Reviews and eCommerce Conversion Funnel: Optimise sales through the power of feedback

Optimize your e-shop sales by harnessing the power of authentic reviews. This article walks you through key strategies for collecting and using feedback to strengthen every stage of your conversion funnel. 

Introduction 

Customers have a variety of options to choose from, which leaves e-shops with a challenge: how to get customers' attention and persuade them to buy? The conversion funnel plays a key role in this battle, helping e-shops to understand and effectively influence the customer journey from first contact to purchase. And it is customer reviews that are proving to be a powerful tool for achieving these goals.

Customer reviews provide credible recommendations that build trust and convince other customers about the value of products and services. This article will focus on how online stores can use this strategy to optimize every part of their sales process to maximize their sales and improve the overall customer experience.

How exactly authentic reviews can help optimize conversions in your e-shop, we describe in our article:

"Using authentic reviews to optimize conversions in your e-shop."

What is a conversion funnel?

A conversion funnel is a model that illustrates the potential customer's journey from the first encounter with a brand to the final purchase and sometimes beyond. This process is visualized in the form of a funnel as the number of customers shrinks at each step of the journey - from a broad base of leads at the top to a smaller group of those who actually make a purchase at the bottom.

Conversion funnel phase:

1. Awareness: at this stage, customers learn about your brand and products for the first time. This can be through advertising, social media, content marketing or referrals.
2. Interest: Once customers learn about your brand, they start to show interest, seek more information and explore what you offer. 
3. Consideration: In this stage, customers consider all available options and compare your products to their needs and competitors' offerings.
4. Action: The final stage, when the customer makes a purchase decision. Successfully navigating customers through this stage often requires effective calls to action, attractive offers, and a simple buying process.

The conversion funnel isn't just about sales; it's also about building relationships with your customers every step of the way. An effectively managed conversion funnel can lead to higher conversion rates, increased average order value, and a better overall customer experience. 

Customer reviews and ratings play a critical role in all stages of the conversion funnel. They provide credible recommendations that not only build trust, but also ease potential customers' transition from one stage to the next, overcoming their fears and motivating them to buy. Implementing a strategy that uses reviews to support each stage is key to maximizing the effectiveness of your conversion funnel. 

This model allows e-shops to identify areas where they can improve the customer journey and provides opportunities for optimization at every step to increase the likelihood of converting leads into satisfied customers. 

Related: "Learn how to leverage positive reviews to maximize sales." 

Awareness Phase

The first and crucial step in the conversion funnel is the awareness phase. This is the moment when potential customers first encounter your brand, products or services. This stage is crucial because this is where the customer journey begins, and it's important that the first impression is positive and leaves a mark in the customers' mind.

The role of reviews in the awareness phase

At this early stage, customer reviews can have a major impact on the perception of your brand. Reviews provide credible recommendations and help shape the first impression that customers get of a brand. Here are the key ways in which reviews support awareness building: 

• Increase trust: positive reviews increase trust in your brand among new customers who may be hearing about you for the first time. The visibility of others' real experiences can be more persuasive than any advertising. 
• Improving SEO: Reviews can contribute significantly to your SEO strategy, improving your search rankings and thus increasing organic awareness of your brand. Search engines evaluate fresh and original content, which reviews undoubtedly represent.
• Social media sharing: when customers share their positive experiences on social media, they automatically expand your brand awareness among their circle of followers. 

The importance of awareness cannot be underestimated. It's the first step in a long customer journey where reviews play a key role in how new customers perceive your brand. E-shops that use reviews effectively at this stage can build a strong foundation for future growth. 

Interest phase

After successfully raising awareness of your brand with potential customers, we move into the next key phase of the conversion funnel - the interest phase. In this phase, customers show more interest in your products or services and seek additional information to help them before the decision-making process. 

The role of reviews in the interest phase

Customer reviews and ratings also play a crucial role at this phase. They provide a deeper insight into the experience of your products and can greatly enhance customer interest in taking the next steps.

• Providing important information: detailed reviews can provide customers with valuable information about a product's use, features and benefits that may not be obvious from the product description.
• Increase trust: Authentic experiences shared by real customers help build trust in your products. Customers are often looking for validation from others who have already tried the product, and reviews provide just that.
• Decision support: At this stage, customers are trying to get as much information as possible to make an informed decision. Quality reviews that highlight the specific benefits of your products can encourage customers to take the next step.

