What You Need to Know in Under 5 Mins
A major challenge for CPG brands is determining how to stand out among their competitors on the digital shelf. Understanding what it takes in your category is a critical element to success.
With ratings and reviews being the single-most important factor impacting purchase decisions, user-generated content can be the key to unlocking ecommerce success — particularly in a crowded category like CPG.
Got 5 minutes? Perfect. Watch the video below or read on to learn what you need to know about ratings and reviews for the CPG category.
Review Benchmarks: CPG
The following benchmarks come from an analysis of product pages on PowerReviews client sites in the CPG category. We chose these benchmarks because they speak to both review quantity and quality – the two things brands should focus on to deliver a high impact UGC strategy.
80.8%
Review Coverage
4.6
Average Star Rating
201
Average Review Length
235
Reviews per Product
30.3%
Average Media Coverage
80.8% of the CPG products we analyzed have at least 1 review. This positions CPG brands ahead of many other verticals, but given the conversion lift of having just 1 review (see the next section), it is critical that brands strive to collect reviews for all the products on their site.
This is just below the sweet spot we recommend for the optimal conversion lift. Our research shows that products with ratings between 4.75 – 4.99 stars have the highest conversion rates.
Longer reviews tend to have higher conversion rates, as they provide richer detail and more relevant information for shoppers. For the maximum uplift, we recommend a stretch goal of 500 characters per review (around the length of this and the previous bullet combined).
The average CPG product in our analysis has 235 reviews. This is wonderful, as nearly half (43%) of consumers want to see more than 100 reviews per product. Having said that, there is a linear relationship between review volume and conversion rates (again, see the next section), so more reviews is always better.
30.3% of the CPG products we analyzed have at least one user-generated image or a video. Increasing this percentage can work wonders for your conversion rates, as visitors who interact with user-generated photos and videos are 103.9% more likely to convert.
These benchmarks are pretty high in comparison to what we typically see for other categories. But when you consider what makes the CPG category unique, it makes sense. The CPG category carries a lot of replenishment purchases. These are the products that people are buying again and over again, so it’s entirely possible that there’s a larger customer base from which to draw reviews.
For brands with a solid UGC strategy, that can be an advantage: with more people to ask for reviews, the more reviews they can consistently generate to persuade others to purchase — leading to more online traffic and dollars. For brands without a UGC strategy, however, it only makes the category that much more competitive.
How Review Volume Impacts Conversion for CPG Brands
While the average CPG product in our analysis has 235 reviews, we hinted in the above section that more is always better. Here’s why.
The chart below shows the lift in conversion when a customer sees a product page with a certain number of reviews displayed vs. a product page with 0 reviews. You can see there is a direct relationship between review volume and conversion lift.
As you can see, more is more when it comes to reviews. There is a significant uplift in conversion when a product goes from having fewer than 1,000 reviews to more than 1,000. At the same time, 1 review is better than none, so don’t be afraid to just get started!
What Makes a Great CPG Product Review?
It’s important to have a lot of reviews, but those reviews also need a certain depth to them in order to help buyers make buying decisions. When shoppers arrive on your product page, they’re right at the end of the purchase funnel. They are looking for information that is a bit deeper in level of detail to nudge them toward clicking that “Add to Cart” button. That’s where review quality comes in.
So, what makes a quality review for a CPG product? Let’s take a look at this example from La Colombe Coffee Roasters.
Not only does this review make a bold statement that is persuasive on its own (“Only a Fool Would Not Buy This Product”), but it contains a lot of personality and information about who bought this product and who is enjoying it.
The review display also highlights a lot of key information outside of the block of text, such as the reviewer’s coffee preferences (e.g. “Preferred Roast Level”), a “Verified Buyer” badge to build trust, and the bottom line on whether they would purchase this product again (in this case, a resounding yes).
How to Collect CPG Reviews That Convert Browsers Into Buyers
To succeed at UGC, you need to capture reviews that are deep and rich in detail. How do you do that? It’s all about asking the right questions.
