We already know AI is used for moderating and creating content, that’s nothing new. The challenge at hand is understanding how to use this AI in this manner responsibly — and strategically. The potential of AI is vast, but responsible innovation and safeguards are crucial, and world leaders are taking note. 

US president Joe Biden signed an executive order on the safe, secure and trustworthy use of artificial intelligence. And just recently the Council of the European Union and European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act —  the world’s first comprehensive AI regulation.

Ensuring transparency about use of AI is paramount. It’s crucial to retain human oversight, ensuring that AI remains a supportive tool rather than taking complete control, especially when it comes to using AI for content creation and moderation.

With that in mind, we’re going to explore findings from our own research and discuss the guiding principles that ensure that your use of AI is responsible and brand-safe.

The role of AI in content creation

In short, content moderation involves screening and removing any content that goes against set deadlines, and AI can improve this process.

Here we’ll walk through how you can use AI to streamline your content supply chain, all the while ensuring responsible and considerate implementation.

Content moderation before AI

Consumers love to contribute reviews about your brand. This user-generated content (UGC) goldmine fosters trust and drives sales by making connections between you and your audience.

But this content won’t always necessarily align with your brand values. It might contain inappropriate language, prohibited content, reveal personal information, or even aim to manipulate perceptions of your brand, undermining that trust you’ve cultivated.

All of your clients likely have varying standards for what constitutes acceptable content. For instance, a beer company might embrace discussions about alcohol, while a children’s brand probably won’t. Or hopefully won’t, anyway.

Before AI was on the scene, there were different content moderation solutions. Specifically, a manual approach.

A manual approach requires human moderators to review client preferences within a content management system, deciding whether to approve or reject each piece of content. Initially, this was the method we used at Bazaarvoice.

Results were generally fine. Human moderators ensure content appropriateness and authenticity. But it’s seriously time-consuming. On average it takes twenty hours before a review goes live. This goes against consumer preference for content recency, who scan the latest reviews for up-to-date product information.

Also there’s the fact that engaged consumers expected their voices to be swiftly acknowledged. Delays in posting reviews can lead to a loss of engagement with your brand. This presents a core challenge: how can you ensure rapid, on-site content availability, while still upholding authenticity?

How to use AI in content moderation

The answer? By leveraging machine learning — a branch of AI that learns from existing data to derive patterns. For example, At Bazaarvoice, we possess massive amounts of data, with over 800 million unique review contents historically, growing by 9 million each month.

Data like this can be used to train machine learning models to identify undesirable content and automatically flag any new content matching that profile. If you’re getting started with AI content moderation, follow these steps:

1. Engage existing moderators to label data for model training and validation
2. Data scientists utilize this labeled data to train models tailored to one or more client use cases
3. Deploy these models to a machine learning inference system, for it to approve or reject new content collected for your clients
4. Share client configurations with the AI machine learning system so that the content can be moderated to meet each client’s individual use case

Consider the evolving landscape too. Consumer behaviors change, new trends emerge, and language evolves. What if AI tech can’t adapt to this? You’re risking brand trust and consumer safety, and no one wants that. Look at review bombing, for example, which usually happens in response to social or political dynamics that are near-impossible to predict.

Content operations team can respond to these events though by training new models, adjusting existing ones, or fine tuning the client configurations to ensure only appropriate content, appropriate authentic content ends up on-site

AI should augment human effort, not replace it

This approach ensures that humans remain in charge. Clients specify what kind of content they consider appropriate or not, ensuring the AI only acts within their predefined parameters.

A responsible AI approach means better results for clients too. Currently, we moderate 73% of UGC with machine learning models, providing clients with filtered UGC tailored to their needs within seconds, not hours. A huge improvement on the hours required with solely-human moderators!

Responsible AI content creation for brands

Most brands tend to take the initiative to craft their own content, they don’t rely only on UGC. Specifically, they carefully strategize the images, messages, and products they intend to highlight across their social media platforms, websites, and other channels.

But creating all this content is time consuming. Most companies employ social media managers or similar dedicated to this task. Imagine if you could combine the skill of a social media manager with the utility of AI to automatically generate content. It sounds pretty remarkable, like mind reading even.

When clients onboard with Bazaarvoice, they link their social media accounts, providing us with ample data points showcasing their preferred topics and communication style.

When a user selects an image, our machine learning algorithms decipher its contents, telling us what they want to post about. We can also glean information about the products they aim to showcase from product tag data and learn their communication style through their social media history.

After clicking on “auto generate caption,” these data points undergo processing by our (cutting edge!) generative AI to craft a caption about the image and products in the client’s voice. The social media manager can then approve, refine, or reject the messaging.

It creates an incredible, symbiotic relationship The tool combines the convenience of generative AI, while retaining the authentic voice of the client, allowing for revisions as needed. Once again, the AI acts as an assistant rather than a replacement.

In practice, many clients tend to tweak the suggested messaging, but they still appreciate how this feature jumpstarts their creative process. It’s akin to having a muse — inspiring human creativity based on past elements.

We introduced this product on our social commerce platform last year and it was an instant hit. Which got us thinking, can we do the same thing for our consumers?

Responsible AI creation for consumers

There’s an issue with customer reviews. According to our research, 68% of consumers feel uncertain about what to include in a review, meaning many end up lacking detail or veering way, way off-topic.

Like with content moderation, can AI step in to assist consumers in crafting better, more informative reviews? This would help shopping become more transparent, because the more reviews we have, the more informed we are.

For example, let’s look at how Bazaarvoice Content Coach works. First, AI ideates which topics would be useful to include in a review, based on each product and our client’s catalog. These topics are then presented to the consumer. As the consumer writes, the system highlights the topics they’ve addressed.

What’s great about this approach is its blend of convenience and enjoyment. It guides users to write helpful reviews while making the process fun! Or at least as fun as writing a product review can be. It’s like a form of AI content moderation, but reversed. It functions as a coach rather than a ghostwriter, empowering users to refine their reviews.

Since its launch, Content Coach has facilitated the creation of almost 400,000 authentic reviews, with nearly 87% of users finding it beneficial — a testament to how AI can be used to assist content creation, not own.

Take AI assistance even further

These are all prime examples of leveraging generative AI in a responsible (but beneficial) manner. They enhance the consumer experience while maintaining authenticity, effectively coaching brands and consumers to maximize their review’s impact.

Examples like above illustrate how an AI content moderation strategy augments human efforts responsibly and optimizes your content supply chain. We’re only scratching the surface here though. Discover the transformative potential of AI in authentically shaping your content strategy with our on-demand masterclass: How to use AI strategically and responsibly.

Product reviews and other forms of user-generated content (UGC) have become the cornerstone of trust and loyalty in the digital marketplace.

• 88% of shoppers use reviews to discover and evaluate products
• 47% say online reviews are an influential source of information, second only to recommendations from family and friends
• Companies that incorporate UGC into their social campaigns see a 50% increase in engagement 
• 84% of millennials say UGC affects their purchasing decisions, while almost half of Gen Z customers say social media is their top inspiration for buying a product 

But here’s the catch — not all reviews are created equal. What transforms a simple product review into a pivotal decision-making tool for shoppers? 

Several things, according to insights from industry professionals we recently surveyed. “A great review isn’t just about a star rating; it’s about validating the quality, setting accurate expectations, discussing performance and functionality, and offering additional tips,” one seasoned product owner told us. “Incorporating sentiment, visual evidence of the product in various contexts, detailed style and design commentary, assessments of comfort and wearability, and, importantly, photographs can turn a good review into a great one.”

We’ll dig into the details customers love to see in good product reviews and guide you through the ins and outs of collecting, compiling, and syndicating this UGC.

To bring these strategies to life, we’ll introduce you to “QualityCouches,” a hypothetical brand we completely made up — but based on real research. By stepping into the shoes of a consumer, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how strategically curated product reviews can elevate the shopping experience, ensuring your offerings stand out in a crowded market. 

The anatomy of a good product review

When reading reviews, shoppers have conscious and unconscious questions that need to be answered. They want to make sure the item matches their expectations. They want to know what other customers think about the product in the short and long term. And they want to get a sense of what the item will be like in real life.

Here’s 13 examples of the specific information they’re looking for in your product reviews. 

1. Value and quality assessment

Shoppers are looking for value for money, and review content is where they find it. They want to see information that makes it easier to plunk down their hard-earned cash on a purchase. And value doesn’t just mean price — they want to know the product quality is worth the cost, too. 62% of shoppers are looking for information that validates the item is worth the money and 59% want to confirm it’s of high quality, according to our Shopper Experience Index.

For big purchases like a couch, a good product review example might include information about the quality of the fabric or its stability, and durability of the item. Users want to see that it’s comfortable enough for a long movie night or Netflix binge. 

2. Product details

When scanning reviews online, 44% of shoppers are looking for validation that what arrives in the mail will match what appears on your website. 

