You will soon discover a cutting-edge strategy to turbocharge your business's growth without spending a penny more on marketing. It's simple, cost-effective and at your fingertips: customer reviews on Trustpilot.
Picture this: Sandra, a proud owner of a boutique bakery, bakes the tastiest croissants in town. But her challenge? To tell the world about her melting creations. This is where Trustpilot comes into play, giving Sandra a platform to amplify her customers' voices.
Understanding Trustpilot: A free online review community
Trustpilot is a lively online community where consumers share their shopping experiences. It allows potential customers to understand your business before spending their hard-earned money. As a business owner, you get a unique "TrustScore" based on your customer reviews, ranging from one to five stars. But it's not just a random number; it is a calculated score that reflects the overall satisfaction of your customers and takes into account how often and when the reviews are given.
If Sandra's bakery e.g. has fewer than 10,000 reviews, her TrustScore is updated immediately after each new review, giving her real-time feedback. For larger companies with more than 10,000 reviews, the score is updated daily, ensuring constant, fresh insight.
Trustpilot's verification feature: Encouraging authentic reviews
Trustpilot focuses on sharing "genuine shopping experiences", giving the community confidence in the authenticity of reviews. Some reviews are given a "verified" badge if customers provide substantial proof of their purchase, e.g. documentation or a direct invitation from the company to review their experience.
Just as the reviewer can be verified, your business can also get a 'verified' badge on its profile. To achieve this, you must share some form of identification with Trustpilot, for example:
- Proof of identity (passport, driver's license)
- Contact information (synced with your Google Business profile)
- Registered domain name ownership
- Registration of bank account
Step-by-step guide to creating your Trustpilot business profile
1. Set up your Trustpilot account
Visit the Trustpilot website, create an account using your company email and enter relevant information about your company.
2. Choose your business plan
You can start with a free plan or choose a paid plan that provides additional benefits tailored to your business needs.
3. Define your business category
Include your business profile with all the relevant categories so that your potential customers can easily find you. If Sandra's bakery e.g. also offers catering services, she should register under 'Bakeries' and 'Catering services'.
4. Personalize your profile
Write a convincing description of your business using relevant keywords. Include your contact information and make sure your potential customers know exactly what you offer.
5. Get your business verified
Share the necessary identification information with Trustpilot to get the 'verified' badge on your profile.
6. Engage in competitor reviews
Observing your competitors on Trustpilot can provide valuable insight. If the customers e.g. complains about the delivery times of a competing bakery, Sandra can use this information to highlight her fast delivery service
7. Encourage customers to write reviews
Invite your customers to share their experiences on Trustpilot. With the free Trustpilot for Business plan, you can send up to 100 review invitations per month and thus increase your TrustScore.
8. Respond to reviews
Whether it's praise or criticism, responding to reviews helps show your customers that you value their feedback.
9. Promote your Trustpilot profile
Integrate Trustpilot into your business strategy. Add a "Trustbox" on your website that displays the number of reviews and encourages people to write a review. You can also remind customers about Trustpilot in your marketing materials and delivery notes.
10. Use taplink for more selective reviews in your physical stores
Ask your customers to tap your Trustpilot card and ask them to write a review. It's that easy.
Utilizing Trustpilot isn't just about collecting stars for your business. It's about harnessing the power of these stars to create growth in your business, create authentic relationships with your customers and continually improve based on the invaluable feedback you receive. So are you ready to start your Trustpilot journey? Endless growth opportunities await you!