At this stage, the goal is to convert increased interest into actual consideration of your offer. Effective use of reviews can fundamentally help attract customers to the next steps in the conversion process.

The Decision Phase

Once prospective customers fall deeper into the interest phase and start actively seeking information, they move into the crucial decision phase. In this part of the conversion funnel, customers are evaluating their options and deciding if your offer is the right choice for their needs. 

To understand how quality reviews can influence your customers' decision-making process, we recommend our article:

"From Browsing to Buying: How Quality Reviews Influence Consumer Behavior".

Role of reviews in the decision-making phase 

• Providing important information: Detailed reviews that include specific product information such as features, benefits and potential drawbacks provide customers with the valuable data they need to make an informed decision.
• Differentiate yourself from the competition: Prominent reviews that highlight the unique strengths of your offering can help differentiate your products from the competition and highlight the factors that make your product unique. 
• Overcoming barriers to purchase: Authentic testimonials and real customer experiences can help dispel any doubts or fears that might deter customers from buying. 

At the decision stage, it is important for e-shops to present reviews that clearly communicate the value and quality of their offer. Convincing recommendations can encourage customers to move confidently to the final step in the conversion process - the action phase.

Action Phase

The last part of the conversion funnel is the action phase, where all the previous efforts are converted into the final goal - the purchase. At this point, the customer is fully informed, has a clear idea of what they want, and is ready to take action. For eshops, the key is to ensure that this step is as easy as possible, yet motivating to complete the purchase. 

The role of reviews in the action phase

Customer reviews and ratings become crucial at this stage. They are the final pieces of the persuasion puzzle that can motivate a customer to make a purchase decision now. 

• Reinforcing the purchase decision: positive reviews and ratings prominently placed near the buy button can reinforce the customer's decision to buy, giving them one last reason why "it's worth it".
• Last-minute confidence boost: At the point when a customer is questioning whether to actually make a purchase, authentic reviews can provide much-needed trust and reassurance.
• Reducing cart abandonment: Direct quotes from reviews placed on shopping cart pages can ease last minute doubts and reduce the likelihood of cart abandonment without completing the purchase.

When a customer is on the verge of making a purchase decision, it is crucial to minimize the likelihood of them abandoning the shopping cart. For our recommendations and tips on how authentic reviews can help reduce shopping cart abandonment and increase conversion rates, see our article:

"Preventing Cart Abandonment with Authentic Product Reviews."  

The action phase is key to converting interest into actual sales. Effective use of reviews in this phase not only supports the customer's decision to purchase, but also increases overall satisfaction and brand loyalty.

Conclusion

The proper use of reviews at every stage of the conversion funnel - from building awareness, to sustaining interest, to final action - can dramatically improve your chances of success. Effectively collecting and strategically using these reviews not only supports your customers' buying decisions, but also contributes to their overall satisfaction and brand loyalty.  

If you want to take these strategies to the next level and get authentic user-generated content that will appeal to your potential customers and increase trust in your products, Testuj.to is for you. With our community of micro-influencers creating real reviews, articles, product photos and videos for you, you can showcase your products through stories that truly engage and persuade. Work with us and make feedback work for you.

FAQ

1. How can I start collecting customer reviews?

You can start by creating a simple process that automatically asks customers for a review after purchase. You can use email prompts, embed a review request directly on the order confirmation page, or use social media to encourage customers to share their experience online.

2. How can I use negative reviews to my advantage?

Negative reviews provide an opportunity for improvement and can be seen as a credible element if you respond to them constructively. They show potential customers that you take feedback seriously and are willing to address issues. 

3. How can I increase the visibility of positive reviews?

You can increase the visibility of positive reviews by including them on your website, especially on product pages and homepages. You can also use reviews in PPC ads and on other marketing channels.

4. How can I measure the impact of reviews on my sales?

You can track conversion rates before and after reviews are posted on your product pages or in marketing campaigns. You can also use analytics tools to assess how reviews impact your website traffic, customer behaviour and ultimately your sales.