If someone is on the QualityCouches site looking for a new sofa that’s easy to clean and can withstand the wear and tear of a toddler, it’s not enough to see “kid-friendly” or “stain resistant” in a product description. 

Here’s a good example of a product review that could turn them into a QualityCouches customer:

“This couch easily stands up to my three kids. It’s really easy to clean. Yesterday, my oldest spilled cranberry juice on the cushions and it came out easily with some warm water. Highly recommend this couch for households with small kids!”

Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll feel more confident about how easy the couch is to clean after reading a product review like that!

3. Usage and user context

It’s not enough to know a product works. Shoppers want to know if a product will work specifically for them. Examples of good product reviews include context about the reviewer, the problems they were trying to solve, and where and how they used the products. 

• 71% of shoppers are looking for reviews from people who share their interests, needs, or concerns
• 62% of consumers said they are more likely to trust reviews that include information about the poster’s age, location, or other information as opposed to anonymous reviews

For example, this product review that might resonate with shoppers looking for a dog-friendly couch:

“We are empty nesters with two labs that we treat like our children. Our dogs love to cuddle with us on the couch. They shed a lot and we needed something that was easy to clean. This couch is perfect. The material is great. Their fur doesn’t stick to it. It’s also really easy to wipe off slobber and dirt.”

The more shoppers see themselves in the reviews, the more likely they are to buy the product. 

4. Comparisons to expectations

Probably everyone who shops online has been disappointed at one time or another by a product that failed to meet their expectations, leading to higher e-commerce return rates. And no-one wants that. Shoppers want to hear from other shoppers whether your products live up to their promises. 

If you’re shopping at QualityCouches, you want to see examples of product reviews that validate the claims made in the product descriptions. 

The more real shoppers say a sofa lives up to its promises of comfort and stability, the more confidence a consumer will have about adding the couch to their cart. 

5. Style and design commentary

No matter how much effort the QualityCouches team puts into crafting the perfect product description, shoppers will still dig through the reviews to make sure that your definition of “mid-century modern” or “farmhouse industrial” matches their own — 41% of shoppers search for information about what a product looks like in real life when reading reviews

Visual UGC like photos and videos can also appease these shoppers. More on that in a minute!

6. Comfort and wearability

All right, by now shoppers know QualityCouches sells items that look good, but do they feel good? Is the material scratchy? Will it bother their sensitive skin? Will the pillows leave awkward marks on their face if they fall asleep during a boring movie?

A good product review will answer these questions and assure shoppers that the couch is as cozy as it is stylish.

7. Ease of use

Sometimes it’s the big things that make you love (or hate!) a product. But often, it’s the little things. 

For anyone who’s ever had to put together furniture, you can empathize with the shoppers on QualityCouches who are looking for feedback on whether the products are easy to assemble. They might also want to know whether the couch is easy to clean, if the cushions are removable, and how easy it is to set up the pullout bed. 

8. Long-term impressions or performance and functionality

As every shopper knows, you may love an item when it first arrives. But after a few weeks and months? Not so much. 

Consumers are poring through your reviews looking for examples of how your products hold up in the long run. Was the couch still comfortable after six months of use? Did the material fade over time? 

Just because a few weeks (or even months) have passed since the shopper made their purchase, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to ask for a review. Hearing what people think about the product in the long term can help build consumer trust and confidence. 

9. Pros and cons

Negative reviews happen. But that’s not necessarily a problem. Actually it’s a good thing.

Consumers appreciate learning more about a product’s pros and cons from other shoppers. Negative reviews give shoppers more confidence in the authenticity of your UGC, which helps build trust and transparency. 

• 62% of consumers say negative reviews are as important as positive reviews in their decision-making process
• 75% of shoppers say it’s important to read a balance of positive and negative reviews when purchasing to set expectations correctly
• 93% of consumers say they would rather purchase a product with a lot of positive and negative reviews compared to a product with no reviews

Here’s a product review example for QualityCouches that could help a shopper make an informed decision.

“My in-laws spent two weeks sleeping on the pull-out sofa. By the end of the first week, they were pretty uncomfortable. The couch is fine if someone is just spending the night, but I wouldn’t use it for long-term guests. I wish I had bought the Superior Comfort model.”

10. Photographs

Visual UGC like photos and videos makes potential customers even more confident about clicking that “add to cart” button. According to one of the respondents to our product reviews survey, a digital product administrator, “a high-quality review always has photos.”

• 85% of consumers say they turn to visual UGC over branded content when making purchasing decisions
• Over a third of shoppers say reviews with photos are more credible than those without

When reading reviews, 41% of shoppers want to see what a product looks like in real life. Encouraging your customers to share photos and videos of your product in action helps build that trust and confidence. 

11. Recommendations and additional tips

Part of the beauty of reviews is that they can provide you and your customers with valuable feedback. Shoppers can learn how to use a product to its full potential, while brands and retailers can find ways to improve and transform the shopping experience — and drive growth. According to our research, the main ways brands and retailers use UGC are:

1. 80% improve the shopper experience
2. 78% increase conversions 
3. 76% improve marketing messaging
4. 74% improve product pages
5. 68% improve SEO
6. 67% reduce returns

Take this QualityCouches product review example:

“The couch is great but the armrests are really narrow. Make sure you have a side table nearby to put your drink, snacks, and remote on.”

This gives shoppers valuable feedback from other customers about where to place the couch in their home. It also gives the brand some interesting insight to bring back to its product team. 

12. Star ratings and summaries

As much as people love in-depth UGC, sometimes they don’t have time to read a bunch of reviews. Star ratings and review summaries help shoppers quickly understand how many people gave feedback about the product, what the overall star rating is, as well as a few pros and cons to consider.

Here’s an example of a product review summary. 

Note the immediate average star rating and percentage of recommendations highlighted in bold, the breakdown of product criteria, pros and cons, and a trust signal to confirm review authenticity. Displaying review highlights in a simple manner speeds up the reviewing process which leads to faster (and more) purchases.

13. Recency of reviews

Real talk: A ton of great reviews, photos, and star ratings from 2020 won’t appease today’s shoppers. They want to know what recent customers thought about their purchase. 

61% of consumers say recent reviews — those submitted in the past three months — are more reliable than older ones.

How to get more authentic and effective reviews

Ready to up your product review quality? Here are three tips to keep in mind. 

1. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews

Shoppers like sharing their opinions. Nearly 70% of shoppers are willing to provide feedback when asked. The secret to collecting more helpful product reviews is to make it easy for customers to submit feedback. Often, all you need to do is send a quick email or two.

Requesting feedback via email can increase product reviews by up to 9x. Sending a follow-up review request email can boost review volume by 50%. 

Struggling to get more reviews on your PDPs? See our guide to requesting reviews from your customers.

2. Ask questions that encourage specific feedback

Now that you know what shoppers are looking for in your product reviews, you know what questions to ask. For example, QualityCouches might ask questions like:

• How would you rate the item’s quality?
• Did our product meet your expectations?
• How would you describe the style?
• Tell us about yourself and how you use the product
• Do you have any photos or videos of the couch in your home?

3. Give shoppers product review examples

In addition to requesting specific information, you can also include examples of product reviews that answer the questions. 

This makes it easier for customers to provide the exact information you — and other shoppers — are looking for. 

Ready to make a bigger impact?

Customer reviews are more than just helpful — they’re game-changers. They can boost your conversion rates, keep shoppers on your site longer, and ramp up your engagement metrics. But let’s be real: Managing these reviews can be tricky, especially for small teams.

That’s where review management tools come in. They’re designed for efficiency, helping even the smallest teams compete and excel. Plus, they give you a clear view of your return on investment for your UGC efforts.

Now’s the time to boost your digital presence with honest, persuasive user reviews. Don’t let operational challenges hold you back. Our solutions can simplify your processes and lift your brand to new heights. Hairhouse Australia implemented our Ratings & Reviews tools to provide shoppers with authentic UGC that inspires purchases, and saw a 35% lift in conversion rate and a 15% increase in average order value on pages with Ratings & Reviews vs. pages without.

You can learn more about our Ratings & Reviews tools here. Or get in touch with our customer success team today to see what’s possible. Together, we can revolutionize your approach to UGC, building trust, loyalty, and impressive growth.

FEATURED RESOURCE

The authenticity movement: building consumer trust without fake reviews

Read here

Customer ratings and reviews matter, with 89% of shoppers consulting them before purchasing anything. They do pay attention to how positive reviews are of course, but also consider other factors like the quantity and recency of reviews. Consumers also heavily rely on negative reviews to inform their purchases. 

Negative reviews make your brand seem more trustworthy and authentic. Shoppers expect to see some negative reviews — a string of all five-star ratings can come across as suspicious. Or even fake.

60% of shoppers think negative reviews are just as important as positive ones in deciding what to purchase, as they can learn just as much (if not more) about your products from negative reviews. 

So what should you do when you get a negative review? You need to reply. Whether it’s a Google review or a different review provider (like Bazaarvoice), here’s how to respond to negative reviews successfully. And why doing so is good for your business. 

