The 5 barriers to adopting brand purpose + why you shouldn't let them stand in your way 

All CMOs say that there are barriers to adopting purpose, but many of these barriers can be overcome. We expect more companies to adopt ‘purpose’, or an ethical, sustainable, or political cause, as they think about their brand and its place in the market.

The top four benefits of purpose match marketers’ top four marketing objectives: 

1. Improving loyalty.
2. Winning new customers.
3. Increasing sales.
4. Building a reputable brand.

Despite this strong alignment between the benefits of purpose and marketers’ brand objectives, a quarter of brands (24%) avoid adopting purpose, with three in five (59%) only adopting brand purpose to some extent. 

While there are good reasons to adopt brand purpose, there may also be good reasons why brands do not.

Let’s look a little more closely at this 24%, and why brands may be disinclined to adopt purpose.

In our research we identified 15 separate barriers to adopting brand purpose, and every respondent chose one of these options – no CMOs said there were no barriers.

*Please note that for the themes below, grouped responses were de-duplicated, meaning the individual responses making up those groups will not add together neatly to give the total.*

## 1. Internal culture

Seven in ten (70%) of CMOs say that internal culture is a problem when trying to adopt brand purpose. The specific reasons fall into three main categories.

Firstly, the business culture may be resistant to change – half (50%) of all respondents cite this. Resistance to change is a universal problem, affecting larger organizations with complex or unwieldy bureaucracy more than smaller, more agile, companies.

However, even some smaller organizations may be owned and run by a single individual, and so run according to his or her whims. In such a case, if that person is resistant to brand purpose, then it will most likely not happen.

Secondly, employees may not be engaged. One-third (34%) cite this. Even in organizations keen to adopt brand purpose, if there is inertia amongst staff then, again, nothing of any substance will happen.

Thirdly, if senior stakeholders do not buy into the proposed brand purpose, then this will again feed through to staff and organizational outputs, meaning brand purpose will be neglected.

For all these barriers, the response is the same. For successful brand purpose to spread through an organization and be successfully adopted, all levels of the company must be engaged, from the CEO or owner, down through senior stakeholders and staff. There has to be unity of motivation for purpose to succeed.

## 2. Lack of skills

Without the right skills, it will be impossible to offer credible brand purpose, and three in five (61%) express issues that relate to skills. One in ten (10%) cite, ‘lack of talent/in-house skills’ as their problem when trying to adopt purpose.

Last year, Nike set stiff standards to [increase the proportion of women and ethnic minorities in senior positions](https://www.marketingweek.com/everything-that-matters-this-morning-08-march-2021). This helps the brand to meet diversity targets, but also helps to attract the right talent into the organization.

However, other respondents are more specific, showing they contemplate brand purpose more deeply.

Two in five (40%) say that they lack the data to understand their starting position. Another 20% say that there is a lack of agreement on best practice, or on what ‘good’ looks like. A further 16% say that there is a lack of universal benchmarking.

All of these final three cases seem to be valid problems. We know that those brands perceived as adopting purpose inauthentically, risk the ire of consumers. These respondents are keen to make progress, but face real barriers through lack of knowledge.

## 3. Regulation

Businesses do not operate in a vacuum and must meet minimum standards and respond to government pressure in the form of regulation. More than half of respondents (53%) say that regulation poses a problem.

More than two in five (44%) say that competing standards were a problem. This presumably relates to multinationals or companies that sell in more than one market, where the regulations in two different markets may have competing or even contradictory rules.

While this seems to be a valid problem, more stringent standards will mean products or services are acceptable in more markets. This perceived barrier may also relate to a lack of skilled people who understand those competing standards.

Another two in five (18%) say the reverse – that the lack of a universal standard or regulation is a problem. Companies do not want to adopt a particular standard only to find that that standard is redundant a short time later, creating inertia for this group.

Again, this seems to be a legitimate concern, but larger markets are attempting to align their standards to help businesses post-COP 26 with the formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to coordinate this alignment of standards. So this concern should reduce over time.

## 4. Commercial impact

More than half (53%) say that adopting brand purpose would be a financial drain. The reverse may in fact be true – that the absence of any brand purpose could represent a problem. Unilever has taken this approach, embedding brand purpose into its portfolio of products. In 2019 it claimed that those brands [with purpose embedded grew 69% more quickly than those without](https://www.unilever.com/news/news-search/2019/brands-with-purpose-grow-and-here-is-the-proof/).

However, two in five (18%) say that adopting purpose would have commercial impact, with another 23% saying that they lack the budget to adopt purpose. 

Interestingly, a further three in ten (28%) seem hyper aware of taking the leap to adopt purpose because they fear failure and associated reputational risk. This group seems to be thinking deeply about the consequences of adopting purpose and how to get it right.

## 5. Relevance

One-third (34%) of businesses say that brand purpose is simply not relevant. Three in ten (30%) say that it is not relevant to their business, 14% say that it is not relevant to their customers, and 12% say that it is not part of their business strategy.

Again, we know that because of the close alignment of brand purpose and marketing objectives, these issues may be overblown or even misguided. For this group, they may believe that purpose is irrelevant, but in a situation where two similar brands compete, purpose does give consumers another reason to buy. This perception of irrelevance may be losing these companies sales.

### Conclusion

We know that consumers want purposeful brands, and we also know that brands understand this, but still resist the move to adopting purpose.

Authenticity remains a problem for those CMOs clearly considering purpose – those who lack the skills or those who worry about failing to adopt purpose properly, and risk being seen as dishonest. 

Many of these barriers can be overcome. Those brands that take the time to take purpose seriously, considering how their brand can adopt authentic purpose, will benefit.

Over time, brands will hire the right people and better understand their brand’s place and its relationship to purpose. For this reason, we would expect brands to move from not adopting purpose towards adopting purpose, or towards adopting purpose more strongly over time.

If you'd like to find out more about the importance of overcoming the barriers to brand purpose, why not download a free copy of our latest report *Brands that take a stand: Marketers who match consumers’ desire for purpose and honesty come out on top*?

It's quick and easy, just click the link below.


The 5 barriers to adopting brand purpose + why you shouldn't let them stand in your way

Empowering your eCommerce business with customer insights 

Listening empowers you to learn from your customers, allowing you to create experiences that will deliver better business outcomes. Brands with access to quality data are more likely to capture insights that will make the difference they’re after.

The average consumer faces an insane amount of choice when shopping online – it’s a channel that has rocketed towards the stratosphere in the last few years.

Now, eCommerce businesses are in a constant fight for patronage. Competitors are only a click away, ads are running across every channel… 

The differentiator for businesses that want to maintain a lasting edge? Listening.

Listening empowers you to learn from and talk to your customers, allowing you to create a consistently-improving experience that will deliver business outcomes. 

But not all listening is made equal; eCommerce businesses with access to quality data are [more likely to capture actionable customer insights](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/introducing-trustpilots-new-machine-learning-tool-review-insights) that will make the tangible difference they’re after.

## What exactly are consumer insights?

A consumer insight is an interpretation, used by a business, to gain a better understanding of how their customers think and feel. This goes beyond simply what a consumer might be looking for from an online shopping experience, and includes their buying motivations and feelings about the experience.

When conducted properly, consumer insight should also improve the effectiveness of how an online business communicates to its customers — changing behaviours, driving loyalty and increasing the bottom line. 

But collecting these insights is where the challenge lies. There are four clear fundamentals you need for collecting and utilising customer insights properly: 

__1. Good quality data__

Bad data kills insights before they even get started. Data needs to be high-quality, accurate and timely, otherwise you risk being misled in your conclusions. 

__2. A dedicated analytics team__

Analytics already plays a crucial role within eCommerce; the beauty of the online experience being that any specific details can be captured and analysed. That same approach should be taken with customer insight data – expert teams will give you expert insight. 

__3. Consumer research__

A staple of brick and mortar storefronts that is now just as applicable to online ones, consumer research gets you below behaviour and into the driving layers of customer emotion. [Crucially, you need to adhere to these results, whether they are positive or negative](https://business.trustpilot.com/customer-stories/finance-insurance/how-staysure-uses-the-power-of-ai-to-build-customer-trust). 

__4. Database and segment marketing__

Database marketing uses databases of customers, with the goal of sending them personalised communications. With smart enough technology, these databases can be broken down into audience personas. Testing theoretical customer insight via database marketing is the only way to truly know if you have improved your digital storefront or not. It’s how you turn insight into facts. 

## But wait – what’s the difference between market research & consumer insight? 

Often confused, there are clear differentiators between these two disciplines. Both have a part to play for successful online commerce ventures, but you first need clarity on what they are and what they do. 

Market research focused on gathering information about a wider market and the customers within it. It’s the ‘what’ of customers and markets, focused on stats, knowledge and benchmarking. 

Customer insight on the other hand, is one layer deeper, the ‘why’ which looks at the reasons behind what is happening. This added data can tell an eCommerce business both what it needs to change and why it’s important, and can often be used for specific goals like improving customer retention or CSAT metrics. 

So, how do we turn these insights into tangible business and customer benefits? 

### 1. Analyze the wider competition

Better the enemy you know. eCommerce is a razor-sharp business model with a lot of competition, so who better to (steal) learn from? Analysing your customers’ discussions around other businesses, products and services can help you to improve your own offerings – and steal a march on the competition. 

### 2. Improve the customer journey

Consumer insights can provide a beacon to light up customer journeys, especially through a website. From awareness to purchase through to advocacy, insights can show you where customer journeys are thriving – or lacking. 

One eCommerce example [covered by Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2017/12/15/leveraging-customer-data-to-create-relevant-customer-experiences-2-examples/?sh=2eb1e21f61d3) looks at Wayfair, a multi-billion dollar online home goods store. After analysing their insights, Wayfair realised that the customer experience was lacking on their site. To combat this, they built an app, allowing customers to upload pictures of items they like and receive Wayfair recommendations based on them. 

The result? Happier customers getting personalised recommendations and a happy business, which saw a 50% increase in customer retention. 

### 3. Personalize your marketing 

Mass marketing – there’s a reason it’s been around as long as it has: it works. 

But as we shop via eCommerce more and more, it can be hard to break through the noise. And a major trend that is allowing online businesses to do just that, is hyper-personalisation. Customers like to be seen more as people than consumers, and so personalised messaging, deals and recommendations helps attract and retain them. From Spotify’s end of year personal ‘Wrapped’ playlist through to supermarket loyalty cards giving you discounts on your most common purchases, hyper-personalization has become a major marketing force.

Again consumer insights can fuel this personalisation, allowing you to see what people are buying and why. You can then start to segment your audience for clearer, bespoke marketing that appeals to them. From Spotify’s billboards based on listener data through to Netflix’s consistently learning algorithm, personalisation based on insight is powering some of the biggest brands. 

## Getting started with consumer insight 

There are many more ways that insights can make a significant impact for online businesses, but oftentimes it can be tough to know where to start. You’re in luck: we’ve put together the following four-step plan for taking advantage of this powerful business strategy. 

- *Establish your goals*: What do you want to learn? Before research, ensure you have a goal for what you want to know – and how to get it.
- *Identify your resources*: Ready to get stuck into insight? Make sure that you have allocated the internal or external resources for this. Time and resources are going to be needed to obtain, sort and analyse the data. 
- *Sort a collection strategy*: How are you going to get the data? This is extremely important. Is it from a specific audience? Existing customers? Via a survey/interviews/focus group? Our Review Insights Tool is a great way to approach this step. 
- *Set data goals*: How will you use the data? Insight gathered and shelved is a travesty; so plan ahead on how you’re going to use it. Once the data is in, you want a clear plan about what aspects of your online business and its strategies it is going to inform. 

Finally – just get stuck in! Obtaining consumer insights can be a tricky job to tackle, but the payoffs are immense. Find out how Trustpilot reviews can help you collect great insights, learn about Trustpilot's [Review Insights tool here](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/introducing-trustpilots-new-machine-learning-tool-review-insights), or create a free Trustpilot account today to get started.

Empowering your eCommerce business with customer insights

How to keep your brand's purpose on track

Brands that adopt purpose have significant advantages over those that do not. However, it’s wise to keep that purpose in check and aligned with your brand in case that purpose overstretches, which can cause problems.

According to our survey of 600 CMOs, the benefits of brand purpose include improved loyalty (for 71%), increased sales (69%), winning new customers (65%) and building a reputable brand (58%).

While these are attractive attributes in and of themselves, they are doubly attractive because they align with CMOs’ marketing objectives with a high degree of accuracy. CMOs want to increase sales (74%), win new customers (70%), improve loyalty (62%) and build a reputable brand (58%).

This neat alignment explains why purpose can work so well for brands.

## Brand focus

Embedding brand purpose into a business can take significant effort, through engaging staff, building momentum for the purpose, and then including the purpose in the brand’s overall focus.

This focus is crucial, and the reason why certain brands and their purpose align so successfully.

For example, outdoor clothing brand Patagonia is focused on the environment and campaigns on several fronts, from opposing oil drilling to supporting environmental groups, giving 1% of its sales to them. The brand and purpose are neatly aligned – clothing for the outdoors that protects the outdoors.

Toms Shoes was originally conceived to give a pair of shoes to those that needed them for every pair sold. The notion of giving a pair of shoes for every sale was a neat way to turn a buyer into a philanthropist, and this worked extremely well until 2019, where the brand decided to adapt to the idea to focus profits on grassroots groups with social impact, in a way they say will increase philanthropy further.