In addition to the standard review box, we recommend adding custom questions to your review forms to maximize the actionability of the information you collect. At PowerReviews, we call these Merchant Specific Questions, or MSQs. By adding MSQs, you can squeeze additional information out of reviewers that future shoppers will find useful, such as the best use case for a product, pros and cons, or taste preferences. Plus, by making these MSQs clickable options, as opposed to an open-text field, they are less burdensome on the reviewer to answer.
Avoid adding too many MSQs, though. We find that 8 questions is the sweet spot and once a form becomes much longer than that, we see a higher rate of abandonment. So, choose wisely, and be intentional about what kind of data you want to include on your product display pages to provide your customers with all of the information they need to make an informed purchase.
For MSQ inspiration, take a look at this review form from La Colombe Coffee Roasters.
La Colombe obviously knows their customer, and they know the types of things their customers look for, so they’re looking to elevate that information in the data they capture and display on their product pages.
Once you have optimized your review form, it’s time to go out and collect those reviews! Try asking for reviews via your:
-
- Sending post-purchase email
- Asking for reviews on receipts and invoices
- Including review requests in your product packaging
- Asking for reviews via text or social media
- Hosting a review sweepstakes or contest
- Offering loyalty points in return for a review
- Running a product sampling campaign
Bonus Step: Syndicate Your Reviews for Maximum Impact
Soon you’ll be collecting lots of detail-rich reviews on your website, and in high volumes, too. Congratulations! But the work’s not quite over just yet. To truly maximize the value of those reviews, you need to ensure that those reviews are showing up in all the same places your shoppers are.
For CPG brands, that often includes retailers like Albertsons, Walmart, Target, and Amazon. Enter: UGC Syndication by PowerReviews. When you set up review syndication, your customers only have to write a review once. Then that review gets posted not only to your website, but to your biggest retail partners as well!
When setting up review syndication, the key is to focus on the biggest traffic websites that will have the biggest upside for you. You can find these using your sales data. You’ll likely ultimately get a bigger boost in revenue by maximizing your review footprint on one of these higher-traffic websites than a less-trafficked, lower-impact website.
Ready to beat your competition and help more consumers discover your CPG products?
Contact PowerReviews to learn more about how UGC can grow your business.
What You Need to Know in Under 5 Mins
When you’re managing marketing for a toy brand, you need to know where you stand among the competition. Enter: ratings and reviews, a treasure trove of customer insights regarding your toys and those of your competitors.
Reviews are also a powerful tool for driving more traffic to product pages and then converting that traffic at a higher rate — if you know how to use them to stand out from the competition.
Got 5 minutes? Perfect. Watch the video below or read on to learn what you need to know about ratings and reviews for the toys category.
Review Benchmarks: Toys
The following benchmarks come from an analysis of Toy product pages.
71.6%
Review Coverage
4.7
Average Star Rating
112
Average Review Length
59
Reviews per Product
42.7%
Average Media Coverage
Monitoring the above metrics can help you ensure you’re generating both review quantity and review quality — the essential cornerstones of any high-impact UGC strategy.
71.6% of the toy products we analyzed have at least 1 review. This is a great starting point, but given the conversion lift of having just 1 review (see the next section), it is critical that brands strive to collect reviews for all the products on their site.
This is just below the sweet spot we recommend for the optimal conversion lift. Our research shows that products with ratings between 4.75 – 4.99 stars have the highest conversion rates.
Longer reviews tend to have higher conversion rates, as they provide richer detail and more relevant information for shoppers. We recommend a stretch goal of 500 characters for the maximum uplift.
The average toy in our analysis has 59 reviews. Consumers are split on the ideal number of reviews per product, with 57% being okay with a product having a review count in this range. But, 43% want to see more than 100 reviews per product. The bottom line? Consumers are always looking for more reviews.
42.7% of the toys we analyzed have at least one user-generated product image or a video. It’s wonderful to see shoppers sharing their child playing with your toys! Increasing this percentage can work wonders for your conversion rates, as visitors who interact with user-generated photos and videos are 103.9% more likely to convert.
How Review Volume Impacts Conversion for Toy Brands
Brands always ask us, “How many reviews does a brand really need on all of their products?”