Chapters:

1. Why negative reviews matter
2. Should you respond to negative reviews?
3. How do you respond to a negative product review?
4. 5 ways to respond to negative reviews
5. How to use negative reviews to your advantage

Why negative reviews matter 

When you respond to negative reviews, you position yourself as a company that cares. It shows that you’re listening to what your customers say and taking the time to solve their problems and improve. We’ve seen that products with at least a few negative reviews have higher conversion rates than those with 100% positive feedback.

These are the top reasons we’ve seen that negative reviews matter.

They make you more authentic

Shoppers value reviews and trust the recommendations of fellow shoppers every bit as much as friends and family, if not more. Consumers also realize that no one is perfect, so they expect to see a mix of feedback. Being transparent — featuring negative reviews and responding to them — makes you more authentic in the eyes of consumers. 

Retail giant Walmart particularly understands the value of negative reviews.

According to Alyssa Thomas, Director of Product, Content as Commerce, at Walmart.com, “One of the things that we are not willing to sacrifice is authenticity. So, one of the really important parts of customers reading ratings and reviews is that they trust that they’re authentic and relevant to the item. Otherwise, we potentially lose that trust that customers were looking for from reviews in the first place.”

They identify problems 

Negative reviews might uncover flaws or problems with products, which you might not otherwise find out about. We’ve found that about 4% of reviews note manufacturing issues, 2% identify product improvements or additions, and 1% point out discrepancies in product descriptions or website copy, according to our Shopper Experience Index. 

The same research also tells us that 66% of retailers and brands use reviews to improve products, and 50% to improve marketing tactics and messaging. Getting this feedback gives you a chance to talk to manufacturers and vendors to address problems head-on so your reputation stays intact. And, demonstrate to consumers that you care about quality. 

Clothing retailer Vertbaudet, for example, noticed consistent negative reviews around the sizing for a line of maternity dresses. The brand took this feedback on board and resized the line, leading to a 12% increase in sales.

They inform product innovation and market needs 

Listening to what customers say about your products can inspire innovation. You may come up with ways to improve existing products that drive higher sales or realize there’s a market need for an entirely new product. 

Here’s a good example. The Container Store uses reviews — negative and positive — to make their products better. When customers left negative reviews for a shoe storage box, saying they wished it was taller so they could store high heels, the brand worked with their manufacturer to make a taller box. It was a hit!

And, the company gave all the credit to customers, by posting the message, “You asked and we listened. We took everything you love about our Shoe Box, and made it in a size that perfectly fits high heels.” 

They help improve customer service

Over 70% of the brands we work with use negative reviews to improve customer service. Think: slow shipping times, unhelpful responses from customer support teams, or items damaged in transit. Shoppers won’t be shy about sharing these experiences with your brand. But, they’ll be expecting you to listen and remedy the problem. 

Most consumers are willing to do business with a company again after a bad experience, and many will delete negative comments once they receive a reply or a fix. So, it’s always a good idea to make things right to keep customers coming back. 

Should you respond to negative reviews?

Yes. You should always respond to negative reviews. Review management should be a major aspect of your content strategy. And, there’s countless reasons why. The biggest one being trust. 

When you respond to negative reviews, it gives your customers confidence. 54% of shoppers say that if they write a negative review, they expect a response from the company. And 87% of them expect brands to do something after receiving a negative review, whether that’s replying or offering a discount for future purchases. 

No matter how annoyed the customer is, your response leaves a positive impression and calms the situation. And, even if they swore to never buy from you again, replying and showing your interest in making things right will likely change their minds. 

Other shoppers are paying attention, too. 89% of consumers read responses to negative reviews. Responding to negative reviews makes your brand seem trustworthy and protects your reputation. 

Inspiring trust drives customer loyalty. When they know that you’re listening and responding to their concerns, they’ll come back time and again, and likely spend more money. 

How do you respond to a negative product review?

Webroot, an internet security software provider, has seen the benefits of responding to reviews first-hand. The company responded to 70% of its low-rated reviews. This improved the shopping experience for those who left negative reviews, but also humanized the brand and instilled confidence in shoppers by showing off its top-notch customer service. 

And then there’s pharmacy giant Boots, who turn unhappy customers into brand advocates by responding to negative product reviews. Through their strategy, the brand has seen a 186% increase in intent to purchase when responding with an explanation or guidance on how to use a product differently.

Seeing similar results when you respond to negative reviews depends on getting the messaging right. You want to keep your brand tone intact and be friendly, personal, and specific. Using a canned response for every review will turn customers off. 

Most important of all is to make sure your response is meaningful. Always ask yourself this question: “Is my response providing value to this customer and future customers reading my answer?” 

Not sure what to say? Here’s a few proven examples. 

• “Hi Kate! We’re so sorry to hear that you had issues with [add the specific product or service here].” 

• “We’re so sorry you had a bad experience with [add specifics of the issue].” 

• “We appreciate your feedback, Melissa. It looks like others are having this issue, too. We’re looking into this.” 

• “Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, Mark. Feedback like yours helps us improve.” 

• “We’re sorry you had a bad experience with [add product or service]. We would love to help you further, but we need more details about your experience. Please contact our Customer Care team at [add phone number, email address, and hours of operation].” 

5 ways to respond to negative reviews

Most consumers will do business with a company again after a bad experience, if the situation is handled well. Use these tips and best practices to respond to negative reviews to protect your brand. 

1. Show empathy 

Everyone likes to feel heard. Acknowledge the issue and apologize, even if you think the review isn’t necessarily warranted. Show the reviewer (and anyone else reading your response!) that you understand their frustration and that their opinion is valid.

Focus your response on the problem and offer a solution. Never criticize the reviewer or get defensive. Internally, route the issue to product development, shipping, or another appropriate division in your company. 

2. Be personal 

With so much online brand noise, consumers really appreciate authenticity. Refer to the customer by their name in your response. Restate their specific problem to show that you truly understand the issue and state how you’re attempting to resolve it.

And avoid writing scripted responses that you copy and paste for every negative review. Not only is this unoriginal, but it’s also impersonal and will turn shoppers off. 

“Thank you, TJ. Your thoughts are important to us…”

“Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us, Albert…”

 “Sam, we’re so glad you raised this issue…”

Even if your core message is the same for multiple reviews, find alternate ways to mix it up, especially in your opening sentence.

3. Respond quickly

Respond to negative reviews as quickly as you can. Showing a sense of urgency will build trust among customers and tell future shoppers that you care. Be sure to respond to a negative review within 24 – 48 hours. While 84% of retailers claim to respond to positive and negative customer feedback (73% of whom respond within the same day) there’s still a disparity between customer expectation and brand response time, according to our research.

Generally it’s best practice to spend about an hour for every 50 reviews you encounter as you’ll be prioritizing 1-3 star approved reviews. This includes time for research, writing, and editing your responses. 

4. Stick to the point 

Short, simple messages work best. Say too much and you might deviate from your brand persona. Including too many details can be overwhelming for the customer and might make you seem defensive or desperate.

Don’t ask any any follow-up questions in the response, either. If you need additional information, ask the customer to contact your customer service team and include the contact information. And, be on the lookout for that one-on-one message to come through. 

5. Learn from negative feedback

Remember, negative reviews uncover insights that can improve your products and services going forward. Not only should you respond to negative reviews, but you should also take action when you’re receiving consistent feedback about improvements that could be made. And let the reviewer know this.

 “Feedback like yours helps us improve, thank you for submitting this review…”

“We value hearing from customers and need this constant feedback loop, whether it’s negative or positive, or we aren’t going to get better,” says Drew Frey, Community and Advocacy Manager, Webroot. “We monitor these comments daily, and if we see any concerning trends, we share that with the rest of the team internally.”

How to use negative reviews to your advantage

No one likes bad feedback, of course. But negative reviews aren’t all bad and even offer some advantages: 

• Customer interactions: You may not always get the chance to connect with your shoppers in such a direct way. Reviews (good and bad) let you find out exactly what they think about your brand and give you an opportunity to make up for a bad experience

• Areas for improvement: Negative reviews offer insights, which you should learn from. If several customers are pointing out the same shipping problem or product flaw, you can take action and improve your products and systems

• Transparency and credibility: Displaying negative reviews shows that you have nothing to hide, which lends an air of credibility to your brand. Consumers will realize that their feedback matters—and your desire to make things right will resonate

• A jump on the competition: When customers point out issues with products, they may give you ideas for new things. Or, help you see a market need for something else. Use this information to get ahead of your competitors

• Brand empathy: Some negative reviews are just unreasonable. But, taking the time to thoughtfully respond, even when you know it’s unfair, will win over customers. Consumers often feel empathy toward unnecessary and unwarranted reviews. They’ll want to support you, and this is great for your brand reputation

Managing reviews and responding to the negative ones can be a lot to handle. And that’s before you even taking responding to positive reviews into account. But, it’s crucial for you to be there in the moments that matter. Bazaarvoice has all the tools you need to easily manage and respond to reviews and questions at scale, both on retailer sites as well as all your own channels.

