Precision In Your Stars & Rating: Best Review Platforms in 2024

We all know how impactful and vital reviews are for businesses. Hence, you might have noticed the best review platforms now have significant traffic. While it helps customers to make their purchase decisions, at the same time, it helps businesses to know their reception in the market. Most businesses take reviews as a marketing tool, as it helps them convert their potential customers into customers. But as customers get used to online shopping, review platforms have their well-deserved worth.

For your ease, in this blog, we have filtered some of the best-rated and most trustworthy online review platforms that can help you in 2023. But before that, let us understand some basics about customer review platforms and how they help businesses; as you might have noticed, many brands are now opting to embed review widget on websites. Later in the blog, you will also learn different ways to add them to your website and the simplest ways to embed customer reviews.

What Is A Review Platform?

A review platform is a website or application that allows customers to leave reviews and ratings about a particular business, product, or service. These platforms typically allow customers to provide feedback about their experiences, including both positive and negative aspects. Other customers can use this information to make informed decisions about whether to use a particular business, product, or service. 

Online review platforms can cover various industries, including restaurants, hotels, retail stores, service providers, and more. They can also be specific to certain industries like travel, home services, or healthcare.

Overall, customer review platforms serve as a valuable resource for users looking for honest and unbiased feedback about a business or service before they make a purchase or use it.

Why are Customer Reviews Important For Businesses?

Customer reviews are important for businesses because they provide a way for customers to share their experiences and feedback with a wider audience. This can be beneficial for businesses in several ways:

1). Increase Visibility: 

It increases the visibility of a business, as they are often integrated into search results and can be seen by potential customers who may not have otherwise found the business.

2). Improve SEO: 

Positive reviews can help to improve a business’s search engine optimization (SEO), as they can increase the number of inbound links to a website, which can help to improve its ranking in search results.

3). Build Trust: 

Customer reviews allow businesses to build trust with potential customers by providing them with honest and unbiased feedback about their products or services.

4). Improve Reputation: 

It allows businesses to improve their reputation by addressing negative feedback and making changes to their products or services to better meet the needs of customers.

5). Identify Areas of Improvement: 

It can be used by businesses to identify the areas that they need to improve on to provide better customer service or products.

6). Increase Sales: 

Positive review examples can help to increase sales by convincing potential customers to try a business’s products or services. Overall, customer review platforms can play a critical role in helping businesses to attract new users and retain existing ones. They provide valuable feedback that can help businesses to improve their products, services, and overall customer experience.

Various Varieties Of Customer Review Platforms:

There are several types of customer review platforms, each with its unique features and advantages. Some of the most common types of product review platforms include:

A). General Reviews: 

These platforms cover a wide range of industries and businesses, such as Yelp and Google Reviews. They allow customers to leave reviews on a variety of products and services. There are ample review sites from this category that now stand as one of the most reliable sources for customers in helping them make their purchase decisions.

B). Industry-Specific Reviews: 

These platforms are tailored to a specific industry, such as TripAdvisor for hotels and restaurants or Zillow for real estate agents. These types of review sites allow customers to leave reviews on products or services that are specific to that industry.

C). E-commerce Reviews: 

These platforms are geared towards online retail businesses and e-commerce, such as Amazon, allowing users to leave reviews on purchased products.

D). Social Media Reviews: 

Integrated with social media, such as Facebook, where users can leave reviews on a business’s Facebook page.

E). Professional Reviews: 

These platforms are geared towards professionals and businesses, such as Glassdoor for company reviews, LinkedIn for professional endorsements, or Indeed for job listings and employer reviews. These review sites not only help consumers understand a brand but also assist people in getting additional knowledge about that brand – like their work culture, ethics, and more.

For professionals navigating the complex spectrum of options, understanding specialized platforms can significantly enhance decision-making. This is pertinent in sectors like real estate where choosing the right tools becomes critical for success. A comprehensive guide to real estate CRM solutions examines key features, pricing, and reviews to empower agents with knowledge essential for optimizing operations.