Both examples align the brand to the purpose very successfully, so the brand and its purpose are virtually synonymous.

## Overstretch

However, brands can sometimes take their purpose too far from their core rationale, or if the purpose becomes convoluted, consumers can be left confused. And this can pose a problem.

This overstretch can manifest itself in many ways.

__1. Purpose without purpose__

Brands that wear the clothes of purpose without walking the talk of purpose face a challenge from consumers.

Pepsi’s infamous ad featuring Kendal Jenner in 2017 portrayed the drink as a catalyst for both revolution and peace. With the # BlackLivesMatter movement growing in strength, this seemed clumsy at best, particularly as Pepsi had not previously displayed any notable brand purpose in the past that focused on social issues, although it has made environmental commitments.

To many, the ad seemed like a brazen attempt to jump on a growing trend of social equality, but without doing anything to further that cause. The brand was widely criticized for the ad, which it quickly dropped.

__2. Confusing purpose__

Handmade cosmetics brand Lush has a rich heritage of ethical behavior which includes a charter, it is against animal testing, and demands fairness from its supply chain.

But in 2018, it made a foray into areas far beyond its usual frame of reference – of undercover police officers masquerading as ordinary citizens. 

When Lush launched a series of articles and window displays under the #spycops banner, many customers were left bemused. The campaign criticized the police for their long-term policy of embedding undercover officers into activist groups. While there are clear issues at play, for example where women were tricked into relationships with undercover officers, it all seemed a little out of the ordinary for a cosmetics company.

Again, the brand quickly dropped the campaign.

__3. Purpose disconnect__

The ubiquitous Hellman’s mayonnaise brand (owned by Unilever) adopted the mission to ‘fight against food waste’. While the brand and purpose do seem to match at first glance – both relate to food – the question that emerged is, how?

How does a tub or tube of mayonnaise fight against food waste? The campaign was also hectoring of the customer to some extent.

The brand could not answer how exactly mayonnaise could reduce food waste, other than by buying the product and smothering leftovers in it. Brand owner Unilever has a larger mission, to embed brand purpose into its many products. Many of Unilever’s initiatives have been very successful and genuine. But in this case, it simply didn’t work. The link was forced and clumsy, seeming more focused on sales rather than purpose.

## Conclusion

Purpose can work well for a brand by aligning the product or service with the purpose itself. However, if the purpose overreaches the brand, it becomes a misalignment. Moreover, consumers are sensitive to the perceived honesty of a brand, with 94% saying brand honesty was important for them.

According to CMOs, that perception of dishonesty could hit reviews or ratings (according to 46% of CMOs), reduce sales (42%), reduce word-of-mouth (35%) and reduce loyalty (30%), so the effects of a perception of dishonesty are complex but significant.

To keep your brand aligned with its purpose and avoid the pitfalls explained above, it’s important to do three things:

Firstly, ask whether any new initiative can be backed-up by the brand. Pepsi’s foray into campaigning on social issues was not based on fact – it was pure marketing and seemed fake as a result.

Secondly, does a new campaign align with the brand and established purpose? Like Lush found, a brand – even one with a strong track record of campaigning – can find itself stuck when it ventures into areas that are tangential to what it is all about.

Finally, ask whether the purpose is oversold. Are the promises made about purpose realistic? Hellman’s found this when advising on food waste with few practical solutions that would make a real difference, even if the intentions were genuine.

While embedding purpose into a brand has many positive effects, there are risks if a brand overreaches, which can seem confusing, nonsensical or even dishonest. 

If you'd like to find out more about the importance of getting brand purpose right, why not download a free copy of our latest report *Brands that take a stand: Marketers who match consumers’ desire for purpose and honesty come out on top*? 

It's quick and easy, just click the link below.

How Google Shopping and Trustpilot work together to support rapid business growth

In this article, we'll explain how Google Shopping and Trustpilot work together to help businesses like yours get more visibility and grow.

Mobile commerce is predicted to [account for more than 70% of all eCommerce sales by the end of 2021](https://fashiondiscounts.uk/mobile-commerce-statistics/). And that’s another trend that will likely only continue to grow. This means that every day, hundreds of millions of people are turning to Google for help with their shopping needs and choosing options based on what they find in search. 

Fortunately for those medium and smaller  brands, automated feed technology has become scalable and accessible and businesses  of all sizes can use Google Shopping. So let’s take a deeper look into how it can benefit your brand. 

## What is Google Shopping? 

Google Shopping is the tab in search that shows consumers shopping options for whatever they’ve typed into the search engine. For brands, it enables customers looking for products similar to yours to easily find and purchase from you. It lets consumers compare products from different retailers and shows them both paid and organic listings. It also offers product recommendations based on the user's shopping and search history. 

Best of all, in April 2020, Google introduced Free Listings, a program to let brands list their products for free. This helps brands of all sizes compete with the retail giants and take advantage of Google’s scale and reach, so that consumers can more easily find their products. 

##  How does it work and what are the benefits?

You’re probably already familiar with how Google Shopping looks and works from the consumer side. But there are a few key things to remember as a brand using Google Shopping. 

Because they’re ranked above the organic listing, Google Ads give you the best visibility in search. They also direct users directly to your site to complete purchases. But Free Listings can also be a great way to lift your visibility and reach new customers.When clicked, Google  shows the user more product information, customer reviews, and inventory information, allowing for a better and more holistic user shopping experience. 

## Strategies to maximize your success with Google Shopping

Whether you’re using Google Ads or Free Listings, you’ll still want to make sure you’re getting the most out of Google Shopping. 

### 1. Maximize your listing titles 

You have 150 characters and you want to use as many as possible. What are the most important aspects of your product that you want to highlight and use to capture the attention of a shopper with a large amount of options in front of them? 

### 2. Nail down your descriptions

Your descriptions can be up to 5,000 characters, but the preview will only show the first 200. What do you need to include in that first 200 to ensure that as many shoppers as possible click to view the full description?

### 3. Enhance your images  

The higher quality your product images are the better. Are they clear? Are they visually pleasing? Images can play a huge role in which product a consumer selects, so the more effort you can put in here the better your chances at beating out your competitors. 

### 4. Use banners to highlight important selling points

The more you can do to make your product stand out on a page, the better. Especially if you can have a sale or promotional offer. Adding banners with offers like sale, *20% off*, or price drop will draw users’ eyes to your listing and help encourage them to choose yours over the other alternatives. 

## How can Google + Trustpilot help bring awareness to your brand while optimizing your Google Shopping strategy?

Being as transparent as possible helps consumers make more informed decisions and boosts consumer trust in businesses. 

[Trusted Google Reviews Partners like Trustpilot](https://business.trustpilot.com/features/review-seo) can help retailers have their online reviews displayed directly on their product listings in Google Shopping. 

Why is that important today?

[89% of global consumers check online reviews](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/the-critical-role-of-reviews-in-internet-trust) as part of their online buying journey, and [49% of global consumers consider positive reviews one of their top 3 purchase influences](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/the-critical-role-of-reviews-in-internet-trust). 

Whether you’re a smaller business looking to bring awareness to your brand, or a bigger business simply looking to optimize your Google Shopping strategy, showcasing a trust signal such as ratings and reviews can help you stand out from the crowd, and differentiate yourself from other competitors in Google Shopping.

Start listing your products for free today!

Découvrez les dernières tendances pour renforcer votre présence en ligne et gérer votre réputation. Tirez profit de vos avis avec nos cas clients, nos analyses de données clients, nos webinaires et vidéos.

Blog Trustpilot : exploitez vos avis au maximum

Reviews

Social commerce: what it is and how to get started

In this article, we’ll look at the types of social commerce that currently exist, give you tips to provide great experiences to social shoppers, and discuss how you can build trust directly on social channels.

Last year, IBM’s Retail Index found that the pandemic accelerated the shift away from brick-and-mortar shops to eCommerce [by about 5 years](https://techcrunch.com/2020/08/24/covid-19-pandemic-accelerated-shift-to-e-commerce-by-5-years-new-report-says/?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuamRzdXByYS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGOWTEHQe7BquRE9hv6Ab5jRa9TlM4hmLLjmC7gHRc7ktT4rkoFswyA6uXCLKzkkvhkf3HcO22bfvmGaPEpdepXXUOwoXS358RNjOGqppZ3MT_zmwJq_rXAIQjmIXEOL1s9j7_qs2aqhSOj5zN6PHwyqjsuErlog0weWMJfdgRkK&guccounter=2). In fact, during the pandemic, we witnessed the rise of social commerce, with social media ad spend hitting highs of [$41.5 billion in 2020](https://www.iab.com/news/iab-internet-advertising-revenue/). 

It is growing so fast that [446.8 million social buyers are currently predicted for China in 2023](https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/#toc-4), and that the global social commerce could reach [$604.5 Billion by 2027](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/assessment-of-the-social-commerce-industry-2020-2027-and-impact-of-covid-19---mobiles-segment-readjusted-to-a-revised-39-2-cagr-for-the-next-7-year-period-301125465.html).

But what is social commerce exactly? 

Social commerce is a subset of eCommerce which involves and supports social media and social interaction to assist online buying and selling of products and services.

In this article, we’ll look at the types of social commerce that currently exist, give you tips to provide great experiences to social shoppers, and discuss how you can build trust directly on social channels.

## 1. Choosing the right social media platform for your business

Today, there are so many different social media platforms. Picking the right one for your business is essential to ensure that your attempt at social commerce is as successful as possible.

The right platform should represent your target audience, and work well with the type of products or services your brand is promoting and selling. To help you out, we’ve put together a quick list of channels that currently offer some sort of social commerce solution.

### 1. Pinterest

Did you know that usage of Pinterest Shopping tools [surged by 350% in 2020](https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/#toc-29)? 

Pinterest is an image sharing and social media platform designed to save and discover ideas on the internet using images, animated GIFs, and videos. It’s a great platform for homeware brands, or more creative businesses in the wedding or arts and crafts industry for example.

### 2. Instagram

By now, it’s safe to say that Instagram doesn’t need an introduction. It’s one of the most used social platforms [amongst all age groups](https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/communications-division/digital-communications-team/assets/documents/guides/A-Guide-To-Social-Media-Platforms-and-Demographics.pdf). Instagram is great at inspiring people. A number of social media influencers use Instagram daily and promote different products or services to their audience. Instagram makes it easy to tag products on post, and to target consumers with products they’ve interacted with on the platform in their Shop section.

- [130 Million Instagrammers tap on shopping posts](https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/#toc-13) every month 
- [60% of people say they discover new products](https://influencermarketinghub.com/social-commerce-stats/#toc-11) on Instagram 

### 3. Tiktok

TikTok has been downloaded over 3 billion times. The platform hosts a variety of short-form user videos, from genres like pranks, stunts, tricks, jokes, dance, and entertainment with durations from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. TikTok has a [younger audience](https://talkinginfluence.com/2019/12/17/reach-young-audience-tiktok/) and is great for brands who sell less high-end products, like kitchen gadgets for example. 

- TikTok is the [number-one app for driving consumer spending](https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-stats/). 
- Consumer [spending on TikTok increased by a whopping 77% in 2021](https://www.businessofapps.com/news/tiktok-consumer-spending-up-77-in-2021/). Users spent $2.3 billion dollars via the app, compared to $1.3 billion the year before.

Find out how Shopify and Tiktok Shopping work together

### 4. Facebook

[36.8% of the world’s population use Facebook monthly](https://www.hootsuite.com/resources/digital-trends). Facebook is one of the oldest social media platforms in the world, which allows users to connect, share, buy, sell, and more. 

While Facebook is the biggest social channel out there, its demographic has changed slightly over the years. However, despite the platform’s reputation as a seemingly “older” network, 26.4% of the platform’s user base is made up of millennials. That being said, over [36% of Facebook’s audience are 45 or older](https://sproutsocial.com/insights/facebook-stats-for-marketers/).

- Did you know people are [53% more likely to buy from a business using Facebook live chat](https://www.facebook.com/business/goals/add-live-chat-to-website-with-messenger#)?
- Facebook’s potential [advertising reach is 2.11 billion people](https://www.hootsuite.com/resources/digital-trends)
- [50% of consumers want to discover new products](https://www.facebook.com/business/ads/stories-ad-format#) through Facebook Stories

### 5. YouTube

YouTube is the [world’s second-most visited website](https://www.hootsuite.com/resources/digital-trends). YouTube is an online video sharing and social media platform owned by Google, which gets more than one billion monthly users who collectively watch over one billion hours of videos each day. YouTube can help give consumers a more in-depth look at your products or services. Shoppers might want to watch videos about a product they’re interested in before purchasing it, and YouTube is great for that.

- YouTube [ads have the potential to reach 2.56 billion users](https://www.hootsuite.com/resources/digital-trends)
- YouTube’s global [ad revenue reached $28 billion USD](https://www.statista.com/statistics/289658/youtube-global-net-advertising-revenues/) in 2021

Learn how social commerce works on YouTube

## 2. Providing great experiences to social media users

The social shopping experience is so important as it represents you as a brand. A great customer experience on social media can help increase your social commerce conversion rate. 

Here are a few tips to help you get it right.

### 1. Target the right audience

It is essential to target the right audience and pick the right social media platform for your product and services.

If your products target an older demographic, you might want to pick the appropriate social platform for your audience. If your brand targets a younger audience, think about your social media strategy too. 

