Organic Marketing for Franchisees: 3 Ways to Get More Reviews in 2018

Organic marketing for franchisees comes in many forms, one of which involves building positive reviews to improve search visibility, brand reputation, and conversion rates.

As experts in online reputation management with over a decade of experience, we have accrued a number of white-hat techniques to get you more reviews.

Today, we share 3 simple starter tips to help improve organic marketing for franchisees.

Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews.

Noted author, speaker, and consultant Shakti Gawain said that “you create opportunities by asking for them,” and Oprah Winfrey agreed that we “get in life what we have the courage to ask for.” You’ve probably heard all these quotes and their derivatives by now, all saying the same thing, which is that asking nicely goes a long way.

According to one survey conducted by American Express, satisfied customers will be happy to leave you a review 9 out of 10 times they’re asked. So start asking more often. Whether that’s done by a field service rep or a follow-up email is entirely your decision – just make sure it’s done!

Importantly, though, you should understand that some third-party sites consider this soliciting for reviews, which may violate the user terms of agreement.

For example, Yelp imposes these restrictions in an effort to maintain the integrity of ratings because they know that business owners won’t be asking for reviews from customers who have bad experiences, which can create a bias.

However, since Yelp cannot reliably fight negative biases that arise from irate customers or those advancing personal grudges, soliciting reviews is generally considered fair play; in fact, Google is totally on board! Their support FAQ suggests business owners “Remind customers to leave reviews. Let them know that it’s quick and easy to leave business reviews on mobile devices or desktop computers.”

In summary, ask for reviews, and check the user agreement of any third-party site you may be using to ensure you’re not breaking any rules.

Leverage social media as a high-authority “display case.”

Observant users might have noticed how social media platforms have been increasing their efforts to keep people on their sites for longer in part by expanding their offerings. For example, Facebook is now a place where you can play games, access Snapchat-style “stories” that disappear in time, and yes, even leave and research reviews for businesses. In this way, Facebook is now offering what Snapchat, game sites, and third-party review sites provide in one place, and training their audience to use their platform accordingly.

As a result of these trends, people trust social media reviews like never before. Now posting customer reviews on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn is a fantastic tactic to bolster organic marketing for franchisees. Not only will this give you another piece of “web real estate” dedicated to celebrating your franchise, but every comment, Like, or Share will amplify your brand by broadcasting it to the user’s friends and family via the Activity feed.

Incentivizing customer reviews.

When it comes to organic marketing for franchisees, offering a customer a free product or discount in exchange for a free review is pretty foolproof. It’s a win-win situation. Alternately, running a contest in which customers who leave positive reviews can be randomly selected to receive rewards is a fun way to connect with the community, generate some buzz, and bolster your organic marketing for franchisees.

Unsatisfied with these beginners review-boosting techniques? Get in touch for the master class in online reputation management and take your organic marketing for franchisees to the next level.