5 Crowdsource Review Platforms You Should Know About!

As a business owner, crowdsource review platforms are a must! You need them for various reasons such as increasing your visibility to expand your reach, gaining new customers, and building credibility. The buzzword was coined in the mid-2000s in Wired Magazine by author Jeff Howe although the word originated in the early 1700s.

Simply put, crowdsourcing allows you to build a platform for your business that allows your customers to give their feedback and for you to interact. Think of it as a log for everyone that is interested in your business to learn more about the service you provide from a consumer perspective. These tools aide in your business gaining further traction.

Pros

When you ask a customer for a review, you instantly build a relationship. That interaction allows you to mitigate any problems or bad experiences they had with your service. Their opinion matters and you value what they say. The more that your customer trusts you, the more genuine their feedback. This expands your visibility and reach as a business. New customers see the positivity and will want to utilize your service. Your credibility increases as more traffic is built around your business showing that your service is frequently used and trusted. That initial interaction and connection is the foundation to authentic reviews.

Cons

There are multiple cons to crowdsource review platforms such as manipulations and the poor quality. Manipulations are a result of the expectations of your customer reviews not being specified. You must tell them what is expected of their review so that they do not feel blindsided. Poor quality is a result of lack of transparency. There are so many times that questions go unanswered which result in customers having to assume.

Let’s walk through five crowdsourcing review platforms that you should know about and which ones are best for your business.

Google Reviews

Google Reviews boost your business’ search engine due to how much it is used. With Google being a trusted, reliable source, using this tool for your business will result in better search visibility with higher customer ratings.

Pros

With this platform, you do not need a Google+ account to access it. You will need to fill in your first and last name, but any email will work. It’s a user-friendly tool that is pretty much self-explanatory.

Cons

Google may have been around for years, but Google Review is new. With it being so new, its algorithm changes quite a bit. Keep that in mind when you are setting up your account. You will need to regularly check to see how the format has changed and adjust accordingly.

Is It Worth It

Google Reviews is new to the crowdsourcing platforms selection, but it has an edge that other crowdsourcing platforms do not. Most people use Google as a search tool and to have your service listed is essential. Who wouldn’t want to appear on the front page of a google search? Their reputation is trusted which is why so many utilize Google on a daily basis. Google is always evolving and so will this Google Review. It’s worth looking into.

Yelp

Yelp is the go to when it comes to local business reviews. Your business is expected to be on this platform due to its popularity, frequent use, and the traffic that it receives. It was founded in 2004 to aid people in finding local businesses such as restaurants, doctors, etc. Since its formation, it has garnered 70 million unique visitors and over 120 million reviews.

Pros

With Yelp being one of the most, if not the most, popular crowdsource review platform, it should not go unnoticed. One of the major pros is the reach that you have due to Yelp’s immense traffic. It is free to set up a basic account for your business where you can share photos and messages to your customers. Additionally, the site itself is easy to use and anyone will be able to view your reviews whether they have an account or not.

Cons

Although Yelp has an abundance of traffic and millions of reviews, the issue with those reviews is that they are filtered. These reviews become suppressed and invisible to the average customers that do not know where to look to find them.

Is It Worth It

As long as Yelp exists, it is most definitely worth it. It has been at the forefront of crowdsourcing for years. Other crowdsourcing platforms are newer and do not have as much traction as Yelp. With it being in place and having the audience it does, businesses will greatly benefit from using it. It’s the first option for creating a review page for a service without having to worry about if it will work or not.

Better Business Bureau

Since the early 1900s, the Better Business Bureau has been the leader in advancing marketplace trust. As of 2016 BBB had 167 million views and over 5 million profiles.

Pros

With the Better Business Bureau having a prestigious background their reviews are top notch. Each customer review is verified and is the highest level of credibility with its screening processes. Since 2009, BBB has been using an A-F rating system. Additionally, there is follow-up for both negative and positive review adding legitimacy.

Cons

The type of review you get on this platform can negatively affect your business depending on the grade you receive.

Is It Worth It

Although the Better Business Bureau is trusted, it’s not crucial for every service to have. Some services people would further research on Better Business, but for typical services such as eateries, cleaning services, or car services, it’s not used.

Angie’s List

Angie’s List is primarily made up of services such as plumbers, contractors, hair stylists, etc. All reviews are annually certified.

Pros

Your service will be listed among a variety of businesses and you are guaranteed comprehensive reviews as users pay membership fees to read and write reviews. The certified verification process eliminates anonymous reviews. A big bonus is now after 20 years, you can sign up for free.

Cons

Angie’s list is a much smaller list compared to the hundreds of millions of competitors. Your reach is not fully maximized.

Is It Worth It

Angie’s List is a small fish in a big pond of crowdsourcing platforms. This is a niche based platform that someone who provides the services of their audience may find useful. It’s not worth the hassle of creating and maintaining. The services within this platform can be found just about everywhere else.

TripAdvisor

Trip Advisor is the world’s largest travel site with over 500 million reviews. The information of these reviews helps others narrow down their choices of where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat.

Pros

The number one pro of TripAdvisor is the fact that it’s a global platform. With its reach of over 7 million accommodations, airlines, attractions, and restaurants, it’s a global phenomenon.

Cons

TripAdvisor allows anyone to leave a review. You must keep in mind that expectations are different based on the country.  What you may view as a minor issue could result in a one star rating.

Is It Worth It

Some may think the more the merrier when it comes to crowdsourcing platforms. In a way, yes, but in some instances, no. The energy spent on TripAdvisor could be put elsewhere, This is definitely the case for companies growing and looking to expand their reach.

Regardless of the type of service you provide, you must use a crowdsourcing platform. Reviews gain traffic which results in overall better business. Remember to build that connection with your customers and be as transparent as possible with the services you provide. In staying true to your brands awareness your business will continue to flourish.