Your product also plays a big part here. Some products are easier sold via TikTok or YouTube, and some via Pinterest or Instagram. 

### 2. Engage with users

Educate followers about your brand, products or services.

With 37% of consumers saying that [social networks are their biggest source of inspiration](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey/2020/pwc-consumer-insights-survey-2020.pdf) for purchasing, promotional posts should be part of your strategy. However, posts that directly promote your products should make up only a small portion of your posts. 

When you create promotional posts, consider adding a reason buyers should purchase the product now. One reason could be a limited-time discount, or you could encourage customers to be the first of their friends to own a new product. You can also create FOMO (fear of missing out) by sharing how many people have bought this product in the last 24 hours, for example. Don’t forget to include high-quality pictures too.

Because mobile shopping has grown in popularity, with [45% of people increasing their number of purchases from a mobile](https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey/2020/pwc-consumer-insights-survey-2020.pdf) device since the COVID-19 pandemic , promotional posts should be [created as shoppable posts](https://squareup.com/t/f_online/d_display/p_forbes/c_branding/o_eco_forbes_brandvoice_socialmediaroundup_shoppableposts/u_core/l_us/dt_alldevice/pr_ecosystem/?route=us/en/townsquare/how-to-sell-products-on-instagram). 

This means that customers can purchase directly from the post, making it as easy as possible for someone to buy your product directly on social channels. Did you know that each month, [130 million Instagram accounts tap a shopping post to learn more about a product](https://business.instagram.com/blog/how-to-plan-for-holidays-on-instagram/)? This could be a huge opportunity for your business if you’re not already tapping into social commerce.

### 3. Encourage reviews

We understand how important it is for customers to interact with businesses on social channels during the different stages of the buying journey, but we also know that online reviews can attract more customers via social platforms.

Sharing [verified online reviews](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/trustpilot-customer-review-software) on social media can help your content stay personal and up to date, while helping you stand out from the competition and grow your online reputation.

## 3. Building trust with consumers

Today’s consumers research more before purchasing, and [trust businesses less than they did a few years ago](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/the-critical-role-of-reviews-in-internet-trust), which is why brands should be doubling their marketing efforts in order to stay at the top. 

To stand out from the competition in social commerce, it’s essential to incorporate transparency and authenticity to the customer journey. The more information consumers can find about your brand, your products or your services on social media, the better.

With reviews, businesses can optimise every touch point of the buying journey, and make sure consumers are exposed to trust signals and social proof when using social channels.

Here are some ways to share your customers’ voice on social channels:

- __Trustpilot x Facebook integration__

Trustpilot x Facebook integration

Trustpilot’s Image Generator

- __Trustpilot x Hootsuite integration__


Trustpilot x Hootsuite integration

User-generated content

There’s no doubt that the way we shop is changing. The rise of social commerce in the last few years has completely shifted the way brands interact and engage with their audience on social channels. 

Building trust directly on social media can be tricky. But showcasing third-party validation, such as verified online reviews, can help grow consumer confidence in your brand when trying to implement social commerce.

If you’d like to find out more about how Trustpilot can help you with building trust for social commerce, why not speak to one of our experts? It’s quick and easy, just click the link below.


How brands can adapt to Gen Z’s new shopping habits V2

How brands can adapt to Gen Z’s new shopping habits

We’re seeing a shift in values for Gen Zers: they crave authenticity and purpose, they engage with companies who align with their own values, have a mission, and are doing good in our world. How does this impact their habits and how can brands adapt?

The mid-to-late 1990s are usually used as starting birth years, and the early 2010s as ending birth years for Gen Z. 

So what’s so different about Generation Z? 

Well, we’re seeing a real shift in values for this demographic group. Gen Zers crave authenticity and purpose. They are looking to engage with companies who align with their own values, have a real mission, and are trying to do good in today’s society. 

So how does this impact their shopping habits and how can brands adapt to this new demographic? In this article, we take a look at Gen Z’s expectations and behavior, and find out how this new generation is shaping the future of shopping.

## Looking at Gen Z’s shopping habits

### 1. Convenient shopping

There is no doubt that social and mobile technologies [have changed consumers’ shopping habits](https://thekeenfolks.com/the-impact-of-technology-on-consumer-behaviour/) and expectations.

Today’s consumer expectations often include an omni-channel customer experience. [An omni-channel presence](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/why-an-omni-channel-experience-is-your-best-christmas-present) matches messaging and ensures there’s no disconnect across channels. Brands with a disjointed message across digital and traditional channels (commonly known as a multi-channel approach) could end up losing ground in the market. 

Gen Z is a true [omni-channel generation](https://www.marketingevolution.com/knowledge-center/trend-analysis-preparing-omnichannel-success-gen-z). Their shopping behavior shows that they like to buy wherever best suits them, and with no particular channel preference. As part of this, Gen Z also seems to have shifted back to [brick-and-mortar shopping](https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2020/may/25/shopping-habits-of-generation-z-could-spell-end-of-fast-fashion), while millennials have moved much more towards an online approach.

That doesn’t mean Gen Zers are no longer interested in online shopping. In fact, they enjoy using different types of channels for a more holistic experience; they might browse a product online, purchase it later on through a retargeting ad on social channels, or go directly to the shop to buy it. 

So while their interest in high street shops is bigger than Millennials', browsing online and the flexibility of omni-channel experiences is very much appreciated by this new generation of consumers.

### 2. Better quality products

There’s no doubt that the rise of new payment methods such as buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) have empowered younger consumers ([22% of Gen Zers](https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/gen-z-shopping-trends-uncovered-pay-pal)) to buy more. But that’s not the only reason Gen Zers like to use this form of payment. 

A survey found that product quality was amongst the [three characteristics](https://www.marketingdive.com/news/gen-z-wants-brands-to-be-fun-authentic-and-good-study-says/581191/) that establish trust in a brand amongst Gen Zers, along with positive reviews and customer service. New forms of payment such as BNPL can help Gen Zers buy more expensive and better quality products. 

As well as new payment options, Gen Z is also exposed to other ways of buying higher quality products, such as second-hand shopping. As established earlier, Generation Z tends to engage with brands that have a real mission, and are trying to do good in today’s society. This new shopping habit probably comes from a desire to protect the planet and break out of the fast fashion cycle. In fact, today, [27%](https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/gen-z-shopping-trends-uncovered-pay-pal) of Gen Zers say that they’re more likely to shop on preloved and vintage platforms.

### 3. New consumer buying behavior

It’s safe to say that Generation Z has very different shopping habits than other generations before. Gen Z’s buying behavior shows that they like to stay relevant to current trends, and make purchases to lift their mood.

They no longer need to shop [just once a week, or even once a month](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/meet-generation-z-shaping-the-future-of-shopping). 
The rise of new social media platforms and influencer marketing has completely shifted the way that this new generation buys. In fact, they like to make smaller purchases, more often – sometimes more than once a week.

Traditional advertising isn’t as efficient as it used to be. Gen Zers prefer to look to their peers for inspiration, and tend to [trust other consumers’ opinions more](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/what-is-social-proof-and-why-is-it-important-for-marketing) than what brands have to say about themselves.

## How eCommerce businesses can convert more Gen Z consumers

### 1. Prioritize omni-channel experiences

With bigger companies now playing on both fronts, it’s important for smaller businesses to break down the online/offline mentality and create a seamless flow from store to online for Gen Zers to use throughout their buying journey.

In 2022, shopping has become a 24/7 activity that is easily done through a multitude of devices. Everything is interactive, and when it comes to meeting Gen Z consumers’ omni-channel needs, the storefront is no exception.

By providing great experiences both online and offline, retailers can make shopping more enjoyable for their customers. One of the best ways to do this is by integrating their digital presence to their brick & mortar shops.

Following the omni-channel trend can truly help brands improve the in-store shopping experience by offering additional information consumers might need within easy reach. This creates a unified experience that allows Gen Zers to engage with a brand faster and consider purchasing from a retailer, regardless of channel.

### 2. Adopt new payment methods, both online and in-store

Did you know that [24%](http://www.iqpc.com/media/1003982/39442.pdf) of consumers abandon their transactions at checkout because the retailer doesn’t offer their preferred payment choices?

A study found that Gen Zers currently anticipate [reducing their use of debit cards](https://www.emarketer.com/content/how-gen-z-embracing-digital-payments) from 35% now to 26%, and credit cards from 16% now to 14%. Cash is also in rapid decline, with only 22% of Generation Z admitting that they would continue to use cash for future purchases.

There’s no doubt that the last two years have hastened the shift towards digital payments. As a result, Gen Z is more likely to embrace some of the following payment options:

- Buy now, pay later apps. 
- Wallet services and contactless payments such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Paypal.
- Peer-to-peer payment apps. 

Adapting to new shopping habits means having to cater to different customers, with different needs and different expectations, such as the new Generation Z. Multiple payment options ensure your larger audience is taken care of and that their expectations are met. 

### 3. Make transparency and authenticity your top priorities

Members of Generation Z are, generally speaking, a bit more of a skeptical crowd. Their ability to verify anything online over the years has made it a lot harder for brands out there to earn their trust. That’s why Gen Z admires and looks for brands that value transparency, honesty and authenticity. 

It’s clear that Gen Z have developed different shopping habits than their predecessors; Gen Zers like supporting businesses that they believe in and that reflect their own personal ethos and values. 

Brands that understand the importance of honesty and transparency and can adapt to Gen Z’s new needs and expectations are more likely to earn their loyalty in the long run, while other businesses risk being left behind.

So, why not look into becoming a more transparent business this year, while learning from your Gen Z customers? It's quick and easy, sign up for free below. 

5 Tactics to increase your eCommerce conversion rate

It’s no secret that conversion rate optimization is an important part of online marketing. We asked our partners at leading agencies for their advice. Their experts came back with 5 tactics businesses can use to increase their online conversions.

The CRO ‘science’ consists in optimizing your website in order to increase the likelihood that visitors will complete a specific action, or at least get closer to a desired goal. 

In 2020, [the average eCommerce conversion rate is about 2.86%](https://www.invespcro.com/blog/the-average-website-conversion-rate-by-industry/#:~:text=The%20latest%20survey%20and%20studies,website%20conversion%20rate%20of%204.31%25.). This means that 97.14% of visitors leave most websites without completing their customer journey.

As many businesses have had to sell online these past few months, and as the busiest time of year approaches, we asked our partners at leading agencies for their advice.

Their experts came back with 5 great tactics eCommerce businesses can implement to increase their online conversions throughout the funnel, from search to onsite. So if your conversion rate hasn’t budged, or worse even, is dropping, you might want to give these a go! 


## 1. Implement schema markup in your structured data 

[Dan Baum, Paid Media Specialist at IMPACT](https://www.impactbnd.com/team/dan-baum) recommends that his clients use structured schema markup on their pages.

“Structured schema markup provides the search engines more information to better understand the content and intent of each page. The search engines then present these extra details as review snippets under the title and meta description of your SERP listing. Schema markup lets you give users more information about your page, like information about your hours, contact details, reviews, pricing, location, star-rating, product availability, and more. The availability of all this extra information drastically improves the appearance of your search results and can significantly improve your click-through rates.

“The tough part is that you can't just ‘turn schema on’ to start using these much more attractive search results. You'll need to head to Schema.com where they walk you through all the vocabulary and code you'll need to create schema markups that can be read by Google, Bing, Yahoo, and most other popular search engines. if complex coding and development isn't really your thing, there are some really effective schema generators out there. Check out [technicalseo.com](https://technicalseo.com/tools/schema-markup-generator/) or [Google’s tool](https://www.google.com/webmasters/markup-helper/u/0/).

Schema markup image 1

Schema markup Image 2

Schema markup image 3

## 2. Dominate SERPs with search query funneling

Greg Thibault, Organic Search and Conversion Strategic Manager at Exclusive Concepts, is a strong proponent of search query funneling, a tactic that allows you to identify keywords to drive more revenue for your business and dominate SERPs, while mitigating [wasted ad spend](https://bi.exclusiveconcepts.com/googleadsscorecard/signup?utm_source=Trustpilot&utm_medium=Trustpilot&utm_campaign=blog). 

“The three core steps to search query funneling differ from the typical bid approach of bidding on high-value IDs. Here are the steps:

- Step 1: Prioritize your keywords, placing categorical phrases at high-priority, and deprioritizing branded, product-specific keywords.
- Step 2: Instruct Google on where and when to stop by adding negative keywords and using campaign priorities.
- Step 3: Assign bids to each priority bucket. Bidding high for low-priority phrases and low for high-priority phrases.

In order to capitalize on the visibility you are driving by leveraging [search query funneling](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgxwJXLdhpVRtcqFLsFnXDvSDzBSJ?compose=CllgCHrdlcTJWkjfcWNszWPTqSrtCpGxSjPhMfsdKNzHhKBkmHwXXTqxSjXKTKktPpTjJvvZmBB), ensure you have product reviews on both the SERP and the product page. Reviews ultimately influence conversion and anything you can add to product listing ads or site is a no-brainer.”


Dog Food google shopping 1

Dog Food product page 2

## 3. Social proof improves conversion throughout the funnel

Exclusive Concepts’ advice to improve conversion continues throughout the funnel with an emphasis on social proof. 

