Which Review Platform Is Best For Your Website?

Online reviews hold huge power for businesses and websites. They act as a virtual word-of-mouth recommendation, influencing customer decisions. 

Imagine walking into a store and being greeted by a dozen satisfied customers raving about their experience. Online reviews offer that same level of endorsement, showcasing real customer experiences to the world. 

Positive reviews establish credibility and social proof for your business. Seeing real customer experiences reassures potential customers that you’re a trustworthy and reliable company. This helps convince customers that your product or service is worthwhile, so your conversions increase too.

Review platforms can also boost your website’s search engine ranking and SEO. Many platforms like Google Business Profile directly integrate with search results, making your business more visible to potential customers.

But which one should you use?

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Review Platform

Just like choosing the right tools for a job, the ideal review platform will depend on several factors. Let’s explore these key considerations to ensure you pick the platform that fosters trust, boosts conversions, and complements your overall online presence.

Industry

Different platforms cater to specific industries. Yelp is great for local businesses, highlighting things like customer service and atmosphere. G2 focuses on B2B software and services, providing in-depth reviews that analyse features, usability, and customer support for complex products. 

Target Audience

Consider where your ideal customer spends their time online. Teenagers looking for restaurants might use Foursquare, which offers location-based recommendations and gamification elements. Professionals are more likely to check Trustpilot, a platform known for its focus on building trust and credibility through verified reviews.

Budget

Many platforms offer free basic plans that allow you to collect reviews and respond to feedback. These plans might be sufficient for small businesses starting out. However, some platforms have paid tiers with additional features like review ratings filtering, advanced analytics, and automated email requests for reviews. Consider your budget and the features most valuable to your business when making your decision.

Features

Look for features that enhance the review experience for both you and your customers. Review ratings are a common feature, but platforms may also offer written feedback options, photo and video uploads, and the ability for customers to ask follow-up questions. Consider features like analytics that provide insights into customer sentiment and identify areas for improvement.

Integration

Does the platform integrate with your website or other marketing tools? According to the Small Business HQ, seamless integration can save you time and streamline your review management process. Look for platforms that offer plugins or APIs to easily display reviews on your website and integrate with your CRM or marketing automation software.

The 5 Most Popular Review Platforms

Now that you’ve considered the key factors influencing your choice, let’s get into some of the most popular review platforms and explore their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal business fits.

1. Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (GBP) reigns supreme when it comes to local SEO. This free platform acts as a direct line to potential customers searching for businesses like yours on Google Search and Maps.

Your GBP has essential details like address, phone number, website link, opening hours, high-quality photos – and reviews.

Here’s how GBP benefits local businesses:

• Enhanced visibility: A well-optimised GBP profile boosts your ranking in local search results, making you easily discoverable by people in your area. They can find you with a simple Google search or browse nearby businesses on Google Maps, increasing the chances of foot traffic.
• Building trust & credibility: Positive customer reviews displayed on your GBP profile build trust and social proof. Seeing genuine feedback from satisfied customers reassures potential clients that you’re a reliable and trustworthy business. Plus, you can quickly respond to any negative reviews that may come in.
• Easy to integrate onto your website: Google offers a basic method where you can copy a link to a specific review or your overall review page and embed it on your website. This doesn’t involve any code and is very user-friendly
• Improved customer service: Businesses can use tools like a Google Maps Review Scraper to efficiently gather and analyse customer feedback from their GBP, offering deeper insights into customer sentiment and helping improve overall service quality.

However, it’s important to understand GBP’s limitations:

• Limited review features and focus on basic information: While GBP allows customers to leave star ratings and short written reviews, it lacks the in-depth review capabilities of platforms like Yelp or Capterra. Businesses seeking detailed customer feedback might need to consider additional platforms.
• Focus on local businesses: GBP is predominantly for businesses with an address in a specific area looking to manage their online presence.

Ideal For

Local brick-and-mortar stores, restaurants, service providers, and any business relying on local foot traffic and in-person interactions. GBP is a must-have platform for maximising local SEO and attracting customers within your area.

2. Facebook Reviews

Facebook Reviews offers a powerful, free tool to use the massive user base of the social media giant. By integrating reviews with your existing Facebook page, you can tap into a familiar platform trusted by millions, reaching a significant audience already comfortable with Facebook’s interface. 

Here’s how Facebook Reviews can benefit your business:

• Extensive reach: Facebook boasts billions of users worldwide. Encouraging customer reviews on your Facebook page allows you to reach a broad audience who might already be interested in your products or services due to their existing connection with your brand on Facebook.
• Social proof & familiarity: Positive reviews displayed on your Facebook page build trust and social proof. Seeing testimonials from real people within the familiar Facebook environment reassures potential customers and validates your brand’s credibility.
• Embeddable: All you need to do is copy the embeddable code of the review you want to display and paste it into an HTML block on your website.