Learn more about Bazaarvoice Ratings & Reviews here or get in touch below to book a call.

Today, perusing through ratings and reviews and other user-generated content (UGC) has become a foundational part of the routine of online shopping. It’s how you truly experience a product without being able to see it in person — by hearing about the intricacies of a real product experience from one of your fellow shoppers. 

But even though we shop online so frequently (100% of shoppers we surveyed said they shop online at least once a month!) and therefore are utilizing UGC just as frequently, due to nefarious actors, we’re unfortunately having to spend a portion of that time validating the authenticity of that UGC.

Three quarters (75%) of our survey respondents are at least somewhat concerned about encountering fake reviews when shopping online. Only 9% said they’re either not very concerned or not concerned at all. 

So, how can we solve this problem? Not just to make e-commerce more efficient but also to make UGC more trustworthy and transparent. A trust signal (also referred to as a trustmark) might be the answer.

What are trust signals?

A trust signal is a logo or badge displayed on websites that tells customers the site has passed certain digital security tests or qualifications that confirm content authenticity. Their main purpose is to make shoppers feel more secure and confident in their purchasing decisions.

Trust signals research report key findings 

To find out exactly what consumers think about fraudulent UGC, what would give them more confidence in the consumer content they’re consuming, and what brands plan to do about it, we surveyed over 8,000 shoppers and 400 brands across the globe. Here’s what they said. 

1. Consumers are concerned about all types of fake UGC

Fake reviews aren’t the only type of fraudulent UGC that shoppers are worried about. Consumers are at least somewhat concerned about encountering fake shopper images (69%), fake social media content (69%), fake shopper videos (68%), and fake shopper questions and answers (66%).

Because they’re so worried about this fake content, they’re taking steps themselves to verify the legitimacy of an online store or product before making a purchase. Using trusted online shopping platforms (63%), researching the brand or company online (58%), checking for secure website indicators (e.g., padlock symbol, “https”) (51%), reading customer reviews (47%), and recommendations from a friend/family member (46%) are the most common ways consumers typically do so.

2. Consumers think brands should be taking care of fake reviews

Even though they’re doing it now, consumers don’t want to be doing all of this detective work themselves. The majority of shoppers we surveyed (63%) think the brand’s website they’re visiting should be solving issues of fraudulent content online, followed by governmental bodies (49%) and a third-party expert (36%).

And even while doing all of their own sleuthing to verify the online stores they are using, almost three quarters (73%) said that websites today are doing at least somewhat of a good job of blocking fraudulent content. Over a quarter (27%) think they’re doing a relatively poor job. 

However, they’d prefer if content on brand websites would be verified by a trusted third-party over than by the brand itself. Over two thirds (66%) said they’d have confidence in a “trust signal” [i.e. — lock, checkmark, symbol] that shows each piece of content has been verified by an independent third party – only 8% said they wouldn’t trust it. 

3. Brands think they’re on top of fraudulent issues

The vast majority (94%) of brands and retailers said that they rate the importance of maintaining online content authenticity in e-commerce business either high or very high. The majority are also either moderately (41%) or very (35%) confident in their current strategies and tools for detecting and preventing fraudulent or counterfeit content within their online channels. But only 10% said they were extremely confident. 

Despite their confidence, the majority (69%) of brands and retailers don’t currently use any fraud detection software today for transactional fraud (fraud that occurs where money is being exchanged). Only 31% do.

Two thirds (67%) are actively exploring or planning to implement any new technologies or strategies to enhance online content authenticity and fraud prevention. The majority (81%) said that they would consider utilizing a third-party vendor specializing in content authenticity verification to enhance their fraud prevention efforts, but 57% said with the caveat that the solution aligns with their needs. 

4. Consumers want a trust mark signal to help verify online content

When asked if they’d trust an industry-leading, third-party authentication provider to verify the trustworthiness of the content for all of the sites they visit, 70% of consumers said they would. 

On the other hand, when asked if they’d trust a website to verify its own content without an industry-leading third-party authentication of the UGC on its site, less than half (47%) said they would trust it. And when asked our survey respondents if they’d have confidence in a “trust signal’ [i.e. — lock, checkmark, symbol] that shows each piece of content has been verified by an independent third party, 

• 73% said they’d trust it for ratings and reviews
• 66% said they’d trust it for social media content
• 60% said they’d trust it for influencer content

5. Brands are interested in incorporating trust signals 

Brands are open to getting help in verifying their website’s content for shoppers. A whopping 79% said they have no concerns or reservations about outsourcing content authenticity verification to a third-party vendor.

When asked if they’d consider adding a “trust signal’ [i.e. — lock, checkmark, symbol] that shows each piece of content has been verified, 78% said they would be for ratings and reviews, 79% said they would be for customer answers, 73% said they would be for customer images, and 71% said for every customer video.

A trust signal eases consumers’ stress around fake UGC: give it to them

As our research shows, consumers want to continue using UGC. But they also want to make sure that it’s authentic. They want brands to ensure the validity of the UGC they consume, and a trust signal would be of use to them.

The Bazaarvoice Authentic Reviews Trust Mark is a symbol of a company’s dedication to authentic consumer feedback regarding its products and services. The Trust Mark is also a signal to consumers that the review content they see is safeguarded — by a neutral third party — with sophisticated fraud detection technology and industry-leading best practices. Learn more here. 

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After all, retailers and consumers know the importance of product reviews and ratings — 88% of shoppers read reviews before making a purchase. As the ultimate in user-generated content (UGC), ratings and reviews are an integral part of building your brand’s credibility.

But when it comes to review gating, we’re here to say: don’t do it.

Review gating isn’t worth the legal or reputational risk — and companies who gate reviews miss important opportunities for growth and revenue. 

What is review gating? 

Review gating is the practice of filtering out negative reviews or only publishing positive feedback from customers. Given the importance of customer reviews for e-commerce — especially for small and medium businesses — many brands feel pressured to use review gating to achieve or maintain a glowing online image.

Some companies even take it a step further by paying for fake positive reviews or attempting to silence potential negative reviews by burying non-disparagement clauses in their terms and conditions. This is thankfully now illegal per 2016’s Consumer Review Fairness Act. 

The importance of authentic reviews in the digital economy

So what’s better than a perfect slate of 5-star reviews? Authenticity.

It may seem counterintuitive. But sharing the good, bad, and ugly feedback from your customers is one of the most important things you can do for your brand. This is because negative reviews offer a fair counterbalance to positive reviews, which builds credibility with customers. 

Trust us. As a pioneer in the ratings and reviews space, we’ve seen thousands of negative reviews over the last decade — and we’ve witnessed how clients who embrace the feedback ultimately see more success than those who try to avoid it. 

Why do some businesses use review gating?

There’s no doubt about it — with a crowded marketplace and high consumer expectations, brands and retailers are under enormous pressure to maintain a perfect online image. For some companies, especially smaller companies, this pressure can make review gating tempting.  

Usually, this comes from a well-intended — but unnecessary — fear of negative reviews. In our experience, the companies that resist review gating and instead welcome authentic feedback see more sales and customer loyalty over time.

Instead of trying to suppress negative comments, brands and retailers should embrace them as an opportunity to learn and improve. 

The direct consequences of gated reviews

Review gating isn’t just bad form — it’s a real legal risk. Review gating clashes with the Federal Trade Commission’s stance against restricting negative reviews and soliciting biased ratings.

Additionally, companies that gate reviews are likely in direct violation of the terms of service for most review hosting sites. If caught, your business risks having content removed or the account suspended.

Beyond platform penalties, inauthentic reviews erode customer trust. Your prospective buyers expect to see positive and negative reviews. When they don’t, they’re skeptical. In fact, products with at least some negative reviews are known to have higher conversion rates than products with only glowing feedback.

The unexpected benefits of negative reviews

Consider the case of MeUndies. The underwear startup makes it a point to respond to every single one-to-three-star review customers leave. 

“We’ve noticed that plenty of customers would leave a negative review and then would not reach out for help, even though their problems could be pretty easily solved, for example, if they received the wrong size or style,” said Ross Houslander, Senior Retention Lead at MeUndies. 

So Houslander’s team monitors and responds to every review. When a customer sees these responses, it fosters trust and confidence when shopping with MeUndies. Shoppers know that if they ever encounter an issue, the brand will proactively resolve it. By effectively managing negative feedback, MeUndies:

• Boosted customer engagement with new review collection strategies
• Fostered long-term loyalty by establishing its reputation as a responsive and customer-centric brand 

How to handle a negative review 

Sooner or later, you’re likely to receive a negative review. When this occurs, stay calm. How you respond is the most important part. Think of negative reviews as direct instructions from the customer on how to earn their loyalty in the future.

When addressed properly, negative reviews can fuel growth. Respond professionally to customer complaints by apologizing for the letdown and outlining a plan to get things right next time. 

By embracing negative feedback and addressing concerns head-on, your customers will notice and reward you with long-term loyalty. 

