Because the world is becoming more digital by the day, customer evaluations are becoming a vital resource, particularly for small businesses looking to grow and build their brand. With a positive review you increase credibility of your business by attracting new customers and making more sales. With a negative review you get information on how to improve your business. To address, engage and align online reviews for highest returns, small businesses require the tools. Selecting right review software for small businesses is important to make this process easy.
In this article, we will look at the various review software for small businesses including the main features, cost and advantages.
Trustpilot
Trustpilot happens to be one of the largest review providers in the global market. Using ProductGeek it is easier for businesses that sell products to gather, store, and display customer reviews. Software for small businesses can benefit from engaging with Trustpilot whose name already carries a level of trust. Hence, this help improve their online standing.
Key Features:
- Customers are able to easily invited to provide their feedback through auto-invitations.
- The following integration: the ability to display the reviews on Google Search and Google Ads.
- Businesses can use stand-alone Widget and TrustBoxes. This can be placed on the websites of the businesses to provide visible reviews.
- Specifications for a customer and an efficient way to respond to them or even handle the bad comments.
Pricing: Depending on the chosen package, Trustpilot charges from $0 to $299 per month for using the service. Still, if the business wants to indulge in some additional features like analytics and Google integration, then, it will have to opt for a premium account at $199 monthly onwards.
Best for: A free, famous and reputable platform for small businesses to seek for reviews and improve their online standing.
Yotpo
Yotpo is an online review platform that mainly deals with the acquisition and management of reviews for the e-business merchants. It can be combined with other platforms as Shopify, BigCommerce or WooCommerce. It is perfect for small online stores. Therefore, Yotpo provides not only the review management tool but also the tools for loyalty programs and SMS marketing.
Key Features:
- When a client has bought a product, it can be very effective when an automated email is sent asking the client for a review of the product.
- Discuss about visibility features such as stars rating of products and services and galleries of ratings submitted by users of the website.
- Linking plans with social networks where customers can leave positive feedback.
- Data and metrics on customer experience and analysis of the company’s performances based on customers’ feedback.
Pricing: Yotpo also provides the user with a free package through which one is enabled to collect and display basic reviews. The basic version without some features that are in paid plans cost $19 per month if you want to use such features as visual marketing and social integration.
Best for: Some of the examples include e-commerce small businesses that are in need of a solution that combines review solutions, customer loyalty, and engagement.
Birdeye
Birdeye is an all-in-one reputation management software for small businesses to gather, centralize, and amplify reviews from Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Handling multiple platforms at once to track the reviews and responding to such feedback as a manager, Birdeye provides every detail needed to make decisions to enhance customer satisfaction.
Key Features:
- Sending out automated review requests through the Web based SMS or email sending system.
- Single interface for all reviews from other platforms.
- Automatic alerts immediately the reviews are posted, allowing businesses to post their reactions immediately.
- Monitoring tools to observe the reviews trends and customer’s attitudes to the company and product.
Pricing: Birdeye begins at $299 per month for small companies, to provide the more innovative tools for customer relations and rating management.
Best for: Companies with several online profiles and those possessing physical stores or offering services can benefit from this tool, and, thus, it is crucial for small businesses.
Google My Business (GMB)
Google My Business is basically an interface where businesses can unlock helpful tools to manage information across several Google properties, including Search and Maps at no cost. Another specialty of the product can be considered the possibility of gathering and replying to reviews provided by the clients. Since Google reviews are easily noticeable and are often the first thing a potential customer sees, GMB cannot be overemphasized in any small business.
Key Features:
- Allows the gathering and display of reviews right on the Google Search and Maps.
- The use of public areas is essential because it allows businesses to reply to the reviews of other clients as a sign of public concern.
- A look at how customers are interacting with your business in the Google space.
- Available to use without any charges and without charging users on monthly basis.
Pricing: Free.
Best for: Small business that deploys heavily on Google Search and Maps for consumer finding and consumer feedback.
Reputation.com
Reputation.com is another powerful reputation management tool that is specifically designed software for small businesses to improve their online presence. The platform offers products and services’ reviews not only from their own database but also from other sources. Moreover, owners of businesses can reply to the reviews fast. Additionally, it provides features for analyzing the overall customer feeling and for the assessment of performance differences between individual locations.
Key Features:
- Consumers use review aggregator from Yelp, Google, face book and many other online platforms.
- Live notifications on the new reviews and the possibility to respond through the system.
- Complex parameters to monitor and analyze the overall customers’ attitude and reviews section.
- Utilities for creating the reviews and enhancing the sites’ rankings; sharing positive feedback on business websites.
Pricing: Reputation.com offers custom pricing depending on the needs of the business. For small businesses there are standard packages which range from $300 per month and above.
Best for: Small business merchants and franchises who run business operations in different locations and require a strong platform for recognizing and addressing reviews in various sites.
Podium
Podium is a customer interaction and reputation management solution. A software for small businesses that helps to collect reviews, interact with customers and monitor their reputation. It has many features among which is the text messaging feature, which helps businesses to request for reviews through text.
Key Features:
- When sending invitations by SMS, consider the response rate to be higher and also review the invites you made.
- A master console for handling all review and customer engagement.
- Ability to synchronize the active profile with Google or Facebook comments for convenience when replying.
- Media that enable the exchange of textual information between a customer and an organization, for example, through texting, web chat or social networks.
Pricing: Podium is $289/month and allows for review management also text communication and feedback collection.
Best for: Captive consumer contact small businesses that import value from client ratings and feedback, and consumer contact as a way to establish believability.
ReviewTrackers
ReviewTrackers is a review monitoring and reputation management platform, software for small businesses that allows to track, analyze, and respond to customer reviews from over 100 review sites. Therefore, this tool is ideal for small businesses that need to manage a large volume of reviews from various sources while gaining insights into customer sentiment.
Key Features:
- Automated review requests and reminders.
- Review monitoring across multiple platforms, including Yelp, Google, and Facebook.
- In-depth analytics for tracking customer sentiment, review performance, and market trends.
- Customizable review response templates for efficient engagement.
Pricing: ReviewTrackers offers plans starting at $49 per month, making it an affordable option for small businesses.
Best for: Small businesses that want an affordable yet powerful tool to manage reviews across multiple platforms.
Conclusion
Choosing the right review software can be a game-changer for small businesses. This enhance their reputation, attract new customers, and improve customer satisfaction. Platforms like Trustpilot and Yotpo are perfect for e-commerce while Birdeye and Reputation.com offer comprehensive tools for managing reviews across multiple platforms. For small businesses on a budget, Google My Business is an excellent free option. Podium and ReviewTrackers provide advanced features for businesses that rely on customer feedback and communication.
The best review software for your business depends on your specific needs, budget, and industry. By selecting the right tool, small businesses can not only manage their reviews effectively but also build a stronger, more trustworthy online presence.