However, there are some limitations to consider with Facebook Reviews:

• Information overload: Facebook feeds can be busy with posts, updates, and advertisements. There’s a risk that customer reviews might get lost in the noise, especially if your page generates a lot of content.
• Limited customisation: Facebook Reviews offer minimal customisation options compared to dedicated review platforms. You have limited control over the layout and design of the review section on your page.
• Focus on basic feedback: While Facebook Reviews allow for star ratings and written comments, they lack features for detailed customer feedback or in-depth analysis. Businesses seeking more comprehensive reviews might need to consider additional platforms.
• Fake reviews: Some internet trolls may take to Facebook to write fake reviews or reviews that have nothing to do with you and are solely to promote their own agenda.

Ideal For

Businesses with a strong existing Facebook presence and a target audience comfortable navigating the platform. Facebook Reviews are a great way to leverage your social media investment and build trust with potential customers familiar with Facebook.

3. Yelp

Yelp is a popular review platform in the United States. It boasts a massive and active user base constantly seeking recommendations for local businesses. 

Here’s why Yelp can be a goldmine for restaurants, shops, and service providers:

• High user engagement: Yelp users are actively looking for recommendations, making it the perfect platform to target potential customers specifically looking for the kind of products or services you offer.
• Detailed review features: Yelp goes beyond simple star ratings. Customers can leave written reviews, upload photos showcasing their experience, and even filter reviews by category, allowing for a more nuanced picture of your business.
• Yelp Business Page widget: Yelp offers a widget specifically designed to showcase reviews on your website. You can access this through your Yelp Business Manager account.

However, there are some challenges to consider with Yelp:

• Susceptibility to fake reviews: Yelp has faced criticism for being susceptible to fake reviews, both positive and negative. This can make it difficult for potential customers to discern genuine feedback.
• Focus on negative experiences: Studies suggest that disgruntled customers are more likely to leave reviews than satisfied ones. This can create a skewed perception on Yelp if you don’t actively encourage positive reviews from happy customers.
• US-centric platform: While Yelp has a global presence, its user base is heavily concentrated in the United States.

Ideal For

Established local businesses in the US, particularly restaurants, shops, and service providers, who can leverage Yelp’s active user base and detailed review features. 

4. Trustpilot

Trustpilot stands out as a global platform with a core mission: building trust and credibility for businesses through verified reviews. This platform caters well to businesses of all sizes, offering a free basic plan to get started and paid tiers with advanced features to unlock deeper insights. 

Here’s how Trustpilot can help your business:

• Verified reviews: Trustpilot emphasises verified reviews, adding a layer of legitimacy and trust compared to anonymous platforms. Customers go through a simple verification process, assuring businesses and potential customers that the feedback is genuine.
• Global reach: Unlike Yelp’s US-centric focus, Trustpilot boasts a global audience. This makes it a valuable platform for businesses with international operations or targeting customers worldwide.
• Actionable insights: Paid tiers of Trustpilot offer advanced features like review analytics and sentiment analysis. These tools allow businesses to understand customer sentiment, identify areas for improvement, and track the impact of their responses to reviews.
• Multiple widgets: Trustpilot offers various TrustBox widgets with different layouts and functionalities.  Visit their website to browse the options and find one that best suits your needs.

However, there are a few things to consider with Trustpilot:

• Lower brand awareness: While Trustpilot is gaining traction, it might not have the same level of brand awareness as established players like GBP or Yelp.
• Time-consuming to leave a review: The verification process on Trustpilot might deter some customers from leaving reviews compared to completely anonymous platforms.

Ideal For

Businesses of all sizes looking to build trust and credibility with a global audience. Trustpilot’s verified review system and advanced features for paid tiers make it a valuable tool for understanding customer sentiment and improving your online reputation. 

5. Feefo

Feefo is a well-established company specialising in customer reviews and feedback management. They focus on providing a platform for businesses to collect verified reviews from real customers. 

Feefo offers several benefits including:

• Trustworthy reviews: Feefo only sends invitations to verified customers, which helps to ensure that the reviews on the platform are genuine and reliable. This can be crucial for consumers who are looking for honest feedback before making a purchase.
• Actionable insights: Feefo goes beyond just collecting reviews. They also provide businesses with analytics and reporting tools that can help them understand customer sentiment, identify trends, and track their performance over time. This feedback can be invaluable for businesses looking to improve their customer experience.
• Simple Integration: This user-friendly method involves adding a few lines of code snippet provided by Feefo directly into your website’s HTML. Feefo offers separate code snippets for displaying product reviews or service reviews.