“With [shoppers moving to eCommerce](https://www.exclusiveconcepts.com/insights/its-unanimous-klaviyo-and-exclusive-data-find-big-sales-potential-across-e-commerce/?utm_source=TPblog&utm_medium=Trustpilot&utm_campaign=SEOblog) in droves for 2020, it’s only becoming more imperative for online stores to convey instant trustworthiness. To do that, we recommend adding visible social proof at significant steps in the customer journey to engender feelings of safety and security. 

Because the user experience is paramount to helping undecided and unfamiliar shoppers feel
comfortable making purchases, online stores should: 

- Include star-ratings for every item on __category pages__
- Display a review carousel near the top of the page and star-ratings near the add-to-cart button on __product pages__ 
- Include a review carousel at the bottom of the page, near the checkout button on __cart pages__ 

The most successful e-commerce sites will be the ones that can [reassure their customers](https://www.exclusiveconcepts.com/insights/increasing-conversion-webinar-reviews-based-marketing/?utm_source=TPblog&utm_medium=Trustpilot&utm_campaign=SEOblog) that they are making a good decision at each point of the purchase.”

White Mountain Puzzles product page

## 4. Convert onsite with an optimized chatbot 

Ben Lack, CEO of [Interrupt Media](http://www.interruptmedia.com/), suggests implementing a chatbot onto your website. 

“If implemented correctly, you’ll give yourself the ability to quickly answer questions your potential customers have about the products you’re selling so that you can turn more web visitors into customers. After implementation, make sure that you have a clear strategy for different page types. For example, for your home page, consider having your chatbot automatically ask a question like ‘is there a specific product that you’re looking for?’. If it’s a specific product page, your chatbot may want to automatically ask ‘do you have any questions about this product that I can answer?’. 

“These are leading questions that generate opportunities for your chatbot to convert more traffic into sales. Some chatbots will let you automate replies based on user responses while others require someone to write real time responses. So make sure that you map out how you want to support the user engagement for each use case.”


## 5. Optimize for your core demographic's digital behavior trends

Barron Rosborough, Content Marketing Manager at Hawke Media, offers a tactic that helps businesses increase conversion at every point in the funnel.

"Analyzing the behaviors of your core demographics is a tactic you can employ to hone in on trends in customer behaviors that lead to conversions. 

This is helpful for two reasons:

1. You learn which customers are likely to buy and you can tailor your strategy to earn their repeat business.
2. Once you’ve identified behavior patterns, you can isolate those traits in your targeting to expand your audience for potential customers that are likely to convert.

Look for co-occurrence between activities by visitors that complete checkouts on your website. Where did they come from? What did they click? How long did they stay on the page? Glean helpful data points that help identify behaviors that have a high correlation with purchase intent.
 
For Hawke client [Barstool Sports](https://hawkemedia.com/blog/barstool-sports-sem-monitize-following), we analyzed the behavior of visitors to all of their content channels, realizing that their massive audience was consuming their content, but not visiting their store. So our team redirected users to their online store by serving search ads on various platforms leading to a 1,082% increase in eCommerce revenue."

Barstool Sports graph

We hope these 5 tips from digital experts will help you master conversion rate optimization so you can start improving your website’s user experience today.

If you found this article insightful, or if you have any other tips you’d like to share with us, do not hesitate to tweet us at @Trustpilot using #onTheBlog. Alternatively, if you'd like to find out more about Trustpilot and how reviews can help you boost your sales, give our conversions guide a read by clicking the link below:

Why some brands shun purpose and honesty

Despite a strong alignment between purpose and marketing objectives, some brands seem uninterested in purpose, with some even apparently suspicious of honesty in marketing.

Assuming that’s right, how does this translate into approaches to marketing? Over 2022 we surveyed 7,000 consumers and 600 marketing leaders about their perspectives, to discover where they agree or disagree on this topic.

Customers do value brand purpose (where a brand takes an ethical, sustainable, or political stance), with close to half (47%) saying it’s important to them.

We also discovered a strong alignment between CMOs’ marketing objectives and the benefits of purpose. CMOs say that improving loyalty, increasing sales, winning new customers and building a reputable brand are the top four benefits when thinking about both purpose and marketing objectives.

It’s for this reason that three in five (59%) of CMOs promote purpose to some extent. But almost a quarter (24%) do not.

When we dig a little deeper, we find a small group of marketers resistant to purpose and even honesty.

## Avoiding purpose

Of the 24% that do not promote brand purpose, almost half of them (10% of the total surveyed) do not promote any kind of ethical, sustainable, or political stance.

There may be good reasons for brands to take this approach. 

We know that there are [five main barriers to adopting purpose](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/5-barriers-to-adopting-brand-purpose-and-why-you-shouldnt-let-them-stand-in-your-way) and many of the reasons that emerged show that many brands are nervous about the problems of adopting purpose authentically and the dangers of perceived inauthenticity.

This preoccupation can act as a disincentive to adopting brand purpose until the brand’s concerns are met and dealt with.

## Keeping away from purpose

When asked how important brand purpose is to their customers, seven in ten (70%) of CMOs say that purpose is important.

Conversely, 19% say that purpose is unimportant to their customers.

When clarifying their stance, 14% of the total say that brand purpose is ‘not relevant’ to their customers. Simply – these CMOs say that their customers do not care.

This is a familiar refrain – of respondents seeing their job as producing a specific product or service, and purpose as irrelevant. This is an increasingly untenable approach if [half of consumers (47%) value purpose](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/brand-integrity-the-new-frontier-for-marketing). 

It could be that those companies who believe purpose to be irrelevant for their customers map perfectly onto those consumers who have no interest in purpose either (7% of consumers say purpose is ‘extremely unimportant’ to them). 

But this is unlikely.

## Honesty is not always the best policy?

The research shows a stubborn proportion of CMOs resisting not just purpose, but honesty. One in eleven (9%) CMOs say honesty is not important to their customers.

Conversely, 80% of CMOs say honesty is important to their customers. 

We know that customers believe strongly in honesty, with the overwhelming majority (94%) of consumers say honesty is important to them.

It’s therefore difficult to empathize with the position of this 9% of CMOs. 

If honesty is not important to customers, what does that mean? That CMOs can mislead about their product or service and customers will not mind? 

This seems a very risky strategy, but this strange result seems to show that this 9% does indeed believe brand honesty is overrated.

By contrast, CMOs reveal a litany of dire outcomes for those participating in dishonest marketing, including poor reviews or ratings (46%), reduced sales (42%), negative word-of-mouth (35%) and reduced loyalty (30%).

So, dishonesty is risky. But this stubborn 9% disagrees.

## The risks of dishonesty

When asked about the risks of dishonest brand marketing, this 9% who say there are no risks, are joined by another 21% who say the risks of dishonesty are ‘negligible’.

Could there be another way of examining this? Could it be that some marketers see dishonest businesses ‘getting away with it’? Possibly. Here it’s necessary to separate two sets of respondents. 

First are the ‘cynics’ who are suspicious of brand purpose, and even of honesty, in marketing. These respondents may produce misleading marketing, but see no penalty for doing so.

Second are the ‘pragmatists’ who can perhaps see dishonest brand marketing occurring from the ‘cynics’ and see no penalty for those cynical brands’ dishonest marketing.

Essentially, the first group produces dishonest marketing while the second witnesses that dishonesty, and sees few consequences.

One company known to have been dishonest in its operations is Volkswagen, which in 2015, was exposed as having misled regulators and consumers about the environmental performance of its diesel vehicles. 

Their ‘clean diesel’ was marketed as exactly that – a clean and responsible choice. The company had in fact been falsifying lab tests for up to seven years using a special piece of software that could spot when a test was underway and reduce emissions for the duration of the test, leaving a lasting false impression.

This was a sophisticated and considered piece of dishonesty. Not only did the scandal hit Volkswagen’s brand hard, but it was also subject to fines of up to $61 billion in the US alone, and its CEO quit.

As mentioned above, the penalties for dishonest marketing can be severe, as Volkswagen discovered.

## A path through

One in 12 (8%) of CMOs follow this pattern:

First, they do not promote an ethical stance in their marketing – they are part of the 24% who do not promote an ethical, sustainable, or political stance.

In addition, they believe that their customers are not interested in brand purpose, which is true for 19% of the total – this group represents almost half of those who are skeptical about the relevancy of purpose for their customers.

Finally, this group believes honesty and transparency are important to their customers. In this case, they form part of the majority opinion.

There is a paradox here. If a company decides to be more transparent about its operations, this strategy only works when there is good news to tell. 

If the company uses, for example, slave labor, it’s difficult to see how more transparency would be a good outcome. Unless they abolished slave labor in their supply chain.

This is the opportunity for these brands: by clinging to honesty and transparency, and letting the implications of that play out, this shows a possible route towards more brand purpose.

By being more transparent, this should in turn drive greater responsibility and purpose.

If you'd like to read the full report *Brands that take a stand: Marketers who match consumers’ desire for purpose and honesty come out on top*, why not download your free copy today?

It's quick and easy, just click the link below.

improving your trust signals

improving trust signals

Whether your website is lead-generation or sales, you need to convey professionalism to perform successfully online.

A website can have an amazing look with advanced functionality and state-of-the-art graphics, but if customers don’t feel like it is credible or legit, they will go elsewhere.

In this article, we give you seven ways to showcase trust signals at every touchpoint of the journey in order to reduce consumer hesitation, boost confidence and deliver better user experiences.

## Delivering better experiences by showcasing trust signals at key touchpoints

Somewhere between cyber-crimes, phony advertisements, emails, and websites, there are still online shoppers trusting in your website to be safe and frictionless. An unsecured site is an immediate turnoff for your visitors and if they can't trust you, they will quickly exit your site and head over to your competitor’s.

One way to stand out from your competitors and improve your website’s trust signals is by obtaining a security certificate. Brands lose upward 83.6% of sales because of cart abandonment and [19% abandon their carts](https://sleeknote.com/blog/trust-badges) because of payment security concerns. A security certificate is provided by the Certificate Authority (CA) that proves data such as banking and personal information is secured and encrypted between the server and browser. 

Phony pages are becoming terrifyingly accurate and difficult to differentiate as [phishing attacks](https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/what-is-phishing/) are becoming more common. 

These indicators will help you earn your customers' trust and reduce consumer hesitation while also increasing your conversion rate. Help your website improve its transparency and reinforce your customers' confidence in you. If you haven't read our [credibility checklist](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/10-things-that-make-a-website-credible-the-ultimate-checklist), we recommend starting here.

Our friends at [Redstage](http://redstage.com/) have built hundreds of sites for their clients, and know a thing or two about building trust on site. We've asked them to share how they recommend using security certificates to signal to buyers that your site is trusted.

### 1. Padlock icon

Security certificates are crucial to show customers your website is a secure, safe domain.

Websites without a valid security certificate may present visitors with a warning message on some browsers. This can have a damaging effect on conversion.

If you have a security badge, a closed padlock in the status bar will appear in your browser window. To date, SSL certificates have been paramount for ecommerce websites in particular. However, more recently they have shown to be a contributing factor to SEO rankings. The padlock icon is an indication that traffic coming to and from your website is encrypted. This should be an indicator to customers that your website is protectig all data and personal information entered on your site. While a padlock icon doesn't necessarily mean that a website is 100% safe, it can ease some worry for visitors and help boost trust.

Not everyone understands what security certificates do, but the negative impact on conversion, should you not have one in place, would be tremendous.

### 2. HyperText transfer protocol secure

Once your website becomes verified through the Certificate Authority, you’ll receive an “https” URL. This is an indication that all private and sensitive information that is entered into the site is protected as it travels to a server. Without this, the user’s details have a high chance of being exposed. Additionally, Google and other search engines now give priority to websites with https, and may send visitors to a “Warning” page if you’re still only using http.

### 3. Privacy policy
Customers want to know how their data is being collected, used, and protected. A public, easy to find Privacy Policy can prove your company abides by the laws and care about keeping both your website and consumer information safe. 

### 4. Trust seal

Security Certificate on Zalora

Trust seal

Trust Seals give your visitors an extra sense of security. However, displaying too many badges across a website can cause some skepticism. Because of this, consider placing them only at the checkout. One study found a [42% increase](https://sleeknote.com/blog/trust-badges) in sales after implementing a Verisign trust seal. 

By implementing these indicators, not only can your visitors browse and shop worry-free, but you can also add some more points to the strength of your search rankings.

“Lack of trust is one of the top reasons customers abandon the checkout. A security badge can help reassure your visitors, but only if the source is recognizable,” says Oliver Sosinsky, Senior Solutions Engineer at Redstage.

Search engines like Google use an algorithm to promote a safer World Wide Web by giving certified sites priority in search results. Add in [great content](https://redstage.com/marketing/the-difference-between-good-great-content-marketing/), a [frictionless shopping experience](https://redstage.com/holiday/holiday-revenue-and-mobile-optimization/), and a [safe and secure website](https://redstage.com/holiday/3-tactics-hackers-will-use-against-ecommerce-store-security-this-holiday/), and watch your conversion rate skyrocket. 

As competition is increasing within the eCommerce industry, so are cyber-attacks, which create increasing levels of visitor anxiety. Studies show [77% of website visitors worry that their data could be stolen and misused](https://unbounce.com/landing-pages/can-ssl-trust-seals-and-other-security-indicators-improve-your-conversion-rates/). As a merchant, you should be showing your consumers that your company is highly invested in the safety and protection of their data. 