Review gating isn’t worth the risks

Gating reviews doesn’t just stunt your growth —  it can directly harm your brand. If your ratings are exposed as biased or fake, expect a major backlash from customers. This can lead to long-term or even permanent damage to your brand reputation. 

The unique vulnerability of small businesses

For small e-commerce brands dependent on word-of-mouth marketing, authentic reviews are even more important. Compared to the robust resources of larger brands better suited to weather PR crises, small businesses usually:

• Have more direct relationships with customers 
• Are more reliant on online reviews for sales and credibility 
• May not have the resources to recover from the fallout of a review gating exposé 

Alternatives to review gating

So, how should a small business handle reviews?

With vulnerability and authenticity. To start, invite and encourage all your customers to leave reviews. Welcome the opportunity to build constructive communication with your customers. And resist the urge to censor or react defensively to negative feedback — there’s a more productive way to respond. 

To build your small business’s authenticity, skip the review gating 

Building an authentic brand starts with reviews. Small and medium businesses are particularly vulnerable to the legal and reputational risks of review gating. But these brands also have the most to gain from constructive handling of negative feedback.

Sharing honest customer reviews is one of the most important things you can do for your small brand. Authentic reviews offer valuable insights into how to better serve your customers, highlight unique growth opportunities, and build your brand’s reputation for transparency and integrity. Ironically, how you respond to your negative reviews can make your positive reviews even more credible to your customers. 

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What is brand trust?

Brand trust is the amount of loyalty and support customers have for your brand and how strongly they believe you can fulfil your brand promises. It’s based on customer experiences with your brand as well as company messaging and reputation.

Brands and retailers who can’t establish trust with consumers, or even worse, who lose established trust, will struggle to win business. We’re in an age when consumer opinions are shared on a massive scale and directly influence brand perception. 

In a Bazaarvoice study, 54% of consumers said that if a brand hasn’t broken trust, they’d still buy from them again — even after a negative experience. 

5 ways to build brand trust

It’s simple. When your customers trust you, they’ll be loyal to you almost no matter what. Here’s how to build consumer trust in your brand. 

1. Work with a trustworthy UGC provider 

One way to increase brand trust in e-commerce is by getting your consumers to advocate for your brand for you. Shoppers trust user-generated content (UGC) in the form of reviews more than they trust family and friend recommendations. Instead of trying to control what people are saying, brands and retailers should embrace this conversation and amplify it.

However, to maintain brand trust, reviews must be authentic. According to our survey of 10,000 global shoppers, if shoppers suspect a product has fake reviews:

• 81% will avoid using that brand again
• 48% leave a negative review
• 25% wouldn’t purchase from the website
• 16% will post negatively about the brand on social media

That’s why a good UGC program requires strong content moderation. A trustworthy UGC provider that values authenticity can help your brand sort through reviews and eliminate fake ones that hurt your credibility and destroy consumer trust.

For example, Bazaarvoice evaluates UGC through a process of machine learning and human moderation to ensure it isn’t fraudulent and that it represents a customer’s genuine opinion about their experience with the product(s).

27% of consumers think brands with fake content should be fined up to 30% of their revenue — and governments are taking note. The FTC recently fined one company over $4 million for suppressing authentic content, so not only will fake content harm your reputation but it will harm your wallet too.

2. Publicize company values

According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, consumers today grant brand trust based on two attributes: competence and ethical behavior. Like doing the right thing and working to improve society.

Consumers want to see what your brand believes in and how you follow through on those beliefs. And with the various significant events taking place across the globe, they especially want to know how your brand responds to your community in times of crisis. This is particularly true when it comes to Gen Z, who value brand trust, transparency, and authenticity above all else.

Creating content about your values for your website is a good start, but make sure this messaging is also visible on your social channels. About 35% of consumers look to a brand’s social media to seek out content about company response and values. 

You also need to be mindful of who your brand partners with. Any influencers or partners you collaborate with should share your brand values and have a solid reputation. They’ll connect with consumers in ways that are relevant and sensitive to their needs and help authentically communicate your brand’s values. 

3. Focus on great customer service 

90% of consumers say a brand’s level of customer service is an important factor in their choice to become a customer. A proactive customer service strategy should include responding to customer feedback and reviews, both negative and positive.

Around 60% of consumers say that negative reviews are just as important as positive reviews in their decision to purchase. And the way you respond to these negative reviews can speak volumes about your brand’s values and may even convert more browsers into buyers. A consumer’s willingness to purchase a product with a negative review doubles when seeing a brand’s response, as opposed to seeing the negative review by itself. And, up to 70% of dissatisfied customers will do business with a company again if their complaint is resolved.

When you see a negative review, take the time to craft a quick, but personal, response. Consumers want to talk to a real person, not a review response bot. Show them that you sympathize with their issue and that you’re learning from criticism. Mention that their feedback will be used for future improvements. This will only boost your brand trust.

In your online response, ask the customer to contact you offline. And be clear about why. Are you trying to understand the problem because your team is working on product improvements? Are you looking for details on the issue so you can prevent it from happening again? Was there a defect, and you need their contact information to send the new product?

Don’t forget to give the customer a way to contact your brand, whether that’s via a preferred phone number or email address. 

4. Create high-quality products

Reviews are excellent sources of information to analyze how consumers feel about your products’ quality. When you pay attention to common customer pain points, you have the opportunity to fix issues before your products earn a negative reputation and win back customers before you lose them entirely.

Look for key topics in your negative reviews. Do customers complain about particular product features? Long shipping times or damaged delivery? Is there something missing that they wanted from the product? Was the product description inaccurate?

Share this customer sentiment with your product quality or manufacturing team (or with vendors if you’re a retailer) to make improvements that keep your products competitive and meet consumer expectations. 

5. Price your products fairly 

According to Prisnyc, a competitor price tracking and monitoring company, about 60% of consumers consider pricing as the very first criteria of their buying decision, and 86% say it’s important to compare prices from different sellers when shopping. 

When’s the last time you compared your product price to the competition? If it’s been a while, it’s time to re-evaluate. How do your prices differ from competitors? 

Consumers value transparency. If your product is significantly more expensive than the competition and there’s a reason for it (like you use a higher quality material), don’t be afraid to call that out on your product pages. 

Build brand trust with the voice of the customer

To protect consumer trust, your brand must prioritize honesty and transparency in everything you do, from reviews to customer service to product pricing. One of the best ways to gain insights into how customers feel about your brand and communicate trust is through ratings and reviews. 

Leverage the authentic voice of your customers to build brand trust and sell your products. Taking the time to invest in your ratings and reviews program will help you build the foundation for long-lasting relationships and brand trust with your customers, leading to more sales — after all, customers who interact with UGC are 2x as likely to convert.

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Wondering about the best moisturizer for dry skin? Or, which eyeshadow or nail polish colors are in next season? You might ask a friend or family member. The next best thing is usually to take the advice of a social media influencer. 

All consumers (that’s right: 100%) have purchased a product based on a recommendation from another shopper that they’ve found online, according to a recent survey of nearly 9,000 global shoppers.

Our research continues to emphasize the power of everyday shoppers to influence each other. 53% of consumers say user-generated content (UGC), like photos from real shoppers or customer reviews, makes them feel more confident buying things online. The reason: these influencers present more authentic content than professional photos, expertly written copy, and traditional marketing messages. 

But before we delve further into the influencer research, there’s a question that needs answering.

What is an influencer?

In influencer, often known as a creator, is a person (or animal, to be honest) who has the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on their social media platform, predominantly TikTok or Instagram.

There’s five types of influencer, each with varying follower counts:

• Subject matter experts: Beauty gurus, fashionistas, chefs, DIY’ers, and stay-at-home moms. These influencers are experts in a specific subject, which they tend to exclusively, or primarily, post about. They often recommend, sell, or post sponsored content for products related to their subject matter 
• Celebrities: These accounts give you a behind the scenes look at those with extravagant lives who have become famous for something other than social media. They can be actors, reality TV stars, musicians, athletes, etc. They often promote/recommend products that fit in with their lifestyle/aesthetic, or that they’re selling themselves
• Social media stars: These are influencers who became famous solely because of their internet presence. They don’t necessarily have a subject matter they’re experts on. They maybe have a very pleasing aesthetic, or an ability to do internet trends well, like TikTok dances. Sometimes they became famous due to a viral moment, and the fame just never faded. Other times they’re just everyday people who post outfit of the day photos and naturally amassed a large following. They’re often paid to promote products or will promote something they are selling themselves
• Everyday social media users: Your friends, family members, peers, or people you’ve never met but are connected to. They simply share day-to-day content (ratings and reviews, photos and videos) that they’re genuinely interested in. They don’t have an agenda to promote or highlight certain products
• Creators: Anyone who creates entertaining or educational material to be expressed through any medium or channel

Influencer research report key takeaways 

As you develop and refine your influencer strategies, here’s the top trends and takeaways to know, as revealed by our research. 