Even though Feefo offers a valuable service, there are a few challenges it faces:

• Third-party cookie deprecation: Like many online platforms, Feefo relies on third-party cookies to track customer behaviour and personalise their experience. As browsers increasingly block these cookies, Feefo needs to adapt its strategy to collect data and target users effectively.
• Fake review potential: While Feefo focuses on verified reviews, there’s always the risk of some inauthentic reviews slipping through. Feefo needs to constantly improve its detection methods to maintain trust in its platform.

Ideal For

Since Feefo helps build trust and credibility, businesses that heavily depend on online interactions are a great fit. This includes e-commerce stores, SaaS companies that sell software online, and professional service providers who build their clientele through online reputation.

7 Additional Review Platforms That Are Niche-Specific

Capterra & G2: For B2B software companies, Capterra and G2 are industry leaders. These platforms provide in-depth reviews analysing features, usability, and customer support. While both offer free basic plans, you can take your reviews to another level by paying for a premium plan.

TripAdvisor: The travel industry’s go-to platform, TripAdvisor allows users to research, book, and review travel experiences. Hotels, restaurants, and attractions heavily rely on positive reviews on TripAdvisor to attract bookings.

Amazon: The world’s largest online retailer, Amazon integrates customer reviews seamlessly into the product buying journey. Positive reviews significantly impact purchase decisions for physical and digital products sold on Amazon. This platform is exclusive to businesses selling on Amazon’s marketplace.

Zillow: A leading online platform for real estate, Zillow allows users to search for homes, browse listings with photos and virtual tours, and connect with real estate agents. It offers a valuable tool for homebuyers and sellers but isn’t relevant for other businesses.

Glassdoor: Glassdoor allows employees to leave reviews about their companies, culture, and salaries. Job seekers use Glassdoor to research potential employers, making it crucial for companies to manage their online reputation on this platform. Its focus on the workplace makes it irrelevant for businesses not actively recruiting.

Foursquare City Guide: Foursquare City Guide isn’t just another restaurant finder. It’s your key to unlocking a world of unique places – from hidden cafes to buzzing bars and trendy shops. For businesses, Foursquare is ideal for those who rely on local foot traffic and user recommendations. Restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment venues, and local service providers can all benefit from being on Foursquare.

Angi (formerly Angie’s List): A platform connecting homeowners with qualified service providers, Angi allows users to research contractors, read reviews, and request quotes for home improvement projects. 

Our Experience with Review Platforms: Finding the Right Fit for Every Client

Here at Digivate, we understand the power of online reviews for businesses. We’ve seen firsthand how the right platform can impact a company’s online reputation and customer acquisition.

Client 1: A local UK Service

For a local UK business, there’s no denying the effectiveness of GBP. We helped our client set up their GBP profile. We filled it with accurate information and high-quality photos, ensuring a user-friendly listing. The results speak for themselves – over 700 positive 5-star reviews. 

Potential customers can now easily find them on Google Search and Maps, read glowing testimonials, and feel confident choosing their services.

Client 2: UK-based SaaS & Services Company Targeting US Customers

Our second client, a SaaS and services company, presented a unique challenge. Since their client base is in the US but they don’t have a US office we removed their GBP so as to not confuse clients. 

Then, we set them up on G2 for software reviews. However, customer feedback indicated that the G2 review process was too lengthy and cumbersome. We then pivoted their review strategy to Trustpilot. Trustpilot’s global reach and streamlined review process proved to be a better fit.

Leveraging Reviews for Your Website

Positive online reviews are invaluable. We don’t just help clients collect reviews; we also encourage them to showcase these testimonials on their websites and even in their content on social media. Using positive reviews builds trust with potential customers. By showing the value and satisfaction your services provide to others, it can convince others to take the leap.

Our experience with these two clients underlines a crucial point – a one-size-fits-all approach to review platforms doesn’t work. By understanding your client’s industry, target audience, and business goals, we can recommend the most effective platform to maximise the impact of online reviews and ultimately contribute to their success.

Conclusion

Online reviews hold immense power for businesses. Positive reviews build trust, increase conversions, and boost your SEO. But, with the numerous review platforms available, selecting the right one is crucial for maximising the impact of customer feedback.

Choosing the right platform is an investment in your online reputation. It allows you to connect with potential customers, showcase positive feedback, and address negative experiences. By aligning your platform choice with your industry, target audience, and budget, you can harness the power of online reviews to build trust, grow your business, and achieve lasting success.

Article by

Samantha Hops

Samantha Hops is an SEO Executive at Digivate and has been working in Digital Marketing for over four years. She has experience in SEO, Affiliate, Content and Email Marketing as well as Social Media. She completed her Master's in Marketing at King's College London and holds certificates in Digital Marketing & Data Analytics from the University of Cape Town. When she isn't working to boost your organic traffic, she is cooking up a storm in the kitchen and filling her house with as many sunflowers as possible.