F). Vertically Integrated Reviews: 

These platforms are integrated with a particular service, such as OpenTable for restaurant reservations and reviews or HomeAdvisor for home improvement services and reviews. Review sites specially made for service-oriented businesses often experience great traffic, so if you are into that type of business, then it is recommended to get your listings on these online review platforms.

Each type of review platform site serves a different purpose and can be beneficial for different types of businesses. Understanding the different types of customer review platforms and how they can be used to benefit a business is an important aspect of developing a comprehensive online reputation management strategy.

Best Review Platforms For Businesses in 2023:

As mentioned earlier, ample online review platforms are available for customers to know about any brand or product. But to save you time and effort, we have filtered top review platforms.

1. Google Reviews: 

Google reviews are integrated into Google search results, making them highly visible to potential customers. Businesses can be easily searched and reviewed based on location, type of service or product, etc. Also, it is considered one of the most trusted online review platforms. Hence, many brands often prefer to embed Google review widget on their respective websites, to display Google reviews related to their businesses.

2. Facebook Reviews: 

Facebook Reviews are officially known as Facebook Recommendations. FB Reviews hold 19% of all customer reviews. It started with merely the services where people could write about their experiences, but with time, it evolved. Now, FB reviews have the option for consumers to write whether they recommend the brand or not. Therefore, brands embed Facebook reviews on their website to win the trust of their visitors. Various tools help you get a Facebook review widget for your website.

3. Yelp Reviews: 

Yelp is one of the most popular customer review platforms. It is a great place for customers to find local businesses and read reviews from other customers. Yelp covers a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and service providers. It allows customers to leave reviews, rate businesses, and upload photos. Businesses often showcase the customers’ reception of their brand and products by opting to embed Yelp reviews on the website and using the Yelp review widget.

4. Airbnb Reviews:

Airbnb stands for Air Bed and Breakfast. So if you have a hospitality business and looking to win customer trust, then Airbnb reviews are there for your rescue. You have your listing on Airbnb, and your customers can write about their experiences, you can then even embed Airbnb reviews on the website and build trust for your business. The Airbnb review widget also helps in making the website more engaging and interactive.

5. Etsy Reviews: 

Etsy is another brilliant review platform and stands as one of the best review platforms for consumers, helping them make their purchasing decisions. Buyers rate their purchase on a 5-star scale and even have the option to write about their experiences with the particular brand or product. Brands are now using Etsy review widget to showcase reviews from this platform, and even actively opting to embed Etsy reviews on website.

6. Capterra: 

Capterra is a well-renowned technology reviews platform that connects sellers of B2B software to potential buyers. It provides a great option the review provides to pinpoint the pros and cons of the brand and product. 

7. G2 Reviews:

G2 reviews are the most trusted review platform for the software industry. It is a highly engaging platform with huge traffic. With detailed questioning, consumers can provide great details about their experience with the brand.

8. TrustRadius: 

TrustRadius is one of the most trusted online review platforms. Multi-step processes verify every review on the platform to ensure only genuine product reviews are displayed. With an average of more than 400 words on each review, it provides in-depth reviews for the readers, helping them know the product better.

9. Glassdoor: 

Glassdoor is a platform for reviews of companies and their management, as well as salary information and job listings. It is a valuable resource for job seekers looking to research a potential employer before applying for a job.

10. Amazon Reviews: 

Amazon is a major e-commerce platform that allows users to leave reviews of products they have purchased. It is a great resource for customers looking to research a product before making an online purchase.

11. TripAdvisor: 

TripAdvisor is a popular platform for reviews of hotels, restaurants, and other travel-related businesses. It is a great resource for customers planning a vacation or trip, as it provides detailed information on accommodations, activities, and local attractions.

12. Angie’s List: 

Angie’s List is a paid service that allows customers to find and review local service providers, including plumbers, electricians, and home cleaners. It is a valuable resource for homeowners looking for reliable and trustworthy service providers.

13. Better Business Bureau (BBB): 

The BBB is a non-profit organization that allows customers to file complaints and read reviews of businesses. It is a great resource for customers looking to research a business before making a purchase or using its services.

14. Zillow: 

Zillow is a platform for reviews of real estate agents and professionals, as well as listings of homes for sale or rent. It is a valuable resource for customers looking to buy or sell a home or for those looking for a real estate agent.

