In today’s world, there’s no end of product options to choose from. Online product reviews are one metric customers use to decide which brand to visit and purchase from. Reviews not only influence a business’s reputation but also have an impact on its search engine rankings. With numerous product review apps available, selecting the best Shopify product review app can be challenging. You might experience the dilemma your customers have when faced with the choice of which review app to choose. In this blog post, we will discuss why reviews are important and provide three tips when choosing the best Shopify product reviews app for you. At the end, we’ll also give three of our own Shopify product review recommendations based on your business type.
Why are product reviews important?
Reviews are important because they provide social proof to potential customers. Social proof refers to the idea that people are more likely to trust and follow the actions of others. When people see positive reviews about a business, they are more likely to trust that business and make a purchase. Additionally, online reviews can impact a business’s search engine rankings, making them a crucial factor in online visibility. 50% of shoppers use Google Shopping to make purchasing decisions. Accumulating reviews helps to boost your Google Shopping ads and rich snippets about your business.
Tip 1: Prioritize owning your reviews
It’s important to ensure that you own your reviews. Some review platforms claim ownership of the reviews and do not allow businesses to use them on their own website. This can be problematic as it limits your ability to showcase your positive reviews. One such review website is Trustpilot. Trustpilot is a good service because people can discover your business through its search engine. But when customers leave reviews of your business, they agree to the terms and conditions which give them ownership and allow Trustpilot and companies with a subscription to use them. To avoid this issue, make sure to choose a review platform that allows you to own your reviews and use them on your website, as well as on Google.
Tip 2: Choose a Shopify review app that has a direct partnership with Google
Google is the most widely used search engine, and having positive reviews on Google can have a significant impact on your business’s online visibility. It’s best to choose an app that is an official Google Review Partner. We could not find an official list from Google about the approved review partners. However if you Google “{{ review app }} google review partner” you might find some marketing material from the review platform advertising its partnership with Google. For example, Loox proudly announced their partnership at the beginning of 2022. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a review app that has a direct partnership with Google. This will ensure that your reviews are displayed prominently on Google search results and Google Maps.
It’s beneficial to choose an app with a direct Google partnership because any reviews left on your site will automatically be fed to Google and added to your products’ reviews. It increases the visibility of your reviews without any effort from you.
Tip 3: Be able to export and save your reviews on your own computer
It’s crucial to be able to export and save your reviews on your own computer. This will allow you to maintain a record of your reviews, even if the review platform goes out of business or you decide to switch to a different platform. It will also give you the ability to showcase your positive reviews on your website, social media, or other marketing materials.
With these 3 tips in mind, here are our recommendations for the best Shopify product review app based on your business type.
For businesses on a budget:
Shopify’s own Product reviews app (free):
Pros:
- It offers the most basic functionality: just showing reviews
- You can import and export reviews
Cons:
- No option to send out email reminders to leave reviews
- No setting to filter or sort product reviews
For visual-focused brands that want UGC:
Loox (Google Reviews Partner): plans from $9.99 – $299.99
- On-site and Post purchase referral widget
- Sends out automatic review emails (send after fulfillment or purchase)
- Offer a discount after submitting reviews
- Referral discount
- Integration with Google Shopping, Klaviyo/Omnisend, Smile.io/Loyalty Lion
- Import and export reviews to CSV
For businesses that are ready for the next level in their marketing:
Yotpo (Google Reviews Partner): plans from free – enterprise
- Star widget, standard review widget and recommended products widget
- Sends out review emails automatically (send after purchase) and send out retroactive emails for orders in the past
- Offers a frequently asked review questions section
- Image-centric template or text-centric template depending on your business needs
- API documentation to completely customize and enhance your reviews to your needs. Glossier is an example of a brand that enhanced their reviews with custom filters to help customers find relevant topics faster.
- Integration with dozens of partners
- Combine with Yotpo loyalty, SMS marketing, subscriptions and visual UGC
- Import and export reviews to CSV
Conclusion:
Managing your online reviews effectively is crucial for your business’s reputation and online visibility. By owning your reviews, choosing a review app with a direct partnership with Google, and being able to export and save your reviews, you can ensure that your business is well-represented online and future-proofed in case any of the technology fails. Getting started on the reviews journey is the most important step. Choose one of our three recommendations for the best Shopify product review app to get started. Remember that positive reviews can help you attract new customers and retain existing ones, so it’s important to prioritize managing your online reviews.
We have helped many merchants across varying industries set up and manage reviews to fit their needs. Whether it’s choosing the right app, or extending a review app with your custom storefront, we can help! Get in touch today to speak with a Shopify Expert who can advise you for your specific situation.