The short answer is, “As many as possible.” And it’s for one simple (but powerful reason): the more reviews a product has, the more likely it is to be purchased.
Take a look at this chart, which shows the lift in conversion when a customer sees a product page with a certain number of reviews displayed vs. a product page with 0 reviews.
As you can see, there is a direct relationship between review volume and conversion lift. 59 reviews per product is the benchmark for the Toy category and a great number to work towards.
But, once you reach 59 reviews, you’ll want to keep on going. There’s a big lift once you pass 100 reviews. And once you pass 1,000 reviews, the conversion lift skyrockets. So, take a cue from Buzz Lightyear and shoot for infinity and beyond!
What Makes a Great Toy Product Review?
Review volume is important, but so is review quality. Let’s take a look at what makes a great review for a toy.
This review answers a lot of questions potential customers may have, including:
- What does this toy do?
- What are the pros and cons of this toy?
- Does it work with other toys?
- Who is the reviewer, and who did they purchase the product for?
That last question touches on one of the major trends we see in the toy category: gift buying. The toy category is unique in that, often, the reviewer is not the end user of the product. Many of the people who are purchasing your toys may not be at all familiar with your product, or even your brand, so they’re looking for guidance on what to buy.
This is precisely why review quality is so important for the toy category. Reviews can educate your customers on how a toy works, what kinds of children will like playing with it, and more. The depth of a review — both in featured information like the “Pros” and “Best For” elements as well as the review itself — is hugely important for toy shoppers.
How to Collect Toy Reviews That Convert Browsers Into Buyers
Now that you know the kind of feature-rich reviews you want for your toys, the question is, how do you go about collecting them?
At PowerReviews, we recommend including custom questions on your review forms to maximize the actionability and relevancy of the type of information collected. We call these Merchant-Specific Questions, or MSQs. We’ve found that questions like “Who did you purchase this for?” and “What occasion did you purchase this for?” can be particularly helpful for the toy category and all the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, and more who are buying toys for the little ones in their lives.
When designing your review collection form, be thoughtful and intentional about what kind of data you want to include so your customers can access all of the information they need to make an informed purchase. Be careful not to make the forms too long, though. We find that 8 questions is the sweet spot. Once a form becomes much longer than that, we see a higher rate of abandonment.
Next, think about how you can display this information to help shoppers who are reading the review. For example, you might elevate the pros/cons list higher up on your product page, in order to give people a quick glance and invite them to read more of your reviews.
Don’t forget to add a character counter to cheer people on toward leaving longer, more detail-rich reviews!
Once you have your review form and display optimized for maximum impact, it’s time to go out and collect those reviews!
Try:
- Sending post-purchase email
- Asking for reviews on receipts and invoices
- Including review requests in your product packaging
- Asking for reviews via text or social media
- Hosting a review sweepstakes or contest
- Offering loyalty points in return for a review
- Running a product sampling campaign
Bonus Step: Syndicate Your Reviews for Maximum Impact
Let’s say you’ve collected loads of great reviews, and they’re all on your website. That’s great if you’re a strictly D2C toy merchant.
But, if you sell through more channels than just your website, then you need to make sure your reviews show up in all the places your customers are shopping, from Amazon to Target.
This is where review syndication comes in. Your customers write a review once, and then — through the magic of UGC Syndication by PowerReviews — your review appears on multiple retail websites.
With syndication, one product review can easily turn into two, three, four, or more! When setting up review syndication, think about the retailers that are going to have the biggest impact for you — e.g. the highest traffic sites where you tend to make the most sales — as those are the ones where you’re going to enjoy the biggest returns.
Think about it this way: there is a huge amount of traffic on your biggest retailer sites – potentially many times more than your lower impact retailers. So it follows that you should focus on optimizing your presence there – both from a review volume and a review quality perspective – to ensure you stand out in an environment where competition is likely fierce.
Ready to have fun with reviews? Help consumers discover your toys with the power of ratings and reviews. Contact PowerReviews to learn more about how UGC can grow your business.
Historically, alcohol was an in-store purchase. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened and online alcohol sales skyrocketed.
Now, industry experts predict alcohol ecommerce will grow by 66% over the next few years, reaching $42 billion by 2025.
