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Review Marketing 101 with HomeStars

review marketing 101

As a home service professional, you understand the power of word-of-mouth advertising better than anyone. When a homeowner reaches out to you because your services were recommended by a satisfied customer, they are much more likely to hire you than a homeowner who found your number in the phone book. 

With the internet at our fingertips, few homeowners are still browsing the Yellow Pages. Just as consumers buy clothes and furniture online, they also go online to hire pros like plumbers and landscapers. The key difference is that your online presence, unlike your phone book listing, has the power to multiply your word-of-mouth recommendations so that they reach hundreds of additional people. On the internet, these word-of-mouth recommendations are called “customer reviews,” but they work similarly: satisfied customers share their experiences about the quality of your work and new customers give you their business as a result. 

At HomeStars, we make it our mission to help pros collect customer reviews and showcase them as widely as possible. We understand that review marketing drives results, and we want to help you harness this opportunity.

What is Review-Based Marketing?

Think of marketing efforts like updating your website and running advertisements as the work you do to get homeowners to walk through your “door.” Collecting, displaying, and responding to reviews (review-based marketing) is the work you do to seal the deal once they’re already “inside.” 

Reviews are like the professional office space you work out of to showcase your credibility. They’re like the water bottle you give away to show clients you’re courteous. They’re like the brochure you hand out that explains the value of your services. They speak to the reputation of your business, and in doing so, assure clients you’re the right person for the job.

Today’s consumers want as much information as possible before they make buying decisions, and reviews are the source they trust most frequently to supply this information. 

How Do Reviews Help Your Business?

Reviews help your business in a bunch of little ways that build upon one another to boost your bottom line. Here are a few of the ways they make an impact:

  • Reviews Create More Leads
    Data shows that, when homeowners are torn between contacting multiple pros, they often choose the one with more reviews. Collecting additional reviews will keep you on the right side of this decision-making process. 
  • Reviews Strengthen Your Pitch
    Once you’re in communication with a homeowner, selling yourself and your services is a lot easier when you have a portfolio of reviews behind you. Highlight specific reviews that speak to client needs and let them do the talking for you.
  • Reviews Lead to More Profitable Jobs
    When a homeowner is looking to make a large investment, like a renovation or backyard upgrade, they want to be assured the pro they hire does great work. By giving them the power to read about the quality of your work before they commit to an investment, reviews give homeowners that peace of mind. This goes double for reviews that feature photos, which allow homeowners to assess your work with their own two eyes. 
  • Reviews Boost Your Search Engine Results
    Customer reviews contain keywords relevant to your business, services, and location. Every time a customer reviews your business, Google gains a clearer picture of what your business does, allowing it to position you higher in search results.

Reviews in a Post-COVID World

The global pandemic has changed the way homeowners hire. According to a study by BrightLocal, 87% of consumers said they read online reviews for local businesses in 2020 — up 6% from 2019. Trust has always been an important factor to homeowners deciding which pros to bring into their homes, but in a post-COVID world, it’s become even more critical. 

Telling homeowners you’re committed to prioritizing their health and safety is a good start, but as the numbers show, homeowners will want to look at reviews to verify your claims. The more reviews you collect that speak to this commitment, the better you’ll be able to separate yourself from competitors.

Why do Homeowners Turn to HomeStars for Reviews?

Just as you’d turn to a rideshare service like Uber to read reviews of rideshare drivers, it only makes sense to turn to a specialized home improvement platform like HomeStars to read reviews of home service professionals. HomeStars has an entire team dedicated to verifying the content of reviews, so homeowners can be certain reviews are legitimate, trustworthy, and relevant. In contrast to reviews on Google, which tend to lack context, reviews on HomeStars give homeowners all the information they’re seeking before they hire. Plus, HomeStars makes it easy for homeowners to leave and update reviews, so homeowners can be certain they’re getting information that is current and up to date.

Create a Review Marketing Strategy on HomeStars Today!

Now that you understand the value of review marketing, it’s time to take advantage. The great news is that HomeStars has made it quick and simple for pros to request reviews, respond to reviews, and display them online. 

Request reviews from homeowners using the HomeStars for Pros app, show them you value their feedback by responding, and showcase your reviews as widely as possible by adding our review widget to your website

For pros on HomeStars, creating a fully-formed review marketing strategy is that simple. 

Questions? Contact your dedicated account manager, today, or call 1-800-701-9265.

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