All month we’ve been discussing the importance of positive online reviews both for improving search rankings and helping people develop a positive impression of your church, ministry or business.
So, now you may be wondering…
How do I get more positive online reviews?
You could try things like…
- Asking people to post reviews using your social media accounts
- Asking people during the announcements segment of your church service
- Asking people in your newsletter
There’s nothing wrong with any of those methods. Our experience, however, is that they all get a relatively small response.
You may also be tempted to send out a massive email blast to your customers, supporters or congregation asking them to post a review, but this is a bad idea for several reasons:
- Impersonal. Many organizations struggle to find the best wording for the email and end up sending a message that is impersonal and ineffective.
- Inconsistent. People rarely respond to the first request. Either they are not convinced or they think, “Sure, I’ll do that when I have a few minutes.” and then forget.
- Unnatural. Google gets suspicious when there’s a sudden, unnatural surge of new reviews and often does not publish them.
Want to know the BEST way to get more positive online reviews?
We’ve tested many different methods for getting more positive online reviews, for both OurChurch.Com and our clients. We’ve discovered…
The secret to gaining positive online reviews is to personally ask a small number of people each week to post a review using effective wording and then follow up.
Here are step-by-step instructions for how to do that:
- Create a list of members, supporters or customers.
- Put that list into a spreadsheet.
- Create an email you can send to the people on your list.
- Personalize the email and send it to 5-10 people each week.
- Update the spreadsheet documenting who you sent the email to.
- Next week, check your Google, Facebook and Yelp listings for new reviews.
- Update the spreadsheet to document who posted new reviews.
- Create a reminder email.
- Personalize and send the reminder email to people who haven’t posted a review yet.
- Update the spreadsheet to document which people have been sent reminders.
- Repeat this every week.
If that sounds like a lot of work, well, it is.
That’s why we created…
OurChurch.Com’s Online Review Service
Our team has developed and tested a proven method that can grow your online reviews and it requires almost no time and effort from you!
Additionally, online review sites like Google, Facebook, and Yelp have a terrible reputation for customer service. Sometimes people post reviews and they are never published. Sometimes reviews disappear for no reason. It’s nearly impossible to contact these companies. And when you do, they often don’t respond.
So, we include our Review Recovery service with our Online Review Service at no extra charge!
We put our contacts and experience to work for you to resolve issues like this when they arise.
What are our clients saying about the Online Review Service?
“Enrollment is through the roof for next year! The reviews have really made a difference, especially for families who are moving into the area and don’t know anyone who directly attends. People have mentioned them when they call me!” -Matti V, Bayshore Christian School, Tampa, FL
“Not sure what you did but they put the review back up. Thank you so much for sticking with this and getting it done!” -Kevin S., Grand Vista Pools, Trinity, FL
Click to read more about our Online Review Service. If you’re looking for a trusted partner with Website Design or SEO expertise, we can help you crush it in those areas too!
Then complete the form below (mobile) or to the right (desktop) to schedule a call to discuss your goals and challenges with our team.
Comment and Discuss
- What do you think about the best way to get online reviews?
- What comments or questions do you have about our Online Review Service?
For more info about online reviews read our free guide: The Ultimate Guide to Online Reviews