In ecommerce, more than 99% of customers rely on Ratings and Reviews to guide their purchase decisions. Therefore, understanding how you stack up against the competition in this respect is critical.
In this report, we rank 90+ brands based on Ratings and Reviews footprint across wine, beer and spirits categories while highlighting key benchmarks.
Check out the ungated report to find out:
- The top beer, wine and vodka brands ranked according to Ratings and Reviews footprint on two significant retailers: Walmart.com and Target.com
- Key performance benchmarks for critical metrics, including review volume, average rating and review length.
Your Guide to a 5-Star Summer
Contents
Backyard BBQ
Carolina Rub
$17
Tequila 'Rita
$3.50
Hardwood Lump Charcoal
$13
South Florida Mangos
$35
Georgia Peaches
$37
Rechargeable LED Table Lamp
$159
Low-Sodium Montreal Steak Seasoning Blend
$6
Outdoor Misting Fan and Pedestal Fan Combo
$200
Summer Berry Crumble Kringle
$26
Era 300 Speaker
$449
Camp
Torin 7 Running Shoes
$150
Copper Spur HV UL3
$600
Chocolate Chip Minis
$18
Classic Clog
$50
Colorations® Colored Dustless Chalk - 12 Pieces
$1
Primary Science® Big View Bug Jars
$50
Ultraventure 3 Running Shoes
$150
Old Skool Stackform
$80
Fun in the Sun
Classic Platform Slide
$30
Women's Merino Sphere II Short Sleeve T-Shirt
$75
Daily SPF 50 Primer
$46
Jabrea Sunglasses
$165
Bikini Bow Slide Sandals
$98
Astor Gingham Mirrored Sunglasses
$285
Sunbriolet Sun Hat
$45
Men's Merino Short Sleeve Tee
$80
Women’s Adley Way Backstrap Sandals
$80
Crisscross One-Piece
$45
10'6" Voyager Inflatable Stand-Up Paddleboard Package
$550
Hit the Road
3-Piece Expandable Spinner Set
$130
Best Car Wash Bucket Kit
$100
Gotham Duffle
$695
Buckner Backpack
$350
Main Campus Backpack
$55
Sennelier La Petite Aquarelle Travel Sets
$20+
Santal Gray Purse Spray
$36
Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Bike Rack
$650
Rolling Thunder 22'' Luggage
$270
Endurables™ Medium silicone Pouch
$10
Self-Care Summer
Seriously Soothing 24hr Moisture Lotion
$14
Collagen Cream
$165
Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser
$17
Immortelle Overnight Reset Oil-in-Serum
$68
Soft Pop Blush Stick
$30
Cream Bronzer Duo Stick
£15
Continuous Prep & Set Mist+
$19
2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
$34
lash princess false lash mascara
$6
blue lagoon shea sugar scrub
$8.50
Staycation
Grammercy Gas Fire Pit Table
$270
ONEPWR Evolve Pet Elite Cordless Vacuum
$280
Case Of 4 Large Tint Stacking Drawers Clear
$80
Table Top Epoxy
$53+
Scotts Whirl Handheld Spreader
$30
Slatted Wood Adirondack Chair
$120
Lawn Mower, Self Propelled, Lithium-Ion
$850
Cordless String Trimmer
$164
As an ecommerce professional, there’s no doubt you’re familiar with the concept of the funnel.
But in case you need a refresher…the ecommerce purchase funnel, also known as the sales funnel, is a framework that describes the journey a consumer makes from the moment they become aware of a product or service to the point of making a purchase – and coming back for more.
A quick Google search will make it clear there are many different funnel frameworks. But all have the same basic tenets. Essentially, the funnel is divided into different stages – each involving a different level of engagement with your brand and its offerings.
It’s Imperative to Measure and Optimize Your Funnel
The most successful B2C brands understand the funnel – and have a grip on how to move consumers through each funnel stage.
In other words, these brands understand how their customers navigate the purchase journey. They understand where shoppers get stuck in the funnel or fall off altogether. They use this intel to adjust their focus – and their resource allocation.