To ease the pressure, Trustpilot partner Redstage has designed customizable security and maintenance bundles to suit your needs. You can check them out [here](https://redstage.com/magento-security-maintenance-bundle/).

Read on for three more ways you can add trust to your website beyond security certificates. 

### 5. Payment gateway prominence

Payment option badges on Asos

payment gateway

What third-party software do you use for credit card payments?

Companies like Sage Pay and PayPal are reputable brands that consumers feel at ease with when sharing their bank details.

Make these logos clearly evident and prominent site wide, on the homepage and on the checkout to reduce consumer hesitation and cart abandonment. 

### 6. Verified customer reviews

reviews act as social proof to build trust

verified reviews

Over [92%](https://www.vendasta.com/blog/50-stats-you-need-to-know-about-online-reviews) of customers read online reviews as part of their buying journey. So if you’ve received some great customer feedback, shout about it! Customers rely on other customer’s honesty.

There are many ways to collate and present reviews and feedback on your website. [Trustpilot is a great example of a review platform](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/trustpilot-customer-review-software).

What if someone leaves a bad review? It shows you are real and genuine; you’re never going to make everyone happy. The odd three or four star review should be encouraged, otherwise it can look fake. We can’t win them all!

### 7. A clear delivery + returns policy

Delivery options

delivery and returns policy

A lack of information on delivery can cause hesitation. If you sell online, clearly show how it will be delivered to the customer, when they can expect to receive it, and at what cost.

Furthermore, there are situations whereby a customer will return something if they’re unhappy with the end product.

How do they go about doing this? What is the policy in terms of a refund? How long do they have to get a full refund?

These are the kind of questions customers will think about before they make a purchase and if they don’t know the answers to any of them beforehand, it will prevent them from converting.

## Getting started with trust signals

Obviously there’s much more you can do, but this is a good way to get started.

And, if you tick all the customer boxes, customers are bound to praise your business in their reviews.

The results: an [increase to your conversion rates](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/browsers-to-buyers/15-ecommerce-tips-to-drastically-increase-your-conversion-rate), bigger basket sizes, and happier customers.

If you'd like to learn more about the importance of trust signals in today's competitive landscape, download a free copy of our brand new Social Proof report below.

Get your free copy of 'The psychology behind trust signals'

7 Ways to improve your website’s trust signals

Why authentic voices can help retailers build loyalty

What can retailers do to generate trust and build lasting brand loyalty in a tough market? As we discuss, harnessing the power of user-generated content and authentic customer voices is one of the first key steps.

Not only do shoppers have more choice, but they’re less trusting of a brand's own advertising and marketing hype.

There are various ways you can attract and retain customers, but user-generated content is by far the most powerful (yet least utilised) tool. Read on to find out how retailers can use authentic voices to encourage brand loyalty and increase conversions.

Retailers rely on brand trust and customer loyalty to sell their products. However, both of these crucial elements have been in steady decline over recent years – a trend expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to [figures from KPMG](https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home/insights/2020/09/consumers-new-reality-declining-trust.html), global net trust has fallen to -4% compared with pre-pandemic levels, with grocery and non-grocery retailers among those most affected. But with [74% of UK consumers](https://londonlovesbusiness.com/three-quarters-of-uk-consumers-would-boycott-a-brand-they-dont-trust/) saying they would boycott a brand they didn’t trust, maintaining trust is essential if you want to secure repeat business.

It’s not just a lack of trust that’s hampering retailers’ efforts to retain customers. Thanks to the explosion in online shopping (another trend accelerated by the pandemic), there’s a wave of new online retailers vying for consumers’ attention. Shoppers are now spoilt for choice in an increasingly crowded online market. As a result, consumer loyalty is falling and retailers are having to work harder to attract and retain customers.

Even the big retailers can no longer rely solely on their name to keep savvy shoppers coming back. According to research by PWC, [32% of people](https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/future-of-customer-experience.html) say they would stop shopping with a brand they loved after only one negative experience, highlighting just how fragile customer loyalty really is. In this day and age, second chances are far from certain.

The question is, what can retailers do to generate trust and build lasting brand loyalty in a tough market? As we discuss, harnessing the power of user-generated content and authentic customer voices is one of the first key steps.

## The power of user-generated content 

With trust in traditional advertising declining – particularly among [Generation Z](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/webinars-videos/learn-from-customers/creating-user-generated-content-what-gen-z-really-want) and [millennials](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/browsers-to-buyers/how-to-use-user-generated-content-marketing-to-reach-and-convert-millennials) – user-generated content is now the bedrock of modern marketing. 

The digital equivalent of word of mouth, user-generated content such as ratings and reviews brings the authenticity of someone impartial, and has become one of the main forms of [social proof](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/what-is-social-proof-and-why-is-it-important-for-marketing). It also tends to carry more weight than retailers’ own messaging, with [over three-quarters of people](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/your-guide-to-customer-advocacy-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important) saying they’re more likely to trust content shared by ‘normal’ people than content shared by brands.

“There is a big trend of UGC and [people trusting the opinions of other people more than those of companies](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/building-trust-in-the-home-and-garden-sector), which makes sense,” says Nosto’s Patrick Obolgogiani. “Younger generations, in particular, tend to like to see what their peers think about something – it is about social proof.”

With [64% of people](https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/2749863/Report%20+%20Infographic%20-%20The%20Value%20of%20Customer%20Ratings%20and%20Reviews%20in%20Advertising/The%20Value%20of%20Customer%20Ratings%20and%20Reviews%20in%20UK%20Advertising.pdf) saying they’re ‘often’ or ‘very often’ influenced by consumer reviews when buying, the power of user-generated content is clear. Sharing opinions, experiences and recommendations online has become second nature. So it will come as no surprise that ratings and reviews are now a core part of any shopper’s online buying experience. These days, most retailers, no matter how big or small, display customer reviews on their website at key moments in the shopping journey. And with user reviews thought to influence over [£23 billion of UK consumer spending](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/436238/Online_reviews_and_endorsements.pdf) each year, it’s easy to see why.

## 5 Ways authentic voices can build trust and loyalty

Satisfied and [loyal customers contribute 2.6 times](https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/customer-satisfaction-everything-you-need-to-know/#:~:text=Increasing%20the%20customer's%20lifetime%20value,as%20a%20somewhat%20dissatisfied%20customer.) as much revenue as other customers, so anything you can do to build loyalty will always pay off. Using authentic voices to communicate your brand story is one of the best ways to attract prospective customers and retain existing ones. 

Want to know more? Here are five ways user-generated content like reviews and ratings can generate trust, nurture loyalty and, crucially, increase sales.

### 1. Customer reviews build trust and demonstrate transparency

Trust is one of the main factors that drives long-term customer loyalty. And that’s where reviews and ratings can play a vital role. Showcasing authentic customer feedback proves you’re credible and trustworthy, which can be very reassuring in an industry saturated with choice. 

Transparency is also a key motivator for customers, with [93% of people](https://f.hubspotusercontent10.net/hubfs/2749863/Brand%20integrity_%20the%20new%20frontier%20for%20marketing.pdf?utm_campaign=GH_BrandIntegrity_ENG_1021&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=176425144&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9azoeAZDuED58AZMK0e08HUhSLCfAVTo6sN0VgWl7wezoXmWJJ0r6xXzq8UXDHm5fuYNVZ_2jl8XyQ23098k6Q37Ik5Q&utm_content=176425144&utm_source=hs_automation) saying a brand’s honesty and transparency are important when buying products or services. Using a [third-party review platform like Trustpilot](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/trustpilot-customer-review-software) is a great way to demonstrate these traits as shoppers know you haven’t edited or falsified your customers’ feedback. There’s no better way of saying “we’ve got nothing to hide” than displaying customer feedback – both good and bad – for everyone to see.

### 2. Responding to reviews shows you value your customers

Taking the time to respond to reviews shows you value your customers and their business, which is vital if you want to build brand loyalty. If your customers know they’re buying from a company that cares, you’ll not only gain their trust but they’ll be more likely to recommend you to their peers.

Engaging with customers also shows the human side of your business, while personalising your response establishes an emotional connection that’s often missing from the online shopping experience. We might live in the digital age, but consumers don’t want their interactions with retailers to feel robotic or too corporate. According to Edelman’s 2020 Trust Barometer, [36% of those surveyed](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/440941/Trust%20Barometer%202020/2020%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer%20Global%20Report.pdf?utm_campaign=Global:%20Trust%20Barometer%202020&utm_source=Website) said they’d go elsewhere if a brand is inauthentic in its interactions. It proves that even today, personal relationships are still essential when it comes to generating loyalty.

### 3. Customer feedback can help you to improve the shopping experience

Reviews provide valuable insights that allow you to better understand your customers’ innermost wants, needs and expectations. You can then use this ‘feedback loop’ to improve your business operations and deliver a better overall customer experience, which is key to generating loyalty. 

It’s a strategy that’s worked well for Swift Direct Blinds. “Not so long ago we noticed that a number of customer reviews were commenting negatively on the quality of one particular fabric we were using in one of our blinds,” says the company’s Head of Marketing, Simon Weigh. “We flagged it up and the factory looked at it and noticed a minor problem, but it was an important thing to correct. We ended up changing fabric suppliers as a result of that insight.”

### 4. Reviews give you the chance to address complaints and fix mistakes

Unhappy customers are more likely to leave a review than satisfied customers, so it’s important to have a robust response strategy in place. Although negative reviews can be disheartening and sometimes frustrating, [they’re not necessarily a bad thing](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/learn-from-customers/bad-reviews-why-people-write-them-and-what-they-expect). 

For a start, they give you the chance to explain a situation fully if something does go wrong. As counterintuitive as it might seem, negative feedback can also reassure other potential buyers. Anyone viewing your product reviews can assess whether that particular issue is likely to affect them and, if they’re satisfied with your response, they may even feel confident enough to make a purchase. 

Of course, handing the microphone to your customers can be daunting. But by viewing consumer insights as an opportunity rather than a threat, your customer service will improve, and brand loyalty will naturally increase.

### 5. Product reviews can address shoppers’ wider queries

As the cost of living soars, cash-strapped shoppers are more cautious about their spending. If they do choose to purchase something, they want complete confidence that they’re buying the right item. Is it true to size? Will it fit in the boot of my car? Is it dishwasher safe? And that’s where reviews can help. Hesitant shoppers can scroll through a retailer’s reviews to find answers to questions beyond those addressed in the product description.

Being able to access this level of information reassures shoppers, meaning they’re more likely to part with their cash. It’s also a great way to notch up your trust rating and increase brand loyalty. After all, if a customer knows they can find all the information they need on your website, they won’t need to look anywhere else.

__The voice of the consumer is more powerful than ever. By fully embracing this change in dynamic, retailers can forge meaningful connections with customers and generate long-term brand loyalty.__

__For more information on how user-generated content can build brand loyalty, [read our beginner’s guide](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/a-beginner-guide-to-building-brand-loyalty-with-user-generated-content).__


Boost SEO with trustpilot product reviews

Trustpilot’s easy to use Product Reviews SEO TrustBox widgets can push you to the top of organic search results and help you get Rich Snippet stars in just days, with a simple copy and paste of code. Here's how to get started.

No waiting around for months. No complex coding. The best solutions are often the simplest solutions.

The benefits of Product Reviews are just a few clicks away. Copying and pasting a code onto your site has never been this easy before.

## So, how does the Product Review TrustBox work?


Product review trustbox example

The first step to improve your SEO performance with Product Reviews is to add your Product Reviews TrustBox's schema markup (a simple code) to the applicable product page(s) of your website.

You can find out more about implementing the code [here](https://support.trustpilot.com/hc/en-us/articles/231993108-Get-review-snippets-using-product-review-TrustBoxes-).

From there, your Product Reviews will be indexed directly on your product pages, and displayed in the Product TrustBox. Within the next 30 days, Google should start noticing the fresh content on your site and begin indexing it. The high frequency of keyword-rich content in your Product Reviews will show Google that you are an authoritative website. 

Google loves fresh, relevant content like this. [That's why your product reviews can help:](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/get-seen-in-search/rich-snippets-stars-for-product-reviews-can-boost-seo):

- Boost your overall SEO performance
- Generate Review Snippets for your products in Google search
- Increase your keyword reach
- Increase your visibility and help you stand out from your competitors.

Islandsurf.com's product pages show up as rich snippet results in organic search

## The benefits of collecting Product Reviews


Royal mail product reviews trustbox

But for all of this to work, you'll need to start collecting Product Reviews. 

It’s simple to start using them alongside your service reviews. [Product reviews can help you](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/get-seen-in-search/how-to-use-seo-to-build-your-ecommerce-reputation):

- Create social proof to [increase conversions](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/customer-stories/ecommerce/ann-summers-uses-product-reviews-to-increase-sales-up-to-230) 
- Learn what customers truly think of your products
- Make customer-centric improvements to your products
- Add trust signals at key points of the buying journey.

## I already have my own product reviews – what can I do to boost my SEO performance?

If you're collecting your own Product Reviews, or collecting them via another review platform, you can [import your existing Product Reviews](https://support.trustpilot.com/hc/en-us/articles/215107148-Import-third-party-product-reviews-to-Trustpilot) to Trustpilot. 

The Product Reviews TrustBox will display your old Product Reviews as well as your new ones, collected using Trustpilot. You can gain SEO benefits and Review Snippets from both. 


