Business reviews and ratings are increasingly inevitable. Whether companies proactively request feedback or simply allow it to trickle in, consumers are eager to share their experiences online, and understand the power and influence of their opinions.

With Customer Experience positioning itself increasingly at the forefront of business evolution, how are ratings and reviews affecting markets, and what are the best practices for local marketers to address different review policies across the web? This overarching question was addressed by two field experts: Mike Blumenthal, Chief Review Officer and Co-Founder at GetFiveStars, and Simon Woods, VP of Global Sales and Alliances at eKomi – The Feedback Company. Greg Sterling, VP Strategy and Insights at LSA, acted at session moderator for this informal “fireside chat” and the first topic to be addressed was around generally establishing the state of the reviews and ratings space today.

“Ass backwards” stated Mike bluntly. “The question that businesses should be asking isn’t ‘How do I get more reviews?’ but instead should be ‘How do I earn more reviews.’” Review quantity is often a priority for companies, instead of tackling the underlying question of how to improve the business and merit that better star rating. Simon seconded that statement, emphasizing the trust and social proof that ratings and reviews convey, especially in comparison to traditional marketing text, which is why they should be an integral part of every company’s marketing strategy.

In such a vast sea of online feedback, how do businesses choose the best platform on which to focus their efforts? Both Mike and Simon agreed in the supremacy and omnipresence of Google in this sphere, but also that other platforms are business- and industry-specific.

The best way to determine which platforms are most relevant for a company is by simply performing a basic Google search. Whichever results appear most prominently on the first page, with star ratings on the organic search, should be the focus.

In light of all the different platforms for reviews throughout the web, another important question followed: How should businesses adhere to differing regulations, whether on a local or international level? Review integrity was most important to Mike. The best way to make sure you’re respecting overarching review policy is by making sure to collect reviews in an open and honest way.

Gating or thresholding should never be accepted, as allowing every customer equal opportunity to rate a business is the best way to achieve a truly representative picture. If one is selective about this access, not only are you potentially harming future clients, you are also not gathering learnings to improve your business. Simon concurred, adding that, to be on the safe side in light of tightening international regulations, the best is to make sure that reviews are collected according to the highest standards. Moreover, he added that requesting reviews from your whole client base will ultimately push a company’s overall score up.

People often don’t realize that satisfied consumers will usually not go out of their way to leave a review, while unsatisfied consumers will actively try to make their opinion heard. The easier you make it for a customer to leave their feedback, by making sure you collect reviews at specific moments of truth, and via channels that are catered specifically to your customer journey, the more likely you will have an improved score that is truly representative of your overall business performance.

Similarly, Mike conducted a survey during the session that consisted of one simple question: When and why do consumers typically leave a review for local businesses? The most popular answers were “when a service is particularly good or bad” and “to help other consumers.” This supports the fact that consumers as a group are not malicious, and that companies should not fear the occasional genuine negative feedback. As long as this feedback is handled in a sensitive and human way, avoiding canned responses, in a timely manner and subsequently acted upon for improvement, the feedback will not harm your business.

Simon and Mike agreed that what can truly cause lasting damage, to both the business and the consumers, is review fraud. This has been a phenomenon in recent years, and has been subject to heavy crackdown worldwide. Simon cited as an example the Australian government, which went so far as to install a banner on websites which have displayed fake reviews, to warn consumers and penalize the business. Mike added that “it is shocking that companies like Google have left this issue unaddressed for so long, considering the damage it causes to both businesses and customers.”

And, turning our gaze towards the future, what is in store for the ratings and reviews going forward? Mike highlighted the general trend towards verified feedback, and that this will be increasingly important in relation to both first- and third-party reviews.

Simon concurred, adding that businesses should not lose sight of the tangible, positive effects social proof can have on both marketing and sales. “There is a whole lot of focus on GMB for local businesses, but if we look towards the eCommerce sector as an example, they have managed to effectively leverage Seller Ratings, and through the simple act of displaying stars on AdWords Ads, they managed to reduce PPC churn and increase shopping cart value.”

In summary, businesses can no longer afford to ignore ratings and reviews as they are here to stay. The evolution towards verified authentic feedback will only empower consumers and businesses, promoting better performance and increasing customer-centricity.