As a car dealership, your online reputation can make or break your business. With the majority of car shoppers beginning their research online, it’s crucial to have a strong online presence and to get more reviews on Autotrader and Other Major Platforms.
But how do you get reviews on these platforms and maximise your online visibility? This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the steps you need to take to get more reviews and outrank your competition.
Understanding the Importance of Reviews
Consumers trust online reviews more than any other form of advertising. In fact, a recent survey found that 92% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
This means that having a high number of positive reviews on Autotrader and other major platforms can significantly impact your dealership’s reputation and, in turn, drive more traffic to your website.
Claiming Your Business Review Pages
The first step to getting more reviews is to claim your business on major review platforms. This allows you to manage your online reputation, respond to reviews, and make updates to your business listing.
To claim your business, simply search for your dealership and follow the steps to verify your ownership where needed.
Encouraging Customers to Leave Reviews
Once you’ve claimed your business, it’s time to encourage customers to leave reviews.
Here are some strategies to get started:
- Ask for feedback in person: At the end of a sale or service appointment, simply ask customers if they would be willing to leave a review.
- Include a link in your email signature: Add a link to your Autotrader profile in your email signature and encourage customers to leave a review.
- Provide a unique URL: Create a unique URL that links directly to your Autotrader profile, and include it in your customer follow-up emails or present at handover.
- Offer incentives: Consider offering incentives, such as discounts or special offers, for customers who leave a review.
The most effective way is to integrate a system like our own “Rate Us” tool into your process. Our tool helps tackle the number one issues with organic review collection. The fact is that no matter how good your service, customers are often too lazy to review, or simply forget. Our tool gives users a number of benefits.
First, a single link to all of your review platforms. This cuts out time for the customer and takes them straight to your review pages. It also gives them choice and often results in multiple reviews.
Second, we can incentivise reviews with a £2500 prize draw. This is optional, but it is free to opt into as a business using our tool. All prize money is paid and administered by ourselves at no cost to you.
Finally, our platform pre-screens customer feedback, this means only happy customers are directed to your review platforms. Unhappy customers have their feedback collected privately, allowing you to resolve issues before they damage your reputation online.
Many dealers use our system to request reviews and see great results. We even provide review cards and stickers via our store or free download. These make requesting reviews at handover easy and guarantee results.
Learn more here
Review cards – Available direct via our store
Responding to Reviews
Responding to reviews is an important part of managing your online reputation. When customers leave a review, be sure to thank them for their feedback and address any concerns they may have.
Responding to negative reviews in a professional and prompt manner can show potential customers that you value your reputation and are committed to providing the best customer experience possible.
Optimising Your Profile for Search Engines
Finally, to maximise your online visibility and get more reviews, it’s important to optimise your profile for search engines.
This includes:
- Adding keywords to your profile: Use relevant keywords in your profile to help search engines understand what your business is about.
- Providing a detailed profile: Make sure your profile includes all relevant information, such as business hours, contact information, and a list of services offered.
- Adding photos and videos: Adding photos and videos to your profile can help improve your visibility and engagement with potential customers.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can get more reviews on Autotrader and other major platforms, improve your online visibility and as a result drive more traffic to your dealership. Remember to continually monitor and respond to reviews, and optimise your profile for search engines to stay ahead of the competition.
Despite the importance of reviews, most businesses leave them to chance. So, with this in mind, you can score an easy win over the competition by following this advice.
As also discussed in this article, our review tool has improved dealer reviews markedly for many businesses. If you are looking to significantly improve your standing on review sites then be sure to register your account today. We guarantee significant results.