The power and strength of your brand plays a big role in how consumers progress through the funnel. If you’re an established, mature business, your target market likely already has awareness of your products and services. That awareness makes it easier to launch new products and services.
Conversely, a new brand launching a new product will likely need significant focus on generating awareness.
The below model – an ecommerce maturity axis – illustrates how marketing investment and focus typically evolves over time as brands and retailers grow.
Although simplistic, it provides high level direction. Here at PowerReviews, we’ve worked with ecommerce businesses of all shapes, sizes, and stages. This axis typically reflects how a business’ focus evolves and matures as they become more established.
The key – as mentioned before – is to gain a deep understanding of the perception and performance of your product and then adapt resource deployment and focus accordingly.
Different Funnel Stages Require Different Approaches
The path to purchase is full of twists and turns. It’s the responsibility of the marketing team to understand which factors consumers trust throughout this journey – and which impact their behavior.
There are myriad strategies and tactics available to marketing teams. Typically, marketers employ different strategies and tactics at different stages of the funnel. For example, a marketing team might invest heavily in social media advertising to boost awareness – and email for those shoppers who have already made a purchase.
Ideally, each strategy or tactic should have accompanying metrics, which are regularly tracked to assess how effective each initiative is at moving shoppers through the funnel. Those metrics vary based on the funnel stage and channel but here are some examples.
| Stage | Example Measurement |
|---|---|
|
Awareness |
Ad Impression,
Ad Engagement (e.g. Video Watch),
Email Open,
Website Visit,
Organic Social Impression,
Search Activity |
|
Interest |
Website Engagement (e.g. which pages viewed),
Social Media Engagement (Follow, Comment etc.),
Time on Site,
Time on Page,
Ad Click Through,
Email Click Through |
|
Conversion |
Conversion Rates |
|
Renewal |
Repeat Purchase,
Customer Lifetime Value,
Loyalty Program Sign Up,
UGC Submission (Product Review, Social Post etc.) |
There’s no doubt many factors impact a shopper’s behavior across the purchase journey. But some strategies are proven to hold more power than others.
Yet, many brands and retailers continue to invest heavily in initiatives that aren’t as impactful as they might think.
Consider paid media – including digital advertising. According to Statista, worldwide spending on digital advertising is expected to reach $616 billion this year. Yet, according to a Nielsen report, a significant portion of consumers don’t trust these channels. Specifically, 36% of consumers don’t trust ads served up in search engine results; likewise, the same percentage distrust social media ads.
Of course, some types of advertising are more influential than others. According to Statista survey, 41% of respondents find social media advertising to be the most influential; 39% cite TV and streaming ads.
And while some brands have shifted a significant portion of their marketing budgets on influencer engagement, a report from Nielsen found that less than a quarter (23%) of consumers trust ads from influencers. Our own research found just 17% of shoppers consider influencer endorsements when making a purchase decision.
However, a recent survey of more than 8,000 shoppers in the US found that 90% consider customer ratings and reviews when it comes to making a purchase decision, and 73% consider photos and videos of products taken by real consumers who have used the products in question.
Other, more traditional marketing efforts – including TV commercials, influencers, and even social media – fall much further down on the list.
UGC Positively Impacts Purchase Behavior Throughout the Funnel
The data doesn’t lie: consumers value UGC over brand- and influencer-generated content. But why?
It all comes down to trust and authenticity.
There are many benefits of building and maintaining trust with shoppers. According to a report from PwC, nine in ten (91%) of consumers are more likely to buy from a company they trust. And 88% are likely to recommend the company to others.
But the same report found that just 30% of consumers have a “high level of trust” in businesses.
Of course, there are many ways to build trust and maintain trust with consumers. But collecting user-generated content (yes, even the less-than-flattering stuff) is a key way to bolster trust. In fact, according to Statista, reviews are the #2 factor impacting shoppers’ willingness to trust a brand – only behind price.
Brand-created content is developed with the ultimate goal of selling products. Consumers know this to be true. However, UGC is submitted by consumers with no motive – aside from sharing their feedback. This content is authentic, and shoppers trust it.