1. Everyday social media users resonate most 

Influencers with massive social media followings and big-name celebrities don’t resonate with shoppers like they used to. These days, consumers prefer the opinions and advice of real people. 

Our research found that 82% of consumers are purchasing more or the same number of products from the recommendation of everyday social media users. Shoppers are more influenced by everyday social media users, who might not have a large number of followers, than brands, celebrities, social media influencers, and subject matter experts. 

Everyday social media users are viewed as more trustworthy. 33% of consumers say their trust in them has increased over the past five years, while 45% say it’s stayed the same. 

As you’re choosing influencers to work with, know that 64% of people want brands to partner with everyday social media users more than anyone else. 

2. Trust in subject matter experts is increasing

Subject matter experts, like a doctor, esthetician, or someone else with official credentials, are also perceived as trustworthy and authentic. 

26% of consumers are most influenced by the opinions of subject matter experts when purchasing products. 33% have actually purchased a product based on an expert’s recommendation. 

Over the past five years, 86% of consumers say their trust in subject matter experts has increased or stayed the same. So, having these experts try out or otherwise showcase your products on social media builds loyalty and drives purchases. 

3. Consumers are more conscious in the ‘de-influencing’ age 

You’ve probably seen reports of Gen Z consumers embracing “de-influencing,” which is where social media influencers tell their followers what not to buy. 

While this term has trended on social media channels, our survey found that it hasn’t actually had much of an impact on consumer perception or purchasing habits. 73% of survey respondents haven’t heard of the “de-influencing” trend, and 38% weren’t likely to participate in a #deinfluencing activity.

Among those who have heard of it, 50% say it’s made them more conscious of how they interact with social media influencers online who are promoting a product. 38% say it’s inspired them to conduct more product research before buying. 

4. Consumers rely on influencers for authenticity 

Even though “de-influencing” is playing a big role, consumers want truthful, authentic viewpoints on products. That’s why they see just as much value in negative reviews as positive ones. 

Social media is where people go for product inspiration and information, and to purchase items. Facebook (25%), Instagram (23%), and TikTok (22%) are most used for new product discovery, our survey revealed. 

Shoppers use Facebook (28%), Instagram (23%), and TikTok (18%) the most for purchasing. 

Featuring everyday social media users, subject matter experts, and other influencers on these platforms builds trust. “They give me their honest opinion” is the main quality that people are looking for in influencers, according to 42% of survey respondents. 

They also appreciate influencers because “they share new products I’ve never heard of,” “they have a specialist area they share content, products about,” and they share “fun, engaging content.”

5. Consumers are content creators 

Browsing and posting on social media is a favorite pastime for most people. 82% consider themselves everyday social users, and about 50% spend up to 10 hours a week creating social content. TikTok and Instagram are their favorite social platforms. 

Nearly 40% of people in our survey want to be full-fledged content creators in the future. 41% haven’t done it yet because they don’t know where to start. 

People enjoy posting about products and brands. 79% at least sometimes tag brands in their posts, mainly because they’re fans and want to share their content with their favorite brands. 

Among consumers who are content creators, 49% have partnered with brands on sponsored content, but they’re focused on ensuring that their content is authentic. 62% have turned down brand partnerships, because the partnership didn’t align with their values or the brand wasn’t a good fit.

To maintain authenticity and creative control, they only work with brands and products that they use (26%), give their complete and honest feedback about a product (28%), say when it’s a paid partnership (24%), and only work with brands and products that align with their values (21%). 

6. User-generated content is the biggest influencer on purchasing decisions

One of the big takeaways from our influencer research was that UGC, including ratings, photos, and videos from real shoppers, influences purchasing decisions. Even after seeing something on social media, most consumers visit a brand or retailer’s website to read reviews. 

When they seek out reviews, the factors that ultimately help them decide whether or not to purchase include: 

• “The review includes relevant attributes based on the product (i.e., scent description for a perfume)” (36%)
• “There is a photo with a review” (19%)
• “There is a video with a review” (18%)
• “It includes information about the reviewer, such as skin type, age, size,” (15%) 
• “Length of review” (12%)

When shoppers encounter visual UGC on a product page or social media channel, 47% want the photo to show “the product being used in the way it’s intended,” such as clothing on someone who wears their size or a piece of furniture in a small apartment like theirs. 

Use research to guide your influencer strategy 

If you’re a brand or retailer interested in incorporating influencers into your marketing strategy, you probably won’t have to pay the big bucks. Sending free products to everyday consumers through product sampling and asking them to post their thoughts about your product on social media in return, can pay off dividends.

Or you can follow global brands like kraft Heinz and Rimmel and tap into the Influenster community of over 7.5 million engaged, everyday consumers. All of whom are ready to create content for you. Learn more about it here.

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How to create an effective influencer marketing strategy

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Given that 88% of shoppers consult ratings and reviews before making a purchase, brands should never launch a product without first collecting user-generated content (UGC). And smart brands also want to keep their products fresh and appealing to their consumers so periodically they may reformulate an existing product (“new and improved!”).

But that raises a serious question — can existing reviews be used for reformulated products? 

According to a recent FTC crackdown on fake reviews, this practice can be considered as “review hijacking.”

What is review hijacking and when does it occur?

Review hijacking is a type of fake review that occurs when a brand or retailer repurposes a review from one product and applies it to a substantially different product. Sometimes it’s done intentionally, such as knowingly using a review for a liquid dish detergent on the product page for a detergent pod designed for an electric dishwasher. 

But it can also happen unintentionally, like when a brand reformulates an existing product but displays reviews that already existed for the earlier version of the product.

Let’s say you’re a home appliance seller and you’ve been selling (and collecting reviews for) a specific washing machine. You launch an updated version: washing machine 2.0. The new product, however, has many different features. If you’re displaying reviews for the older model under the new one, you’re review hijacking. 

Or you reformulate several ingredients in your flagship facial cleanser. If those changes make the product substantially different — as perceived by your consumers — you shouldn’t re-use the reviews from the earlier version of the cleanser. 

Other examples of review hijacking include repurposing a listing page for a product that has positive reviews for another completely unrelated product. By repurposing the listing page, the review hijacker tries to make the second product look like it has more ratings and reviews than it actually does. These actions are, “unquestionably deceptive and of no redeeming value to legitimate marketers,” said the FTC. 

Potential outcomes of review hijacking

Whether intentional or not, review hijacking can mislead shoppers by giving the impression the reviewer’s comments apply to a specific product when the reviewer hasn’t actually had experience with that product. And it can have serious potential consequences.

Secondly, the FTC has signaled that review hijacking will continue to be one of its enforcement priorities. In February 2023, a supplement brand had to pay $600,000 to settle the FTC’s charges that they’d engaged in review hijacking, when they displayed reviews for one product on the product page of a similar product. 

And more recently, the FTC proposed new regulations identifying seven types of deceptive practices, including review hijacking, that could be subject to fines of up to $50,120 per review each time it is viewed by a consumer. 

How to avoid review hijacking when reformulating a product

With the preceding guidance in mind, we recommend all brands and retailers take a close look at their UGC program to ensure you’re not inadvertently misleading your customers.

1. Audit your current review program for hijacked reviews

The first step you should take is to look at your existing bank of reviews. Is there any chance a review for one product could end up on another, unrelated item? Are your current reviews in compliance with the FTC proposal? Would your customer(s) feel misled or tricked?

56% of shoppers say dishonest product information makes them lose trust in a brand. Even if you do it unintentionally, if they feel tricked or misled, they’ll likely take their business elsewhere,

2. Collect reviews for reformulation of SKUs and product launches

When launching an updated version of a popular product, talk to a pro (like one of our customer success managers) before you copy and paste over your current reviews. They can help ensure you leverage your existing UGC in the most authentic and compliant way. 

The same advice applies to any product launch. Don’t risk the fine or the loss of your brand reputation. According to our recent research on consumer attitudes toward fake reviews, 97% of shoppers say fake reviews make them lose trust in a brand. What’s more, 81% of respondents said they’d avoid using a brand again after losing trust in it. Not only do you risk a fine from the FTC, but also the loss of business from your loyal customers.

The good news is, if your audit reveals that your UGC may be misleading, there’s a number of ways you can collect more relevant, authentic reviews for your individual products, including:

• Running a sampling campaign, where you trade samples of products for honest authentic review, ensures you’ll have a bank of fresh reviews for reformulating current SKUs and new product launches
• Tapping into existing communities of everyday influencers like the Influenster App, which contain a trove of UGC about your brand
• Asking customers for feedback directly with a review request email
• Scanning your social pages for positive reviews left under product pictures

How do I know if I’m review hijacking?

Now this is where we fall into “gray area” territory. The line between legitimate review sharing and review hijacking can be a little fuzzy. It all comes down to transparency and the perception of consumers. You might be technically correct in sharing reviews across various products, but if customers feel misled, you could still face damaging backlash.

Don’t stress. Here’s a few examples of what’s acceptable — and what could land your business in the crosshairs of the FTC.