Product review TrustBox on-site

So if you aren’t seeing any SEO benefits from your current review platform, you might want to look into [the importance of collecting reviews via a Google Review partner](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/trustpilot-customer-review-software).

If you'd like to find out more about transferring to Trustpilot to boost your SEO performance, or starting your Product Review collection on our platform, you can [request a free demo here](https://business.trustpilot.com/request-demo).

Alternatively, if you'd like to try our platform for free before you speak to any of our review experts, why not sign up for a free Trustpilot account below? It's quick and easy.

How to boost your SEO with Trustpilot's Product Review TrustBox

How to calculate Google Seller Ratings effect on Adwords CTR

How to calculate Google Seller Ratings effect on Google ads CTR

Google Seller Ratings can dramatically improve the ROI of your paid search campaigns by boosting CTR and lowering CPA. This article will show you how to calculate, track, and visualize how your ads perform with GSRs.

But how can you calculate the value of Google Seller Ratings?

The Google extension __can [boost your text ads’ click-through rate](https://instapage.com/blog/google-seller-ratings) by up to 10%__, which can make a big difference to any company battling with their competitors on Google ads.

For an optimized Google Ads campaign running with a decent budget, just increasing the CTR by 1% can generate a lot of money in additional revenue, and can also lead to significant savings when Google’s bill comes around.

In this article, Søren Sieg Jensen, Partner and CTO at Cykelpartner, will explain how to calculate the effect of Google Seller Ratings on Gooogle ads click-through rates. Additionally, if you'd like to learn more about how Cykelpartner used Trustpilot to reduce their CPA in Google ads, [check out their success story here.](https://business.trustpilot.com/customer-stories/health-sport/cykelpartner-reduces-google-ads-cpa-by-11-percent-with-trustpilot-reviews)

## So, what are Google Seller Ratings?

Google Seller Ratings (GSRs) is an automated Google Ads extension that was created to demonstrate that other people trust your business and have had a positive experience with you. It’s an essential component to any business that values an online search presence and has been known to improve performance.

Trustpilot for Google Seller Ratings

Google Seller Ratings Example 

Google Seller Ratings are displayed in text ads in Google ads, Search Network campaigns, and on Shopping Ads in Google Shopping.

[Find out more about Google Seller Ratings here](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/get-seen-in-search/why-wont-my-google-seller-ratings-show-up-and-4-other-gsr-questions).

## How effective can Google Seller Ratings be for your company?

A 10% increase in CTR is quite the increase, so the question is: can you achieve a whopping 10% CTR increase too? And how can you track it? What results can you expect to get?

We worked with Søren from Danish Cykelpartner.dk to calculate and track the impact of GSRs on Google ads.

In this practical how-to-guide, we'll show you how to calculate the impact of Google Seller Ratings on your Google ads' performance.

## 1. Ensure you have Google Seller Ratings

If you acquire Google Seller Ratings, reviews will show when you insert your domain address (no www.) below:

https://www.google.com/shopping/seller?q=YOURDOMAIN.COM

Please note: This page will be blank until you qualify for Seller Ratings.

If you're unsure how to acquire Seller Ratings, [you might find this article helpful](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/get-seen-in-search/google-new-seller-ratings-threshold-100).

## 2. Select a campaign in Google ads

Billede-1

Campaign in Google Ads

Billede-2

Ads extensions in Google ads

## 4. Click on “Automated extensions” and look for “Seller Ratings”

Click “View: Automated extensions report” and look for “Seller Ratings”

Billede-3

Automated extensions in Google ads

Not all campaigns will have Seller Ratings. If you can’t find it in a campaign, please try and check another.

## 5. Data clean up: Separate ads with and without Seller Ratings

The overall campaign data contains a mix of data from ads with and without Seller Ratings, so you should use a spreadsheet to calculate any difference there might be between the two types of ads.

We provided a free template for you to use to calculate your GSR performance:

- [Excel file (download)](https://assets.ctfassets.net/b7g9mrbfayuu/f6vqc8BqScQaEIwqCa6KK/5a6f58b12bc33d5b9e6da977eff88e43/Trustpilot___Cykelpartner_-_How_to_calculate_Google_Seller_Ratings_affect_on_Adwords_ads__1_.xlsx)

Place the data from your “Total – all ad groups” into the top row:

Separate ads with and without Seller Ratings

Data from total ad groups

Insert the “Seller Ratings” data into the Seller Ratings row.

Type the “Seller Ratings” data into the Seller Ratings row

Billede-5

Seller rating data 

Once these steps are completed, your spreadsheet will automatically calculate the performance of ads without Google Seller Ratings, the difference between the ads with and without Seller Ratings, and ultimately, the impact of Google Seller Ratings on your ads.

Please note: Our spreadsheet and how Google ads calculates CTR, CPC, Conversion Rate and CPA can differ slightly as the tools use different amounts of decimals when making the calculations. So please expect minor discrepancies when comparing your spreadsheet's results to the Google ads numbers.

## 6. First results

download (7)

The results

This Cykelpartner.dk campaign saw their click-through rate decrease by 4.45%, and their CPC increase by 7.04%. 

However, more importantly, their conversion rate jumped a massive 34.66%, resulting in a substantial overall 20.51% decrease in cost per conversion/acquisition (CPA) on the ads with Google Seller Ratings.

Ultimately Google Seller Ratings provided Cykelpartner.dk an average 11.42% decrease in CPA, which saved them more than €40.000/yearly. However, please note that every company's experience will be different.

## 7. Calculate your Google Ads performance

We strongly recommend entering data from five different campaigns to get an average which can be used to calculate the impact of your Google ads based on your yearly spend for that channel.

The spreadsheet should automatically calculate this if you input your yearly Google ads spend in the bottom of the spreadsheet.

Please note: If you see a positive number, it means that Google Seller Ratings are saving you money. If you see a negative number, then it means that the extension is costing you money.

## Accounting for differences in campaign results

Cykelpartner.dk saves +€40.000/yearly with Google Seller Ratings. But what if you have different results, or worse, negative results? 

Here are a few tips to ensure you’re tracking everything correctly:

- Have you looked across a representative number of campaigns for your account? For some, five campaigns is not enough as results can vary greatly and some might have a negative impact, but overall, it should be positive.
- Know your competitive environment. Do your competitors have better Seller Ratings and/or more reviews than you?
- Did your average ad position drop on ads with Seller Ratings? This can, of course, affect the ad performance.

## Making the most of Google Seller Ratings

Consumers have an abundance of choice today and this requires quick decision-making and adapting to a new consumer environment for businesses. If your competitors have better Google Seller Ratings or more reviews than you, they might be beating you to the sale. If that’s the case, the way to get ahead and get more reviews and a better rating is by improving your review collection, as well as your overall service.

Most businesses have an abundance of happy customers, but don’t proactively invite them to leave reviews. Collecting customer feedback through a Google Seller Rating [qualified review platform](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/trustpilot-customer-review-software) can make a huge difference.

Proactive collection will lead to a higher quantity of reviews. It also offers a better representation of your company. Remember, an unhappy customer will always find a way to make their voice heard, so it’s up to you to make sure you’re giving your happy customers a platform to share their experiences as well.

Reviews aren’t only beneficial for your potential customers – many of our clients have realized that reviews power benefits like Google Seller Ratings, which can accelerate click-through rates, conversions, and revenue. 

Reviews can also be used to improve traffic, on-page conversions, and build trust in all of your marketing campaigns. Google Seller Ratings are just the beginning!

To find out more about the power of reviews, check out Trustpilot's Complete Guide below.

Impact of GSRs on click-through rate

How to calculate the impact of Google Seller Ratings on your click-through-rate

wom vs seo main image

Trustpilot word of mouth and SEO guide

Word of mouth and SEO are more trustworthy alternatives to advertising, but which one is more effective? Take an in-depth look at some pros and cons for each

A recent ClickZ study found that a staggering 84% of millennials [don’t trust traditional advertising](https://www.clickz.com/84-percent-of-millennials-dont-trust-traditional-advertising/27030/ "84 percent of millennials don't trust traditional advertising") and a study by Credos found that favorable opinions of advertising have [dipped as low as 25%](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/6-ways-to-make-trust-your-essential-brand-differentiator "The value of a trustworthy brand reputation"). 

As traditional advertising becomes less and less effective, brands must turn to different ways of attracting new customers. Two of the most effective strategies available are SEO and word-of-mouth marketing because they also exist for the benefit of consumers, not just brands. 

Regardless of what brands are up to, Google’s goal is to [serve the most relevant results](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/why-does-google-care-if-your-business-has-online-reviews-in-2019?refresh=2020 "Why does Google care if your business has online reviews") for that searcher — and customers leave reviews to help other shoppers have better experiences. 

And while the main similarity between both marketing channels is that they share an organic quality that’s intuitive to consumers, there are many differences — and it can be challenging for brands to figure out which approach makes the most sense for them. 

## Help your target audience find you with good SEO

Did you know that 67.6% of clicks on the first page [come from the first five search results](https://www.impactplus.com/blog/seo-statistics#:~:text=70%25%20of%20marketers%20see%20SEO,their%20top%20inbound%20marketing%20priority. "31 SEO statistics for 2021 and what they tell us")? And that 53% of all of all trackable website traffic [comes from organic search](https://videos.brightedge.com/research-report/BrightEdge_ChannelReport2019_FINAL.pdf "Channel report 2019")? That represents a huge amount of market share you could be winning from your competitors by putting more of a focus on organic SEO. 

Brand visibility is one of the biggest benefits to SEO. And – unlike word-of-mouth – you’re not relying on others to get the word out about your brand. Google is typically the first place someone starts when they’re searching for a product or service, so the higher you are on the first page of search results, the more eyes you’re going to get on your site. Which [translates into more sales](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-seo-is-important-for-business/248101/#close "12 reasons why your business absolutely needs SEO") for your brand. 

There are a few added bonuses as well. Because user experience on your site is such an important factor for Google’s rankings, part of good SEO is improving your site experience so that you can rank well in search. This means a better experience for your site’s visitors, and [higher conversion rates](https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2018/03/29/ux-conversion-rates#:~:text=Video%20on%20Landing%20Pages,lot%20of%20text%20to%20absorb.&text=Studies%20show%20that%20using%20videos,a%20page%27s%20UX%20is%20improved. "6 powerful ways UX can affect your conversion rates") for you. 

SEO is brand awareness in its most effective form because if all goes to plan, your page will appear for searchers with the right buying intent. The higher you rank for exactly what they’re looking for, the better the chance they’ll land on your site. This is what makes SEO so valuable, even though it can seem complex and challenging. 

### Organic SEO builds trust with customers

One of the biggest things to remember about organic SEO – and this is both a pro and a con – is that results are not quick. It will take time. But as frustrating as this is, it also means that once you’re ranking well it’s challenging for your competitors to come in and take your spot.

Consumers aren’t stupid. Organic SEO builds so much trust with them because they understand that it’s in Google’s best interests to show them the best search result for that specific search term. Ranking well in search helps them find your business in a quick and natural way, without them feeling like they’re being marketed to. 

## Let your happiest customers do the talking for you

There are many different types of word-of-mouth marketing. Essentially, anything that has your customers talking about your brand is word-of-mouth. This can include influencer marketing, customer reviews, and even old school face-to-face conversations. 

Just like with organic SEO, the stats around word-of-mouth are pretty compelling. 74% of consumers [identify word-of-mouth as a key influencer](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/ogilvy-cannes-study-behold-the-power-of-word-of-mouth/&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1620229454681000&usg=AOvVaw3-PBeHN5Dj4JweQACyRN5i "Behold the power of word of mouth") in their purchasing decision and 85% of website visitors [find visual user-generated content more influential](https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/why-consumers-share-user-generated-content-infographic/ "Why consumers share user-generated content") than brand photos or videos. And that’s just the beginning in terms of [word-of-mouth’s effectiveness](https://www.getambassador.com/blog/word-of-mouth-marketing-statistics "40+ word of mouth statistics you should know"). 

Reviews are one of the easiest ways to implement a word-of-mouth marketing strategy, especially if you’re [automating review invitations](https://business.trustpilot.com/features/review-invitations "Review invitations | product features") every time someone makes a purchase. This ensures that you have a lot of [user-generated content](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/a-beginner-guide-to-building-brand-loyalty-with-user-generated-content "A beginner's guide to building brand loyalty with user-generated content") to highlight throughout your customer journey and that your mix of customer reviews are an accurate representation of how your customers feel. 

The biggest benefit to collecting reviews is that they have a wide range of uses for your business. Showcasing them throughout your customer journey can [seriously improve your conversion rates](https://business.trustpilot.com/customer-stories/ecommerce/ann-summers-uses-product-reviews-to-increase-sales-up-to-230 "How Ann Summers used product reviews to increase sales by 230%"). They contain powerful consumer insights that can help you [improve your customer experience and increase your revenue](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/turning-reviews-into-revenue-how-to-get-insights-from-your-feedback "Turning reviews into real revenue with consumer insights"). And they’re a great way to [build your online reputation](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/build-trusted-brand/4-reasons-why-every-business-needs-online-reputation-management "4 reasons why every business needs an online reputation strategy"). 

One main factor that differentiates word-of-mouth from SEO is that you can see results pretty quickly. When you’re looking at reviews and conversion rates, all you need to do is A/B test pages on your site after adding reviews and within a few weeks you should be able to see what your new conversion rates are. 