As such, UGC – including product ratings and reviews, consumer images and videos, and questions and answers (Q&A) is hugely powerful validation of product value. And it consistently plays a huge role in moving shoppers through each stage of the funnel. Let’s take a closer look at each stage in more detail.
Stage 1: Awareness
Awareness is the initial stage of the ecommerce funnel. This is the stage where a consumer becomes aware of your brand and its offerings – having not been so before.
This might be the result of seeing a TV commercial – or it could be from hearing about your brand and product from a friend.
During the awareness stage, the goal is to increase visibility of your brand and offerings so more consumers enter the rest of the funnel. After all, a consumer can’t purchase your products if they don’t know those products (or your company) exist.
Marketing teams employ a number of different tactics to increase awareness. Those tactics depend largely on the strength and general market awareness of the brand.
For example, an established brand might focus on SEO to ensure their new product pages rank high in search engine results. That same brand might also invest in paid search ads for their new product offerings. This makes sense, as 63% of consumers depend on search engine results to learn about new products.
A new, niche brand, on the other hand, may allocate a large portion of their spending on highly targeted, paid and organic social media posts.
However, UGC is also a key way consumers learn about new brands and products. A recent survey found that nearly three-quarters (74%) learn about new products through ratings and reviews – and 60% do so through user-generated imagery.
Based on these results, the powerful social proof of UGC should be a key element of any top of funnel brand awareness activity.
Paid and organic search
Take, for example, search engine results. If your brand collects a steady stream of reviews, star ratings and excerpts from reviews can display within organic search results (here’s technical guidance for PowerReviews customers). You can also display star ratings and review count in paid search ads to peak interest – and boost clickthrough.
Social
Social media is another top channel consumers turn to to learn about new products. Incorporating UGC into paid and organic social posts is an effective way to increase engagement – and nudge shoppers further down the funnel.
According to a recent survey, nearly half of shoppers say that the presence of ratings and reviews increases their likelihood of clicking on a social media post or ad.
Display Ads
UGC can also be easily incorporated into display ads. Again, adding a star rating or a snippet from a review is an easy, effective way to boost clickthrough.
Traditional Advertising
Brands and retailers can even incorporate UGC into more traditional top-of-funnel initiatives, including TV commercials and print ads.
Consumers trust UGC – and this content has the power to significantly increase awareness of your brand and your products. Look for ways to incorporate UGC into your top-of-funnel marketing. It’ll increase shoppers’ awareness of your brand and your product – and pull them further into the funnel.
Retailer Sites
The awareness-stage tactics we’ve explored up to this point are primarily focused on increasing visibility and generating more traffic to a brand’s product pages. However, it’s important to note that retailer sites are also a key destination for product discovery. Brands must have a strategy to stand out in this crowded environment.
Let’s say a consumer navigates to a retailer site – perhaps to find a product to address a new need, replace an existing product that no longer fits their needs, or simply because their go-to product isn’t available.
Once a consumer lands on a retailer’s home page, they can launch their search in any number of ways. Perhaps they use the site menu to navigate to a specific product category and are taken to a product listing page of all items in that category. Or maybe they type a search term into the search box. Again, they’re taken to a listing page with all results that meet the search criteria.
When a consumer lands on a product listing page (PLP), category page, search page, or even the homepage, there are a few factors that have a huge impact on where they go next. One top factor is the review footprint, which includes the item’s average star rating and the review count.
Research tells us that pages with reviews attract significantly more traffic. And in general, the more the reviews, the bigger the page view gains. As such, generating reviews is key to standing out on retailer sites.
In addition, a growing number of retailers now enable shoppers to purchase directly from the PLP and search results page – without first navigating to the PDP. This further accentuates the need for a strong reviews footprint.
Stage 2: Consideration
In the second stage of the ecommerce funnel, consumers have an awareness of your brand and your products. Now, they’re doing their homework to determine whether your products are the best fit for their needs.
In today’s economic climate, nearly three-quarters of consumers are researching purchases more than before. And most often, that research takes place online. A survey found that 87% of consumers always or regularly research online when making a purchase decision.