• You typically can apply the same reviews to items that are the same formula or product, but different quantities or sizes. For example, a t-shirt that’s a size small can share the same UGC as its medium counterpart. The trial and regular sizes of a shampoo can also share reviews

• You should be careful when items are different, but not substantially different. For example, if you tweak the scent or recipe of a product. We always recommend a conservative approach in these instances. When in doubt, discard the review. (That said, our customer success managers are here to help if you have any questions!)

• You cannot apply reviews from an unrelated or completely different product to another item. As discussed above, that includes transferring the reviews of an older item to a newer model with a substantially different formula or makeup — especially if it can affect a customer’s health (think skincare, food products, supplements etc)

Generally, your best bet should follow “better safe than sorry” because transparency and authenticity are essential to consumer trust. Put yourself in your consumer’s shoes. If you think they might feel misled by a re-used review, simply don’t post it.

It’s much safer to be one review down and protect your brand reputation (and bottom line!) for the sake of a review, given that 72% of shoppers choose products based on a brand’s reputation.

Review your reviews with Bazaarvoice

The proposed FTC rule shows that the agency is championing the importance of authentic, transparent shopping experiences for consumers — something Bazaarvoice supports our customers in doing every day.  

We’ve always touted the importance of content transparency as a core value and worked hard to develop protocols for keeping the businesses we serve safe and compliant.

Reach out to your Bazaarvoice client success manager for an audit to ensure your current UGC programs are in compliance with the proposed FTC reviews guidelines and prevent your review count reverting to zero. 

And don’t worry. If you find that your current reviews can’t be used or you want a fresh batch of reviews for your product reformulation, we can help you supercharge your UGC collection to get powerful reviews and ratings that will boost customer trust. Get in touch below.

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The authenticity movement: building consumer trust without fake reviews

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Getting customers to write those reviews, however, can be tricky. 

This is where incentivized reviews come in — done correctly, these reviews help build trust between existing customers, potential customers, and your brand. We’ll cover the best practices of incentivized reviews, including how to source them, disclose them, and more. 

Let’s get into it. 

Chapters:

1. What is an incentivized review? 
2. How to get authentic incentivized reviews
3. Can you incentivize Google reviews?
4. Why you should use incentivized reviews
5. Get help from the UGC experts 

What is an incentivized review? 

Incentivized reviews are collaborations between a brand and its customers. The customer leaves reviews about their experience with the brand’s product or products, and in exchange, the brand gives them a small reward. It’s a symbiotic relationship: the brand gets social proof of the quality of its product or service, and the customer gets a discount code, loyalty reward points, or some other thank-you gift.

Essentially, you’re acknowledging the time and effort it takes for customers to write a review and expressing your thanks. 

But incentivized reviews can be a double-edged sword for companies. Used well, they boost your connection to potential customers. They’ll see fellow shoppers giving their honest assessment of your product or service, which will (hopefully) drive them to purchase it. 

Used poorly, they can be dangerous to your brand. You need to be transparent about which reviews are incentivized by clearly labeling them. Potential customers could end up feeling like they’ve been tricked if they later learn that a review was written in exchange for a discount vs. seeing that disclosed upfront. 

Authenticity is vital in today’s market, and it’s important to have that come across in reviews. 78% of shoppers surveyed in our recent research said that product reviews were the most influential factor when they were making purchasing decisions. 

How to get authentic incentivized reviews

We’ve already touched on one of the best practices of incentivized reviews: clearly labeling them with something like an incentivized review badge. But in order to label them, you first have to get them. 

Getting authentic, valuable, incentivized reviews is important, and it can definitely be a challenge — customers are busy with so much competition for their limited time and attention. You have to balance offering a significant enough reward to customers that they feel appreciated for their time and effort without attracting those who would write a fake review just for the reward.

But don’t despair. It’s far easier than it seems! These best practices will ensure you’re getting genuine reviews that will help your brand grow organically.

Source them from your customers 

The easiest way to get a review is simply by asking for one. Reach out to your customer mailing list directly or tap into your customer community. Find your customers where they’re already browsing, such as in a branded community space, on social media, or at in-person events. 

These methods take more time and effort for your team if you don’t already have an existing outreach strategy in place. You’ll need to consider available resources before you decide to build your own brand community from scratch or dedicate your design team to creating in-store collateral asking for reviews. 

No matter how you start your customer review outreach, a targeted sampling strategy will help you engage with your customers right away. That means reaching out to consumers and offering a product sample in exchange for an honest review. (Be sure to emphasize that last part!) These samples can be trial sizes, virtual samples, full products — whatever makes the most sense for your brand. 

What does that look like in terms of driving conversions? Petco’s sampling program saw a 48% revenue increase on sampled products!

If a sampling program isn’t something your brand can handle logistically on your own, and you don’t have the resources to outsource it, you can start simpler with your incentivized review strategy. Offer discounts or a promo code in exchange for reviews, emailing customers soon after they’ve made a purchase when the product is still top-of-mind. You can also run a sweepstakes contest with extra entries earned by providing reviews. 

Avoid common pitfalls with incentivized reviews

Sending a discount or coupon code is one thing, but you never want to pay shoppers outright for reviews. Paying for reviews directly discourages honest feedback, as reviewers might feel obligated to say nice things about the brand since they’ve been paid for their time. They’re less likely to admit what could be improved about a product, which is also valuable feedback for your team.

Paid reviews also make anyone reading the reviews feel like they couldn’t possibly be getting unbiased information about the product — avoid it at all costs.

And while incentivized reviews are great, they’re just one tool in your UGC toolbox. You shouldn’t rely on them exclusively in order to build trust in your brand. Be sure to put them in the mix with organic reviews and user-generated content from social media and any other digital platforms where your customers are active. 

Can you incentivize Google reviews?

No, essentially. Technically you could, but you shouldn’t incentivize Google reviews. Google has their own reviews policy but you should never offer incentives in exchange for positive reviews or incentivize customers to remove negative reviews. If you’re caught doing it, your business can face serious consequences:

1. Possible fines from the FTC — up to $50,000 per review
2. Google’s algorithm will punish you and push you way down in search results
3. Your review(s) will be taken down by Google
4. Your brand reputation will take a huge negative hit

Why you should use incentivized reviews 

It all comes back to building trust with your customers — the more they trust you, the more likely they are to recommend you to their friends, family, and online networks. Gotta love that good old word-of-mouth marketing! It builds brand loyalty and maybe even a little buzz. At the very least, the more your brand gets talked about, the more your brand awareness increases. 

All of this also applies when it comes to reviews. They’re opinions coming straight from other shoppers, after all. According to our last Shopper Experience Index, 22% of global shoppers agree that UGC content — including reviews — makes them more likely to buy a product from an ad. 

Incentivized reviews illustrate authenticity in your brand reviews and in your brand as a whole. You’re willing to put your products out there in the hands of consumers so that they will honestly tell you what they think of them. 

But the best reason to use incentivized reviews? They work. Incentivized reviews have been shown to generate huge impacts on brands’ marketing efforts. Kraft Heinz earned 39 million impressions from incentivized reviews in just three sampling campaigns.

They’ve been able to boost their product launch success by getting new products out to hyper-targeted consumers and asking them for their honest feedback. 

And instead of partnering with macro influencers, Rimmel London decided to implement a targeted sampling program. This resulted in a 44% sales lift. That’s huge given they were faced with the dual challenge of raising awareness for a beauty product and reigniting interest in one of their core products. 

Get help from the UGC experts 

Get incentivized reviews right — using an authentic exchange with your customers — and you’ll ultimately get more business. 

One option is tapping into our 7.5-million-strong Influenster consumer community for an existing pool of shoppers who are already excited about the brands they love and eager to discover more — 98% of their review content is added organically and is non-incentivized.

Capturing UGC organically can be a challenge, but the Influenster community is highly engaged, and we saw this as a good way to drive purchase intent.

Michael Kremer, CMO, Pacifica Beauty

The large proportion of organic reviews gives incentivized reviews more authority — these reviewers are seasoned and aren’t just in it to get free stuff! They’re sharing their feedback because it’s something they’re genuinely interested in doing. 

Bazaarvoice will help you with an incentivized review program as part of your strategy to generate authentic UGC, increase brand awareness, and cultivate lasting brand loyalty. Get in touch below to get started. 

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What is brand reputation management?

Brand reputation management refers to keeping tabs on how consumers perceive your brand and reacting in a strategic way to maintain, improve, and protect that image. Much of your brand reputation hinges on what consumers say about you on social media and in reviews, and how you communicate with these shoppers. 

Focusing on your brand reputation management is crucial for growth. A positive reputation fosters brand loyalty, inspires shopper confidence, boosts sales, and puts you above your competition. Whereas negative sentiments may cause sales to drop and scare off customers. But hey, it’s not all bad. 

Paying close attention to the chatter about your brand — both positive and negative — presents an opportunity to learn about your customers to help you better meet their needs in the future.