### Word-of-mouth marketing and SEO go hand-in-hand

But there’s one more big impact reviews can have on your business that might surprise you. Reviews can actually [improve your SEO](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/browsers-to-buyers/the-complete-guide-to-reviews "The complete guide to marketing with customer reviews"). Although these two strategies may not seem to have much in common, they’re more connected than you might think. 


Islandsurf.com rich snippets

One of the biggest impacts reviews can have on SEO is [qualifying you for rich snippets](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/get-seen-in-search/rich-snippets-stars-for-product-reviews-can-boost-seo "How to improve your organic SEO with rich snippets") in search by including product reviews on your site. And rich snippets don’t just make your site look nice in SERPs – they [can increase your organic traffic by 30%](https://searchengineland.com/seo-featured-snippets-leads-big-gains-236212 "SEO for featured snippets") and [increase your revenue from organic traffic](https://www.perficient.com/insights/research-hub/featured-snippets-guide "Featured snippets resource center") by 677%.

## Word-of-mouth strengthens all of your marketing and advertising

Although SEO and word-of-mouth have many differences, the one thing they have in common is that both of them help you build trust for your brand with new shoppers more authentically than advertising does. So – if you’ve been asking yourself if word of mouth is better than SEO – to build trust with your customers, SEO and word-of-mouth actually work best hand-in-hand. 

For most brands, it’s worth focusing on these two strategies instead of funneling all of your budget into advertising that might come across as – well – exactly that. It might be tempting to look at this cynically and see these two strategies as no better than advertising. After all, you’re still just trying to sell a product or service at the end of the day. But that couldn’t be further than the truth. 

Focusing on these two strategies forces you to actually focus on what your customers need  – helping Google show your brand to people who are actually looking for your product, and ensuring your customer experience is so good that your customer reviews can convert new customers. 

The key is to make it easier for customers who are already looking for your products — not to try and sell your business to the people who aren’t. 


Is word of mouth better than SEO? A side by side look at more trustworthy advertising alternatives

Trustpilot update: Meet the new Trustpilot business app 

Intuitive, insightful, and focused on key business outcomes. Your most meaningful insights are now front and center. 

With invaluable feedback from businesses like yours, we enhanced the Trustpilot business experience, speeding up load times, improving flows, and adding new pages into key performance metrics so you can continue to make the most of your customers’ feedback. 

Because if you know, you grow.

Take a look!

## Here’s what’s new

### TrustScore Insights

We know your TrustScore is super important to your business, so we made sure it’s really easy to monitor.

The recently added TrustScore Insights page gives you a deeper view of your star rating, so you can take the right steps to grow or maintain it.  Compare your score against others in your industry, and learn how it’s trending over time. 

### *NEW* Reach Page

Reviews help you build a stellar online presence, right where shoppers are researching their next purchase. Now you can see just how many eyes are on your profile page with the new Reach page, which shows where and how folks are finding you.

You can monitor your SEO performance, see trends and compare your reach to industry competitors.

### Widgets

Our TrustBox widgets are great at driving onsite purchases and lowering abandonment, but with so many, it can be hard to choose what’s best for you. We get it, and that’s why we’ve taken tons of historical data to offer you personalized widget recommendations based on your specific goals.

### Invitation Status 

Say good-bye to an endless scroll! You can now easily monitor past and scheduled review invitations with improved filtering, search, troubleshooting and exporting. 

### Service Reviews 

View all of your reviews in one place and use smartlists to quickly prioritize reviews to share, respond to, and investigate. We’ll also offer expert advice on how to best handle those tricky reviews and where to share the ones you love.

And we’re only getting started. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be making even more enhancements to your experience. We’re pumped to be growing with you!

See the changes for yourself.

Meet the new Trustpilot business experience

Trustpilot debuts on the London Stock Exchange

Trustpilot lists on the London Stock Exchange

We’re excited to announce that Trustpilot has listed on the London Stock Exchange, marking an incredible milestone in our history and the beginning of a new chapter in our story. 

Trustpilot was founded with a simple vision in mind: to create an independent currency of trust. 

We wanted to empower consumers to make confident, informed purchasing decisions — while providing businesses with the tools to engage with their customers and demonstrate the quality of their services to build trust. 

Since 2007, consumers in over 200 countries and territories have shared over 120 million experiences for more than 529,000 websites, helping others by sharing those experiences, and proving the intrinsic value of trust.

So today, we’re very excited to announce that [Trustpilot has listed on the London Stock Exchange](https://www.londonstockexchange.com/discover/news-and-insights/london-stock-exchange-welcomes-truspilot-premium-segment-main-market), marking an incredible milestone in our history and the beginning of a new chapter in our story.

It’s another step in our vision towards creating an independent currency of trust. On a platform that is free to use, open to everybody, and built on transparency. 

We want to thank everyone who has shared their experiences on Trustpilot, listened to that feedback, and believed in our mission. We share this incredible achievement with *you*. 

The bar is never set at Trustpilot and we’re more than ready to start the next chapter of our journey together!


Announcement: Trustpilot lists on the London Stock Exchange 

With the power of your customers’ voices, you can get closer to consumers, and win new business. We want to make it even easier for our business users to feature their reviews in email campaigns. Klaviyo was the obvious choice for our integration.

Like every marketing channel, email performs better when it proves the business is trusted by consumers. With the power of your existing customers’ voices, you can get closer to consumers, and win new customers.

This is why we wanted to make it even easier for our business users to feature their reviews in email campaigns. As one of the most popular email service providers in the fast-growing eCommerce sector, Klaviyo was the obvious choice for our integration. 

## Here’s how it works

The integration is easy to use. After connecting your accounts, customize the Trustpilot widget for Klaviyo newsletters. Select the review type (service or product), star-rating threshold, and keyword content that you want to display in newsletters. Drop this widget into your Klaviyo newsletters, and send. Any time email recipients open the email, they’ll see the most recent reviews that match your settings, as well as your current TrustScore.


Klaviyo Trustpilot integration

## Using the integration for social proof in email marketing

Review content in email campaigns can make a meaningful difference at critical points of the customer journey. In fact, 82% of consumers report that [ratings and reviews in email marketing can make them more likely to make a purchase](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/why-and-how-social-proof-influences-consumers).

We tell our business users to add reviews to welcome campaigns to grow trust at the beginning of the customer journey, in cart abandonment emails to bring them closer to the sale, and in winback campaigns to extend LTV. Timely promotional newsletters can also benefit from the increased conversion that reviews bring.

[Check out some of our other recommendations](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/browsers-to-buyers/3-personalized-email-campaigns-to-increase-conversions) for personalized email campaigns.

## Ready to get started?

This integration is available to any Trustpilot Standard user with a Klaviyo account. 

[Follow the instructions to start now](https://support.trustpilot.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017170600). 

*New to Klaviyo? *

[Start with a free account here](https://www.klaviyo.com/partner/signup?utm_source=0010V00002Nvidk&utm_medium=partner). 

*New to Trustpilot? *

__Request a free demo below__ to get started with a Standard plan and use the integration.

Trustpilot and Klaviyo, partnership announcement

Social proof in email marketing is easier than ever with Trustpilot’s Klaviyo integration

Why the finance industry needs to pay attention to consumer insights

If you’re in financial services, the simple act of listening to your customers has never been so crucial as it is now. In this article, we discuss why the finance industry needs to pay more attention to consumer insights.

According to a survey commissioned by Trustpilot, consumers are [50% more likely](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/build-trusted-brand/building-trust-in-financial-services) to say that their level of trust in financial services providers has decreased (rather than increased) over the last 3 years. 

This is hugely important because when you’re [dealing in finance](https://business.trustpilot.com/industries/finance), you’re likely dealing in relationships. Your customers aren’t buying a pack of gum. They’re entering into what could be a multi-year partnership with your company. 

So with a trend of rising distrust, you can bet that more and more people are doing their due diligence before choosing a company to handle their money — which brings us back to the importance of listening to your customer. How well you listen determines how well you can actually communicate to your audience, build ever-improving experiences, and ultimately improve your bottom line.

And that all starts with capturing consumer insights.

## What are consumer insights, again?

Consumer insights are actionable interpretations of human behaviour that are used to gain a deeper understanding of how an audience thinks and feels. Analysing these insights helps companies understand the motivations, desires, and feelings of the people they want to engage with, all so they can serve them more effectively.

In short: if you want to meet your customers where they really are, you first have to know where that is. 

When it’s done right, the application of consumer insights can change how you communicate (and resonate) with your clients, increasing sales and customer satisfaction.

Collecting consumer insights can be tricky — here are a few things you’ll need:

__1. Good data quality__

It all starts with collecting solid data. Without high-quality data, your conclusions or results will likely suffer.

__2. A dedicated analytics team__

Oftentimes, the most valuable insights aren’t exactly obvious from glancing at a datasheet. You’ll want a dedicated data analytics team to extract the stories out of the data you’ve collected. 

__3. An open mind__

Gathering and analysing information on consumer behaviour is one thing. But actually acknowledging the sometimes-inconvenient truths that your data is showing you? That’s another. It’s essential to carefully consider the results of your consumer research, whether you agree with them or not.

__4. Database and segment marketing__

Database marketing uses databases of customers to generate personalised communications. If they are purposefully crafted, these databases represent specific personas, audience segments, regions and more. These kinds of groups are essential to test the authenticity of your consumer insights across different strata. That kind of multifaceted testing can confirm your hypotheses as facts.

## How do consumer insights differ from market research?

These two terms are easily confused, but are markedly distinct. 

For starters, __market research__ is an effort to gather information surrounding a given market. That means recording metrics like market needs, market sizes, competitor presence, market rates, service pricing, and more. 

If market research tells us *what* is happening, __consumer insights__ tell us why it’s happening. The team providing these insights will offer a narrative around the data with the goal of making actionable recommendations towards typically lofty goals like improving CSAT metrics, increasing customer retention, and generating more revenue. 

And *it works*. 

Here are a few ways financial institutions can use consumer insights to better attract and engage with customers.

## 3 Ways you can turn consumer insights into tangible benefits

### 1. Analyse the competition

Because financial services companies don’t vary wildly when it comes to rates, the company that can best listen to consumers (and utilise that information) usually ends up serving customers the most effectively. That can also mean listening to what customers are saying about your competitors’ services and considering that information as you improve your own. 

### 2. Improve the customer journey

Another way consumer insights can amp up your consumer experience is by revealing specific opportunities to better your customer journey. 

Take the [example of Wayfair](https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2017/12/15/leveraging-customer-data-to-create-relevant-customer-experiences-2-examples/#731b07d961d3), a leading online home goods retailer. After analysing consumer research, they realised their customer journey had some sizable gaps - so they built an app for recommending products based on user interests. Not only did that insight-driven pivot lead to a 50% increase in customer retention for that year, the app now also provides the company with new insights into customers’ styles and needs. 

### 3. Personalise your marketing

Especially when it comes to the financial industry, marketing to “an average consumer” isn’t the best way to make people feel seen. When their money's on the line, consumers tend to appreciate a more personal, more cared-for approach. That’s where hyper-personalised marketing can come into play and help them feel like your company is truly speaking to them as individuals.

Consumer insights can help you develop your understanding of your audience to the point where you can make your marketing truly personalised.

## Next steps

- __Establish what you want to learn.__ Before conducting research, make sure you know what (and how) you’ll get your data.
- __Identify your resources.__ How will you obtain data, who’s going to collect it, who’s going to analyse it? Make sure you have enough time and employees dedicated to getting and using your consumer insights.
- __Decide your collection method.__ How you’ll collect data is extremely important. Are you targeting a specific audience? Existing consumers? Will you use a survey? A focus group? These are important questions. Trustpilot's Review Insights tool is a great way to get started.
- __How will you use the data?__ Make sure your efforts are not going to waste. It’s important to plan and think ahead. Once you have the data, start thinking about what departments, processes, strategies, and initiatives might be affected and what the plan is for that.

Lastly, get started! It can be a challenging process to build up a stable of customer insights, but it can massively pay off in the long run. 

Find out how Trustpilot reviews can help you collect great insights, learn about Trustpilot's [Review Insights tool here](https://business.trustpilot.com/features/review-insights), or create a free Trustpilot account today to start collecting reviews.

Why consumer insights are now crucial to the finance industry

Woman with glasses looking straight ahead

Consumer insights are an interpretation of human behaviour used by businesses to gain a deeper understanding of how their audience thinks and feels. Learn how to use them to better understand your customers, meet their needs, and grow revenue.

Listening empowers you to learn from and talk to your customers in order to create ever-improving experiences.

Businesses with quality data are more likely to collect actionable customer insights, which can help them grow their bottoms line in the long run.

## So what are consumer insights, exactly?

A consumer insight is an interpretation used by businesses to gain a deeper understanding of how their audience thinks and feels. Analysing human behaviours allows companies to really understand what their consumers want and need, and most importantly, why they feel this way. 

When consumer insight research is conducted properly, it should improve the effectiveness of how a company communicates to its customers, which is likely to change consumer behaviour, and therefore increase sales.

But [collecting good consumer insights can be challenging](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/introducing-trustpilots-new-machine-learning-tool-review-insights), so here is what you need in order to collect and use consumer insights properly:

__1. Good data quality__

Data quality is vital to the collection of consumer insights. Without high-quality data, your conclusions or results might suffer.