PDP Best Practices
At this stage, UGC is hugely influential. 90% of consumers consider ratings and reviews when it comes to making a purchase decision. And 73% consider user-generated imagery.
Of course, consumers don’t read every single review available for a product they’re considering. Rather, they dig to find the content that speaks to their specific needs and use cases. As such, it’s imperative to provide robust sort, filter, and search capabilities in the review display on your product detail pages so shoppers can easily surface the most relevant content.
There’s also plenty of opportunity to infuse the power of UGC into your other consideration-level efforts to boost purchase likelihood.
Retargeting ads can be an effective way to re-engage with shoppers who were exploring your products – but left empty handed. According to Invesp, website visitors who are retargeted with display ads are 70% more likely to convert on the ecommerce website. Per a MarketingProfs article, the average clickthrough of a retargeting ad is 10X that of a display ad – 0.7% versus 0.07%.
Re-targeting
Incorporating UGC into those retargeting ads can boost clickthrough even more.
Let’s say a consumer isn’t ready to make a purchase – but opts in to emails. The brand can incorporate UGC into its emails to re-engage the shopper – and entice them to give a product another look.
Consumers have seemingly endless options. UGC – whether on its own or incorporated into other marketing initiatives – is key to building their confidence that your product is the right fit for their needs.
Stage 3: Conversion
A consumer knows about your products, has done their research, and has determined your offering is the best for their needs. But that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to convert. You’ve got to work for it.
Optimize PDPs for Conversion
There are some critical factors impacting conversion, including pricing, checkout process, and shipping. However, based on the data, user-generated content is a key part of the overall puzzle.
A recent analysis found that there’s a 108.6% lift in conversion among site visitors who interact with ratings and reviews. The lift is 177.2% for those who interact with Q&A and 103.9% for those who interact with user-generated imagery.
Sure, even a single review will increase conversion. But as a general rule, the more reviews, the larger the impact on conversion. While the “ideal” number depends on a number of factors, a recent analysis found there’s a staggering 292.6% lift in conversion when a product displays 5,000 or more reviews. So aim high!
A product’s average star rating also has a big impact on conversion rates. Per a recent report, the sweet spot lies between 4.75 and 4.99 stars. Products in this range see the highest conversion rates.
It’s imperative your product pages are built for conversion. And a key part of this is ensuring user-generated content is easy to find and consume on any device. If it’s not, you’re leaving money on the table.
Be sure to display a UGC overview at the top of your product pages – which may include such information as the average star rating and review count for the product in question.
Then, make it as easy as possible for visitors to sort, filter, and search reviews to find relevant content. Including demographic information about reviewers can also make it easier for shoppers to find content written by those with similar characteristics.
Be sure your Q&A content is also searchable – and that shoppers can easily submit their own questions. After all, Forrester data tells us 55% of US consumers are likely to abandon a purchase if they can’t find a quick answer to a question.
Email campaigns can also help boost shoppers’ confidence – and get them to cross the finish line. This is especially true if those campaigns incorporate certain key elements.
Personalized Product Emails
Research tells us 85% of consumers are more likely to click through a marketing email if it includes timely price discounts or sales promotions. Nearly half (46%) say that the presence of ratings and reviews increases their clickthrough – and 30% say compelling imagery will convince them to learn more.
Personalized, product-specific ads are especially effective at this stage of the funnel – especially if they showcase UGC. For example, a shopper might spend a lot of time on a product page for a specific vacuum cleaner.
They put the item in their cart, but for whatever reason, they don’t purchase it. The brand can push out cart abandonment marketing for this specific product via social media, display ads, or email.
The messaging can remind the shopper they left an item in their basket – and share the item’s average star rating and a snippet of a positive review so the shopper understands why others have purchased the product.
A consumer may have found the perfect product for their needs. But that doesn’t guarantee conversion. It’s essential to boost their confidence and remove any purchase-blocking barriers. UGC is the perfect tool to do just that.
Stage 4: Repeat
A lot of focus, effort and budget is dedicated to attracting and converting shoppers. But the customer journey doesn’t end at conversion.
According to an article for Forbes, acquiring a new customer can cost five to seven times more than retaining an existing one. But retention isn’t exactly easy. According to a Salesforce report, 71% of consumers have switched brands at least once in the past 12 months.
