blog home Online Content Development How to Best Use Client Reviews

The success of your law firm ultimately depends on trust. And people are inclined to believe what other clients have to say about you. That’s why positive customer reviews are a powerful marketing tool for maintaining a strong reputation and attracting new clients.

It’s crucial to encourage satisfied clients to post reviews on Google, Yelp!, Facebook, and other third-party review sites. And negative reviews must be addressed right away to protect your reputation.

Positive customer reviews provide invaluable social proof that your firm is solving people’s problems and improving their lives. When you effectively curate positive reviews, they can be used across marketing channels, including:

People Trust Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are testimonials from people who have used your services. They usually contain words and a rating on a number scale, like one to five stars. People trust reviews to give them an honest account of how your firm operates.

Robert Cialdini coined the phrase social proof to describe how people are guided by the actions of others, especially those who have more knowledge about a situation. Because they are a clear indication of social proof, client reviews provide credibility for your firm. More than 9 out of ten customers say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions.

Good and bad reviews also provide indispensable feedback about how well you’re serving your clients. You can use this information to make important adjustments to the way you run your business.

How to Respond to Reviews

It’s important to monitor reviews and engage directly with reviewers. You don’t want negative reviews to go unchallenged. Almost half of customers surveyed say they are more likely to visit a business that responds to negative comments.

Here’s an example of how you can respond to a negative review: “Dear Allen. Thank you for your review. I’m sorry to hear you had an unpleasant experience. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Please reach out to us at [email protected] to discuss the matter further.”

You will want to engage with all the positive comments you receive on Facebook and other social media. Use open-ended comments to invite customers to expand the conversation. This tactic is especially effective for improving the visibility of your Facebook page.

Let’s say you receive the following comment on your Facebook page from Clarissa: “I’m totally satisfied with the service I received from Smith Jones Law Firm. They got me a really fair settlement and I was able to pay off all my medical bills. Thanks so much, everybody!”

You can respond by saying, “Thanks Clarissa! We’re glad we were able to help you out. What was your favorite thing about working with the Smith Jones Law Firm?”

Good Reviews Make Your Website More Visible

Positive reviews will increase organic traffic by bringing more customers to your site. They can also improve search engine optimization (SEO), especially when they contain important keywords like the name of your business or the city where you’re located.

According to Google, trust is an important ranking factor for business websites. And there’s strong evidence that the following types of testimonials are ranking factors that can enhance your position in local Google searches:

  • Google reviews
  • Third party review sites
  • First party testimonials on your website

Using Testimonials to Improve Your Website

Satisfied clients are one of the most effective marketing resources you have. Positive reviews set you apart from the competition by demonstrating how real people benefit from the work you do.

You will want to display good reviews prominently on your websites. A superlative review that tells people how you helped someone can be featured at the top of your Homepage. You can also use headers to put impressive reviews at the top of all your pages.

Collect positive reviews from various sources and highlight them on a page that’s featured on your main navigation. Creating internal website links to your Reviews Page from blogs and other website pages will generate social proof and boost your overall SEO.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward with SLS

When people say nice things about you, it can really help your business. At SLS Consulting, Inc., we provide strategies that use your strengths to get ahead.

Call SLS Consulting, Inc., at (323) 745-1806 for a FREE consultation today. We know how to help you grow your business.

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