__2. A dedicated analytics team__

The role of your data analytics team is essential in order to understand how your customers think and behave. If you don’t have the right analytics team, it’s hard to understand what the data is telling you.

__3. Consumer research__

It’s important to understand and acknowledge consumer behaviour and consumer insights should help you engage with customers emotionally. In order to do that, [it’s essential not to ignore the results of your consumer research](https://uk.business.trustpilot.com/reviews/how-staysure-uses-the-power-of-ai-to-build-customer-trust), whether you agree with them or not.

__4. Database and segment marketing__

Database marketing is a form of marketing using databases of customers to generate personalised communi cations. These databases can lead to personas, different sets of audiences or segments. As consumer insights remain theoretical, database marketing is another essential element to your research when it comes to testing and learning. Indeed, test actions are necessary if you want to turn insights into facts.

## But what’s the difference between market research and consumer insights?

__Market research__ can be defined as an effort to gather information about customers or markets. It provides information about market needs, market sizes, competitors and customers. It is the “what” of customers and markets. 

Market research delivers statistics and knowledge. 

__Consumer insights__ deliver the same, but tend to come with recommended actions that will help you amplify the company’s growth. This means the team in charge of consumer insights will deliver both data and narrative, allowing you to make use of the data.

Long story short, research tells us what is happening, whereas consumer insights tell us why it’s happening, and will allow us to make changes to our business in order to improve customer satisfaction, customer retention, and increase our bottom bottom line.

If you’re still unsure how you should be using these insights to influence your business and better engage customers, we’ve got you covered.

## Using consumer insights to amplify your marketing efforts

__Consumer insights help analyse the competition__
Whether or not you are the market leader in your industry, looking at how consumers talk about products and services in your industry can reveal a lot about consumers’ needs, and what you can implement to improve your own product, service, or business. 

Being aware of consumers’ conversations when it comes to other products can be extremely valuable, regardless of whether or not they mention or are aware of your business.

### Consumer insights help improve the customer journey


The customer journey’s 5 different stages: awareness, consideration, purchase, retention, and advocacy. Mapping your customer journey will help you understand your customer’s experience and should highlight any gaps you may have.

The customer journey’s 5 different stages: awareness, consideration, purchase, retention and advocacy.

Consumer insights can also help companies map their customer journey and identify any gaps where there might be some, as well as find what works best, and what can be improved for a better user experience and customer journey, from awareness to purchase and advocacy.

Forbes covered [a great example](https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2017/12/15/leveraging-customer-data-to-create-relevant-customer-experiences-2-examples/#731b07d961d3) of how consumer insights was used. Wayfair, a multi-billion dollar online home goods retailer conducted consumer research and analysed their data, and realised they needed to improve their overall customer experience. So they built an app that lets users take pictures of items they see and like giving the information needed so Wayfair can offer recommendations.

Not only did this research allow the business to improve customer experience, but the app now also provides the company with new insights into customers’ styles and needs. As a result, Wayfair saw a 50% increase in customer retention the year the app came out.

### Consumer insights help personalise your marketing

Mass marketing is a strategy in which a company decides to ignore targeted marketing and speak to a whole market instead. The example below illustrates mass marketing perfectly.

An example of mass marketing advertising: toothpaste advert

An example of mass marketing advertising

Today, companies offering a service or product used by many still tend to use mass marketing, like this toothpaste advert. Indeed, by definition of mass marketing advertising, mass-market products do not necessarily need to personalise their communications in order to sell more. 

But in a world where competition is so tough, personalisation has become a necessity for many retail brands out there. Targeted and personalised help communicate a better, clearer message, and therefore attract and retain customers.

That’s why consumer insights can help businesses understand why people buy certain products over other ones and what’s driving those preferences. 

This can help you refine your personas, and determine the best way to speak to your different audience segments. Here are a couple of examples of personalised marketing.


Very personalised website homepage

An example of personalisation

*Very* uses personalised messaging based on sign-in information and seasonal weather data to make a more intimate connection with the site visitor.

Spotify billboard displaying social proof and personalised content

Spotify’s new billboard campaign uses internal consumer data to create unique singular stories that highlighted how personal listening to music can be.

Netflix's personalised homepage

Netflix, on the other-hand, uses algorithms based on previous viewing behaviour in order to recommend the right kind of content to viewers.

Whether it’s with algorithms, internal data, or a mixture of internal and external data, consumer insights help refine the way you communicate to your customers - these brands all use consumer insights to better understand their audience and personalise their marketing and offerings.

Insights are essential to learn about and understand your audience better, as well as find deeper, more actionable insights to improve the way you market your business. 

There are many ways you can use insights to boost your company’s bottom line - so we’ve put this list of steps together to get you started!

### Getting started with consumer insights

- Establish what you want to learn: before conducting research, make sure you know what (and how) you’ll get your data. 
- Identify your resources: How will you obtain data, who’s going to collect it, who’s going to analyse it? Make sure you have enough time and employees dedicated to getting and using your consumer insights.
- What’s your collection method?: How you’ll collect data is extremely important. Are you targeting a specific audience? Existing consumers? Will you use a survey? A focus group? These are important questions. Trustpilot's Review Insights tool is a great way to get started.
- How will you use the data? Make sure your efforts are not going to waste. It’s important to plan and think ahead. Once you have the data, start thinking about what departments, processes, strategies, and initiatives might be affected and what the plan is for that.

Lastly, get started! Obtaining consumer insights is hard work but can pay off in the long run. Find out how Trustpilot reviews can help you collect great insights, learn about Trustpilot's [Review Insights tool here](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/introducing-trustpilots-new-machine-learning-tool-review-insights), or create a free Trustpilot account today to get started.


What are consumer insights and how do I use them? An introduction

Untitled Artwork 45 (1)

What type of metrics measure customer success

We all know customer satisfaction is important, but with many different variables it can be tricky to measure. Learn some of the different metrics to monitor and work on for an improved customer experience.

These are more long term questions, but customer satisfaction levels are also constantly changing, so brands need to keep an eye on them in the short term as well. If levels dip, action needs to be taken immediately to prevent further decline. If they rise, figuring out what changed and replicating it across your business can lead to even more success. 

And even if your customer satisfaction has long been in decline, it’s never too late to try and create a better experience for your customers — the kind that will help you gain more loyal customers and see more success in the long run.

Measuring customer satisfaction can feel a little intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. And it’s okay if there are some areas where you’re falling short. But if your customers are unhappy it’s much better to understand why and resolve the issues than to keep your head in the sand and hope the problems magically disappear. 

So, where to start? There are a few important customer satisfaction metrics to help you understand how you’re doing already and find areas for improvement. Even a tiny improvement in the following focus areas can mean a better experience for your customers, and a better bottom line for your business.

## Customer satisfaction metrics to guide your business
Depending on your business, some of these will probably make more sense for you than others. You don’t necessarily need to focus on all of them, but committing to monitoring a few of them can bring you great results for your business. The more of them that you can focus on, the more your customer satisfaction will likely improve. 

### Customer retention and churn rates – do they stay or do they go? 
[Customer retention](https://www.salesforce.com/eu/learning-centre/customer-service/customer-retention/#:~:text=To%20calculate%20your%20customer%20retention,E%2DN) looks at which of your customers stay with your business over any given period of time. You can figure out how to calculate yours [here](https://blog.totango.com/2021/03/how-to-calculate-and-improve-your-customer-retention-rate/ "How to calculate and improve your customer retention rate"). 

Because acquiring new customers is generally more expensive than retaining your current customers, customer retention rates can have a huge impact on your bottom line in both the long and short term. 

There are a few different [strategies for boosting customer retention](https://www.shopify.com/blog/customer-retention-strategies "What is customer retention? 5 strategies to keep customers"). Starting a customer loyalty program can be an excellent way to incentivize customers to keep spending with your brand and so can offering a discount towards their next purchase at the end of their transaction. Better email engagement programs and win back campaigns sent to customers who have already moved on can help as well. 

### Repeat purchase rate
To figure out your repeat purchase rate,simply divide your total number of customers by your return customers. This is an excellent way to measure customer satisfaction because if you have a large number of customers returning that indicates that your customers are happy enough with your product or service to keep coming back. The numbers speak for themselves.

Unless you’re selling something where people truly only need one or can use the same product for a long period of time, a low repeat purchase rate is typically a bad sign for your business. It means it’s time to ask why your customers aren’t coming back. 

If you’re suffering from a lower repeat purchase rate, there are plenty of [ways to help improve it](https://blog.smile.io/how-to-calculate-purchase-frequency/ "How to calculate purchase frequency and how to improve it"). And even if yours is doing pretty well, any improvements to this will still translate into large financial gains for your brand. 

### Customer lifetime value
Closely tied to repeat purchase rate, your [customer lifetime value ](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/how-to-calculate-customer-lifetime-value "How to calculate customer lifetime value")is the total amount of sales your business will typically see per customer. And it stands to reason that the better your customer experience, the more business you will likely see from each of them. 

This is a great metric to keep an eye on as you put more of a focus on customer satisfaction. If you do it properly, you’ll be able to watch it grow over time as your focus on their experience has them coming back more and making larger purchases. 

Once you get to a point where you’re seeing higher lifetime value from each customer, you can really put all your focus on acquiring new customers, because the ones you have are already happy with your brand and extremely loyal to it. 

And here’s the real beauty of working to improve your customer satisfaction levels: the happier your existing customers are, the easier (and cheaper) it will become to [attract new customers](https://business.trustpilot.com/guides-reports/browsers-to-buyers/the-complete-guide-to-reviews "The complete guide to marketing with customer reviews").

### NPS – are your customers promoting your brand? 
Your NPS – [Net Promoter Score](https://blog.capterra.com/what-is-nps-net-promoter-score-explained/ "What is NPS? Net promoter score explained") – measures how likely your customers are to recommend your business to a friend. This is done with a brief survey asking your customers how likely they are to recommend your business on a scale of 1-10. Chances are, you’ve encountered this survey question embedded right into a software product you frequently use.

Answers between 0-6 reveal your detractors, 7-8 are your passives, and 9-10 are your promoters. Subtract the percentage of detractor responses from the percentage of your promoters and you’ve got your score. 

This can be a great option for businesses because it’s a relatively simple survey that your customers are likely already familiar with — and possibly more likely to engage with. It also takes just a moment to fill out. You can also [get a lot more out of it](https://blog.hubspot.com/service/what-is-nps "The ultimate guide to your NPS score") by leaving a spot for your customers to be able to leave qualitative feedback about how your business could improve. 

Re-calculating your NPS score over time can help you see how your customer satisfaction levels are rising or falling, so for best results you should do this once or twice a year.

### Customer reviews for qualitative and quantitative feedback 
Customer reviews go straight to the source about how your customers feel about you. And because they consist of both star ratings and the actual review, they also provide you with both quantitative and qualitative feedback. 


Customer review Swappa

Reviews can also tackle two different customer service issues, right at the source. [Responding to reviews](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/how-to-respond-to-negative-reviews "How to respond to negative reviews") and resolving customer issues helps keep individual customers happier. But taking it a step further and making changes to your business based on [common trends in your reviews](https://business.trustpilot.com/reviews/learn-from-customers/introducing-trustpilots-new-machine-learning-tool-review-insights "Review insights: using the wealth of insights in your customer reviews to better your business") helps ensure that future customers won’t have the same issues. 

Because of this, customer reviews are both a metric for customer satisfaction and a tool to help you engage with your customers and offer them better customer service, all at the same time. 

Customer reviews are a powerful customer satisfaction tool for one other reason. They offer your customers a place to engage with your brand – and for you to build trust in your brand by engaging with them. Your customers are going to be talking about your brand online either way, but collecting and responding to your customer reviews allows you to be a part of that conversation. 

### CSAT scores for a quick and simple pulse check 
[CSAT scores](https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/customer/what-is-csat/ "What is a CSAT and how do you measure it?") are another method of direct customer feedback. You survey your customers and give them a 1-5 scale to rank how satisfied or unsatisfied they are with your business. You take the number of customers that gave you a four or five – satisfied or extremely satisfied – divide by your number of survey responses, and multiply by 100. That gives you your percentage of satisfied customers. 

These can be emailed to your customer base as surveys, come as a popup at the end of checkout, be sent through SMS, or any other way you communicate with your customers. 

CSAT scores are a great way to get a general pulse of how your customers are feeling, but the main limitation here is the lack of qualitative feedback. CSAT doesn’t help you figure out where you’re missing the mark for your unsatisfied customers or how you could improve their experience going forward. 

## When you grow your customer satisfaction, you grow your business
Not all of these customer satisfaction metrics are going to be right for your business so it’s important to take a look at each of them and decide what’s right for you. Once you have an idea of which ones – and we definitely suggest more than one – make sense, then you can get started. 

We know that negative feedback is never fun, but shying away from it only hurts your business in the long run. Confronting your negative feedback head on is the only way to improve your business moving forward and create a better experience for your customers. 

If customer reviews seem like a good metric to measure and [improve your customer satisfaction](https://business.trustpilot.com/customer-stories/training-education/how-kaplan-internationals-customer-satisfaction-skyrocketed-with-trustpilot "How Kaplan International's customer experience skyrocketed with Trustpilot"), we’re here to help. [Click here ](https://business.trustpilot.com/request-demo "Trustpilot request a demo")to speak with one of our specialists and start collecting reviews from your customers today. 


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