To celebrate the update of our integration with Trustpilot, we spoke to Global Head of Partnerships, Peter Simpson to find out more about building customer advocacy by turning reviewers into referrers.
The recent update to our Trustpilot integration will allow merchants to encourage customer advocacy by encouraging 4- and 5- star reviewers to refer their friends.
Reviews are an exchange of experiences. They tell you things about a store that you just can’t get from marketing materials, helping shoppers make more informed purchasing decisions. They’re also an invaluable vehicle for feedback, creating a virtuous circle where customers share their experiences and give you the insight you need to deliver the best possible store interactions.
However most importantly, reviews act as trust symbols. Where previously brands might have relied solely on industry accreditations from government bodies or endorsements from celebrities or influencers, they can now lean on real feedback from real people. Shoppers will be far more inclined to put their confidence in user generated content. 
My advice would be to look at how reviews can be used across the entire funnel, really helping to distance you from the competition. For example, at the very top of the funnel you could be using them within your advertising – from billboards and the sides of buses to your digital ads on Facebook or Instagram.
At the middle of the funnel, you could be sharing them (or asking your customers to share them) across your social media channels, increasing online engagement and reaching customers when they are not actually on your store. And finally, within your store at the bottom of the funnel so that customers have all the information and verification they need to hit the buy button.
This can be a bit of a balancing act. Send a request for a review too early and you run the risk of getting negative feedback from an impatient customer still waiting for their delivery. Send a request too late and you may struggle to get the same level of engagement.
The timing really depends on what you are asking people to review. For example, when a consumer purchases a phone they start using it immediately and the most positive feedback could come within hours of the box being opened. However, when a consumer purchases a larger item like a car, the honeymoon period will be longer and they may be most enthusiastic (and have the most useful feedback) a few months in.
To encourage the most useful and powerful reviews, it’s important to think about the kinds of products you’re asking people to review and adjust your timelines accordingly.
This is where the update to LoyaltyLion and Trustpilot’s integration comes in. Those happy customers who have left you a positive review are the most likely to go on to refer their friends or family members. However, although on average 83% of customers say they are willing to refer after a good experience, only 29% actually do.
By sending referral prompt emails to all those customers who have left a 4- or 5-star review, you can encourage them to take that advocacy one step further, and reward them for doing so. This is a great way of cementing your good relationship with those customers, but also of ensuring that they return to your store with a healthy points balance that they can redeem for other great experiences – whether that’s a discount on future purchases or free shipping.
Find out more about the integration between Trustpilot and LoyaltyLion, or see it in action by booking some time to talk with one of our loyalty consultants, or the Trustpilot team.
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