Brand reputation management strategies

Brand reputation management isn’t a one-time deal. It’s a continuous process of keeping up with consumer perception and taking time to resolve any issues that arise.

Here’s the 10 most effective brand management reputation strategies to guide your brand.

1. Encourage ratings and reviews

Shoppers love sharing their opinions of brands, and review spaces give them a forum to offer that feedback. Reviews are a valuable part of the shopping experience. According to our research, 88% of consumers always or mostly read reviews before buying anything and 78% say reviews have the biggest influence on their purchases.

Keeping a fresh crop of reviews flowing in is vital. Consumers tend to spend more on products and services when they encounter positive reviews, and 25% of shoppers think reviews remain relevant after 12 months but most prefer reviews written in in the past three months. After turning to ratings and reviews for their site, retail brand Brother, for example, saw customers spend 3x longer on its website, and they were 2x more likely to click a call-to-action when they engaged with reviews.

The tools can help brands collect reviews and other user-generated content (UGC) like photos and videos.  

If you don’t have many reviews for a certain product, first focus your attention on increasing your review volume. Just a handful of reviews can noticeably increase sales and customer sentiment. There’s several methods for getting more reviews, including sending review request emails and product sampling.

2. Respond to all reviews (even the negative ones)

When customers trust a brand, they’ll return time after time, Cydni Lauper style. Engaging directly with shoppers helps build trust, and one of the best ways to do that is to respond to their feedback — both negative and positive. 

Respond to positive reviews with a thank you and comment on a specific element from their review to personalize the response. Or take the opportunity to emphasize your brand pillars, like your brand’s commitment to customer service. Positive reviews are excellent content, too, so promote them on your product pages and social media channels.

Over 60% of shoppers say negative reviews are just as important as positive ones. (Many people get suspicious when there’s too many positive reviews.) So, you need to respond to this negative feedback as well.

Be understanding and authentic in your reply, and offer a solution, such as sending a product replacement or a genuine apology. This signals to customers that you’re listening and care about making them happy. 

Among unhappy shoppers, 70% will do business with a brand again if their complaint is resolved and 34% will delete a negative review if they’re satisfied with a brand’s response.

3. Answer customer questions 

If an in-store shopper asked you a question about a product or your customer service, would you answer them? Of course, you would. So you need to answer online questions, too. Answering customer questions is a critical part of brand reputation management — it builds loyalty and helps shoppers make confident, informed purchasing decisions.

Enabling a questions and answers platform on your product page(s) can also slash your return rates and the number of customer complaints you’ll receive, and boost conversion rate. 

For example, brands that use Bazaarvoice’s Questions & Answers platform to respond to shopper queries can see a 98% jump in conversions. You can also garner valuable insights from the customer questions to help improve your products or business.

Nestlé Canada enabled Bazaarvoice Q&A on its site and within three months had already responded to 700 questions. Noting consistent negative questions and comments about a particular product, the brand reacted by changing the recipe and the product’s average star rating jumped from 1.7 to 4 stars.

4. Share your mission 

Consumers increasingly want to shop with ethical brands that have a mission that aligns with their own values. Especially millennials and Gen Z. 71% of consumers think brands and retailers have the potential to positively impact society, and about 60% believe brands have a social responsibility to speak out and take action on important issues. 

Sharing your mission — whether it’s sustainability-focused, supporting specific social causes, or being a top-notch place to work — across social media sites and on your e-commerce site helps build trust and emotional connections with shoppers. 

When you share your mission and commitment to important causes, it makes your brand more relatable to the public. This will do wonders for your brand reputation. According to a Sprout Social report, 64% of consumers want to connect with brands, and 53% feel connected when a brand’s values align with their own. 

Communicating your mission also helps you control the narrative that surrounds your brand and lets you present your values in an authoritative and accurate way. 

5. Embrace visual and social content 

Authentic experiences are important to today’s shoppers. They like to see products in real-world settings — clothing modeled by real people and consumers demonstrating how something works. Actually, 40% of shoppers won’t purchase if a product page lacks UGC. Consumers seek out customer photos on product pages, search engines, social media, and other websites that sell the items.

Deploying the right visual and social content across every channel where your brand can be found engages shoppers and promotes a positive brand reputation. 

Displaying authentic imagery from real shoppers on your e-commerce site does more than just improve your brand reputation. When consumers interact with visual content on-site, shoppers spend more time on the website, buy more, and conversion rates soar.

For example, Le Col has seen average order value increase by 13%, revenue per visitor by 155%, and conversion rate by 125% when shoppers engage with UGC. 

6. Optimize creative product pages

Shoppers want to feel confident that anything they buy will meet their needs, and they rely on product descriptions to provide all the information they need. When product detail pages lack details, it’s so frustrating for consumers that they abandon their shopping cart. 

A whopping 98% of shoppers say they’ve been dissuaded from purchasing something because a product page didn’t have enough information. Not including detailed descriptions or including incorrect information can weaken your reputation and drive up your return rates. 

Highlight a product’s key features and use sensory wording that’s relatable to consumers. Include details about how an item works, how it’ll help in consumers’ daily lives, and the results that it will provide. Featuring visual UGC, reviews, and questions and answers helps shoppers make quick (but well-informed) decisions and inspires loyalty. 

7. Step up your SEO tactics 

A significant amount of shopping journeys start on search engines, like Google. So, it’s crucial to optimize your SEO strategy to ensure your brand gets noticed at this critical stage. Producing high-quality, SEO-centric content on your website will help you stand out. So, your brand reputation management process should factor in SEO, including how you’ll monitor negative online search results and what action you’ll take. 

You can gather insights into the wording that shoppers use to search for your products and describe how they meet their needs from syndicating reviews and other UGC. This information can then be used to create your SEO strategy around user sentiment and keep up with Google’s algorithm changes. 

8. Monitor your reviews on other websites

The more ratings and reviews that your products have, the more likely shoppers will be inspired to purchase. But, your website isn’t the only place where people can leave reviews. A key part of your brand reputation management strategy should be to keep an eye on what consumers are saying about you everywhere reviews can be posted. Channels like social media, Yelp, or your Google seller rating.

With thousands of reviews likely to pop up on multiple platforms, overseeing it all can be overwhelming. If you need help, a ratings and reviews platform can streamline everything. The right tools feature built-in insights and analytics to help you quickly identify themes and problems that could affect your brand reputation. As well as ways to take action to improve the sentiment around your brand.

9. Focus on top-notch customer service

Happy customers keep coming back. The best way to keep your most loyal shoppers happy is with proactive customer service and unique, personalized customer experiences. Customers are actually starting to expect these experiences from brands, with 25% of consumers saying they’re interested in personalization in shopping.

Getting it right — which involves actively listening to consumers and quickly resolving any problems that come up — offers endless benefits, including higher customer satisfaction and conversion rates, which translates to a stellar brand reputation. 

The most loyal customers tend to use words like “happy,” “love,” and “adore” when discussing their favorite brands. This kind of customer sentiment resonates with other shoppers and helps attract new ones. When happy customers share something positive about your brand on social media, for example, reward them with a special discount or other perk or highlight their stories on your website.

Showing appreciation for your best customers will amplify your brand and reinforce your reputation. 

10. Crack down on fake reviews

Nearly all shoppers (97%) say fake reviews make them lose trust in a brand, according to our research of 10,000 global consumers. That’s significant because 81% of shoppers also say they’d never use a brand again after losing trust in it. And they’re getting better at spotting fake reviews:

Cracking down on fake reviews associated with your brand is an essential part of your reputation management. Effective tactics include:

• Don’t allow fake reviews. Sounds obvious, but don’t be tempted to allow fake reviews just because they may be positive. Use an in-house our third-party content moderation service to screen them out
• Keep on top of legislation. Fake reviews are becoming so prevalent that new regulations are constantly being drawn up. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently proposed new regulations to crack down on fake reviews
• Never incentivize positive reviews. You can ask customers for reviews (and you should!) but never offer financial reward for a positive review. If you do incentivize a review, through a coupon for example, then make sure to add a disclaimer to the review

Brand reputation management case studies

1. Retail giant River Island keeps on top of its brand reputation management through authentic visual content. The brand wanted to provide an authentic shopping experience for customers so they incorporated visual UGC onto their homepage, landing pages, and product pages. Visitors that engaged with this visual UGC on the brand’s site drove a 184% increase conversion rates
2. Hairhouse wanted to build a web presence that today’s shoppers expect by providing social proof through honest reviews. Not only did implementing reviews provide this, but the brand ensured only authentic, genuine reviews were featured. This real life social proof from shoppers inspired other shoppers to make purchases and led to a 35% increase in conversion rate.

Get a head start on your brand reputation management

These days, with consumers always-on, you can’t ignore your brand reputation. Taking the opportunity to listen and respond to customers, in both positive and negative situations, is crucial for growth. Follow these steps, repeat them and repeat them again and again — brand reputation management is an ongoing process. But a worthy one.

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