Marketing teams must invest in initiatives that foster loyalty and drive repeat purchases.
For example, brands can leverage digital channels – including social media, display, and email to re-engage those who have made a purchase in the past.
Personalized Repeat Purchase Outreach
Perhaps it’s an email to let them know it’s time to restock a skincare product. Or maybe it’s a social media ad for a complimentary or new product offering.
In both cases, infusing UGC – whether it’s a star rating, an excerpt from a review, or an image submitted by a customer – can capture a customer’s attention and encourage a repeat purchase.
Leverage Reviews To Create Engagement
Another great way to engage shoppers after a purchase is to ask them to submit a review or share their experience on social media. This can be done through automated customer outreach services – as well as through product inserts or social media contests.
Asking for reviews is a great way to engage with shoppers in a way that doesn’t involve directly promoting a specific purchase. When a business asks a customer for a review, the customer feels their feedback (and their business) is valued.
This can strengthen their relationship with the brand and fosters a sense of community. These raving fans are more likely to make another purchase in the future – and create buzz for your brand and its products.
Oftentimes, if a consumer has a positive experience with a brand, they’re willing to tell their family and friends about it. This is especially true if there’s something in it for them, like a coupon or loyalty points. Consider an automated referral tool to encourage your customers to share their experiences with others. This is an effective way to retain an existing customer – and win a new one.
Remember: the funnel doesn’t end when a consumer makes a purchase. Loyalty must be a top focus of any brand. UGC is an effective tool for engaging with shoppers after they’ve made a purchase.
Start Leveraging UGC to Move More Shoppers Through the Funnel
Modern consumers have nearly endless options so the natural temptation is to implement a diverse full funnel marketing strategy. However, unless you have unlimited resources and do not have to worry about ROI, this is unlikely to be the most efficient approach.
Instead, you must have a clear understanding of what affects your customers’ behavior in every stage of the ecommerce funnel. Optimize for impact over any other factor and adjust focus and investment accordingly.
This may seem like stating the obvious but given the sheer volume of options available for reaching prospective customers, it’s natural to want to experiment.
However, user-generated content is proven to have significant power at each funnel stage and should be a core tenant of your marketing strategy.
Ready to see firsthand how PowerReviews can empower your brand to collect, display, and amplify user-generated content that resonates with shoppers in every stage of the funnel? Contact us to schedule your live, personalized demo today.
Why Build a UGC Scorecard?
When selling their products through a retailer, brands are essentially putting their items on a giant shelf and need to make sure they stand out.
Collecting and displaying user-generated content (UGC), such as ratings & reviews and imagery or video, from other customers is one of the most impactful ways to drive sales.
A scorecard ensures brands are making the most of their UGC strategy by giving them a benchmark to work towards.
- Determine which items to click on from landing pages and search engines (pages with reviews drive 88% of web traffic)
- Compare between options
- Make an informed purchase decision in-store or online
Criteria
Based on data- supported best practices for UGC
| Criteria | Metric (at least…) | Goal |
|---|---|---|
 |
8 | 31+ |
 |
4.0 | 4.75 |
 |
75% | 100% |
 |
3 | 13 |
 |
1 | 7 |
Rationale
More is more when it comes to reviews. For retailers, we see a significant lift in conversion rates if you collect 31+. If you need assistance collecting more review content, reach out to learn more about Product Sampling and/or Receipt. Review. Collect.
Anything above 4.0 stars up to 4.99 stars sees a big impact on page traffic and conversion. The sweet spot is 4.75.
Consumers want to see reviews on all of your products but 75% is a good target that accounts for new items and those that have a slower purchase frequency.
Our survey found 80% of consumers find images from other customers to be more valuable than brand imagery and 99% of consumers look for visuals submitted by other users. We see a 114% lift in conversion when shoppers interact with visual UGC. Avg. # of visual media per product for Retailers is 7 and overall is 13.
We see a 114% lift in conversion when shoppers interact with visual UGC. Avg. # of visual media per product for Retailers is 7 and overall is 13.