products with a positive rating sell better, but are also returned more often. Informative comments that clearly and clearly describe product deficiencies help to improve the situation.
In addition, there are reviews that can be called relatively negative. When it is written, it seems, with a claim, but the statement has the opposite effect.
For example, a cafe guest complained about the ever-crowded hall and the need to book a table in advance. What does it say? The place is popular with visitors. Probably delicious food and decent service. Why not visit such a place?
Another example of a resort review:
The medical base is on the level, but the food is in trouble: everything is boiled, steamed, baked. No fried cutlet, no sausage sandwich. I didn’t starve, of course, but I lost 3 kg.
We think that supporters of proper nutrition and those who want to lose a couple of kilograms will consider such a menu ideal and rush to book a ticket to the sanatorium.
Most people analyze the situation and draw the right conclusions. What looks like a disadvantage to one is a virtue to another. That’s the magic of negative reviews.
How do neutral reviews affect sales?
“Product for a four” is another category of reviews that is classified as neutral. They affect conversion differently depending on the type:
- Indifferent-neutral (RNO) – describe the objective characteristics of the product. Perceived as unhelpful and uninteresting. It is not clear to a potential buyer whether it is good or bad that a laptop has, for example, a Core i3 processor.
- Mixed-neutral (CHO) – indicate the advantages and disadvantages of products. Cause conflicting feelings and a desire to study the proposal in more detail.
If RNOs reduce motivation, then CHOs, on the contrary, enhance the effect of positive feedback and increase sales.
What strategy to choose when working with reviews?
We conclude: a lot of feedback is good. They build brand trust, drive sales, and reduce returns. How to work with them:
- Encourage people to leave reviews: invite them to discuss the assortment, offer discounts and bonuses, organize promotions.
- Ask clients to write detailed comments. It can be in the form of stories with details. A detailed description is the least suspicious that it is custom-made.
- Thank all buyers for feedback, positive and negative, if possible. This will show that you care about their opinion.
- Don’t delete negative reviews. Enter into a dialogue and offer to solve the problem. So a negatively minded person can be turned into a satisfied customer.
- Make sure that there are fewer RNOs on the site. Design forms with separate fields, where buyers will evaluate the product according to different criteria. For example, design, functionality, build quality.
Keep in mind that a sheet of solid positive feedback undermines trust and lowers conversions. 1-2 negative or mixed-neutral comments among positive ratings look natural and realistic.
