There’s no getting away from customer reviews. A study by the Pew Research Center shows that more than half of adults under age 50 consult reviews before making a purchasing decision.
The same trends apply to a group of your most important customers – your employees and job candidates. When job seekers want to learn more about your company, they typically go straight to your website or social media pages.
People don’t always think to leave positive reviews or testimonials, so if you want to stand out online, you need to invest in developing these positive interactions. What tactics are most effective?
Customer Reviews
The more you grow your positive reviews, the harder it will be for the competition to keep up.
- Post on social media. If you’ve built a customer following on social media, this is an excellent place to ask for reviews of your company. If people are already taking time to scroll and search your platforms, they’re more likely to take time to leave a review.
- Make it simple. The easier you make the process, the more reviews you’ll get. Send people right to your review touchpoint, rather than making them navigate multiple pages first. The shorter time it takes, the better. Reduce friction!
- Reward those who review you. A simple incentive like a $10 gift card can lead to more positive reviews. Or, you can partner with a non-profit organization and donate each time someone leaves a positive review of your product or service.
Employee Testimonials
Employee testimonials can help job seekers learn about your employer brand and get a sense of what your workplace culture is like, from your current team members.
- Identify your brand ambassadors. Ask your management team to help as you pinpoint top employee performers who can best showcase what working for you is like – and why others should be excited to have the opportunity. Aim for variety and diversity to achieve a sold mix of feedback – a balanced mix of age, gender, background, job titles, and professional functions.
- Decide how you will share testimonials. You may want to post short blurbs on your website or create a series of brief videos to use on social media. Knowing how you’ll use testimonials will help guide your process.
- Timing is everything. Ask for testimonials when people are happy with your company; for instance, right after they have accepted a job offer or promotion.
- Get employees to sign off, especially if you have edited their words. Let them review and agree with your changes before sharing testimonials with a larger audience. You can also use this step to thank employees for participating and provide links where they can share testimonials with their own networks.
- Be transparent throughout the process. To ensure employees are comfortable supplying testimonials, let them know from beginning to end what you’re looking for, what they’ll get for taking part, and where content will appear.
Haley Marketing’s team of employer branding experts can help as you build your company’s online presence via positive reviews and testimonials. Contact our team of leading employer branding experts today to get started.
