Using Client Reviews for Ad Copy: What You Should Know

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 You are thrilled. You have an excellent review from a customer, and it’s not your mom or even anyone you know. You know you have accomplished something, but did you know that you should use that review to attract other customers? Good reviews are an excellent way to use the psychological concept of Social Proof. Social Proof is a concept originated by psychologist Robert Cialdini, Ph.D. author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, and describes how when we don’t know how to act in a situation, we look at what other people are doing then imitate that.  The concept of Social Proof applies to consumer decision-making, too. When we aren’t sure which way to go on something, like choosing one good or service over another, we look to what other people think about the good or service to help us move forward. As you can see, the psychology of the Social Proof concept shows that leveraging the good things a happy customer has to say is an excellent way to attract new customers that might have otherwise been on the fence about going with you.  Using review and ratings for advertising works.  Per Birdeye, a customer acquisition platform, comparing Facebook Ads featuring customer reviews and testimonials to those that do not, ads that leverage social proof have: 

• 300% more click-through rate (CTR) 
• 50% lower cost per click (CPC)
• 50% lower cost per acquisition (CPA)

 You can use your reviews and ratings on more than just Facebook Ads. Per Instapage, a landing page platform, 84% of consumers trust reviews as much as a personal recommendation. Moreover, Instapage recommends using reviews in several ways, including high-traffic web pages, search ads, social media channels, email marketing efforts, and ads and marketing material.  Specifically for Google Ads, Instapage says reviews and ratings in search ads boost the ad’s visibility. When you have enough reviews and ratings, you can get Rich Snippets (displaying enhanced information) and Google Seller Ratings (an automatic extension that appears below text ads), which differentiate you from the other listings and improve your ad performance.  So How Do You Use Ratings and Reviews in Your Google Ads? When it comes to using these ratings and reviews in Google Ads, there are few things you should know: Seller ratings are an automated extension that Google says “showcase advertisers with high ratings.” They appear below text ads and help people find businesses that have a reputation for high-quality services. First, however, you must activate this extension.Seller ratings show three things, the rating out of 5 stars (i.e., 4.8 stars), how many ratings the organization has, and a qualifier if applicable (i.e., average delivery time). There is no charge for seller ratings, which Google gathers from business review sites. In addition, there are some specifics about when they may or may not show, which you can review in the “When they show” section here. HawkSEM, a digital marketing agency, also has a comprehensive article about ratings and reviews that can be helpful. To read, please click here. Using Review Copy in Your AdsThere are several ways you can use your Customer Reviews in your marketing, per Instapage:

1. You can use quotes on web pages or with photos in-display ads.
2. You can include customer testimonials in videos on social media, web pages, or a YouTube account.
3. Emails can have copies of the review with (or without) the customer’s picture. 

 However, there are some rules about using customer reviews for marketing. Digital marketer and angel investor Neil Patel covers a few of them (but please consult an attorney if you have legal questions): 

• You should disclose your relationship. It should be clear how the reviewer is involved with your organization. Employees need to say they are employees. Paid endorsers must reveal that it is an ad, and so on. Yes, that probably goes for your mom, too.
• You should be accurate. The review should not be misleading. If extenuating circumstances contributed to the success or the results of the customer’s experience, you should include that information in the marketing piece. Whenever possible, the review that discloses results should represent a “typical” experience, not an exceptional one. If the review is about extraordinary results, meaning they aren’t what happens for most users, it should be disclosed in a prominent disclaimer in the marketing somewhere.
• Get written permission. Get at least an email from the person responsible for the review that shows them permitting you to use it. If you want something more substantial, they have a legal representative help you with the agreement and do something more formal. 
• Use links rather than lifting testimonials from websites. Please don’t copy and paste the testimonial; link to the review site that shows it. Most review sites protect and license those reviews for use on the site only. Besides, as Patel points out, you don’t want to abuse the person’s goodwill that gave you a great review.

 So, good reviews are thrilling and can be excellent resources for your marketing efforts. They can not only improve performance metrics on your social media and search ads, but they also serve as social proof for customers that are still deciding whether to do business with the organization. Google has some automated tools that can leverage your quality performance with your current customers. If you choose to feature any of the review language in another marketing form, bear in mind the laws and be sure you comply (read: when in doubt, talk to a lawyer). The best part about using client reviews for ad copy is that the message carries more weight because your customer said better than you ever could.   Sources:  “What is the Social Proof Theory?” psychologynoteshq.com. Web. 19 August 2021. <https://www.psychologynoteshq.com/social-proof/>. Herman, Frederik. “How to use customer review to create effective Facebook ads?” birdeye.com. Web. 19 August 2021. <https://birdeye.com/blog/create-effective-facebook-ads/>. Frichou, Flora. “5 Examples How to Use Customer Reviews in Your Marketing Campaigns.” Instapage.com. 6 January 2020. Web. 19 August 2021. <https://instapage.com/blog/customer-reviews-marketing>. “About seller ratings ad extensions.” Support.google.com. Web. 19 August 2021. < https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375474?hl=en#:~:text=Seller%20ratings%20are%20an%20automated,and%20earn%20more%20qualified%20leads.>. “4 Legal Tips for Using Customer Testimonials.” Neilpatel.com. Web. 19 August 2021. < https://neilpatel.com/blog/legal-tips-for-using-customer-testimonials/>.