15. Booking.com Reviews

Booking.com reviews are opinions shared by people who stayed at hotels or other places they booked on Booking.com. After their stay, they can rate and write about the room, location, cleanliness, and staff. These Booking.com reviews help others decide if a place is good for staying. Only real guests can leave reviews, so they’re usually trustworthy.

16. Consumer Reports: 

Consumer Reports is a non-profit organization that provides product reviews and ratings, as well as advice on consumer issues. It is a valuable resource for customers researching a product before purchasing.

17. Restaurantji:

Restaurantji is quickly becoming a go-to platform for diners looking to discover new restaurants or read reviews about local eateries. As a dedicated restaurant review platform, Restaurantji provides comprehensive reviews and ratings on restaurants across the United States. This platform allows customers to share their dining experiences, which in turn aids others in making informed dining choices. By showcasing user-generated content, Restaurantji helps restaurants build their reputation online and connect with more customers. For restaurant owners, embedding Restaurantji reviews on their websites can enhance credibility and attract more patrons by providing transparent customer feedback.

How To Display Customer Reviews On Your Website?

There are several ways to showcase customer reviews on a website, depending on the type of user reviews and the overall design of the site. Some of the most common methods include:

a). Testimonial Pages: 

A dedicated page on the website that includes customer reviews & testimonials reviews. This page can be linked to the homepage or other websites’ main pages.

b). Star Ratings: 

Displaying star ratings on the homepage, product pages, or service pages of the website, can be linked to the full reviews.

c). Review Badges: 

Displaying review badges or seals on the homepage, product pages, or service pages of the website, can be linked to the full reviews.

d). Review Snippets: 

Displaying short snippets of reviews on the homepage, product pages, or service pages of the website, which can be linked to the full reviews.

e). Social Proof Widgets: 

Incorporating review widgets that display the latest reviews and ratings on the website, typically on the sidebar or footer.

f). Review Carousels: 

Creating an interactive carousel of reviews that can be rotated through the homepage, product pages, or service pages of the website.

g). Integrate With Customer Reviews Platforms: 

Integrate with the best review platforms, for example, Google, Yelp, Airbnb, or Facebook, and show the 5-star rating and reviews on your website by using the API provided by the online review platforms.

It is important to consider how the reviews will be displayed on the website and how they will be accessed by visitors. Some businesses choose to display only positive reviews, while others choose to display a mix of positive and negative reviews. It’s also important to consider the design of the website and how the reviews will fit in with the overall aesthetic.

How To Embed Reviews On Website?

There are several ways to add customer reviews on a website, depending on the type of reviews and the website platform being used. Some of the most common methods include:

1. Using review aggregator platforms: 

There are ample review aggregator platforms on the internet that help you to collect reviews from different review sites and help in curating and customizing them, before displaying them on your desired website.

2. Using A Review Plugin: 

Many website platforms, such as WordPress, have review plugins that can be easily installed and configured to display reviews on the website. These plugins typically allow you to import reviews from a reviews platform, such as Yelp or Google, and display them on your website.

3. Embedding Reviews Widget: 

Some customer reviews platforms, such as Yelp and Google, provide review widgets that can be embedded on a website. These widgets typically display a summary of reviews, including the overall rating and a selection of individual reviews.

4. Using API: 

Some product review platforms, such as Yelp, Facebook, or Google, provide API that can be used to access the reviews and display them on the website. This method is more technical and requires a developer to implement it.

5. Manual Embedding: 

Some product review platforms, like TripAdvisor, allow you to manually copy and paste a code snippet that can be embedded on your website, This will display a summary of reviews and a link to the review page on the reviews platform.

6. Using iframe: 

It’s also possible to embed reviews by using an iframe, which allows you to embed content from another website directly on your website. This method can be used to embed reviews from a reviews platform that doesn’t provide a widget or API.

It’s important to make sure that the reviews embedded on the website comply with the terms of service of the review platform they are taken from. Additionally, it’s important to make sure that the reviews embedded on the website are up-to-date and accurate.

The Parting Note:

In conclusion, customer review platforms are an important tool for businesses to increase visibility, improve reputation, and gain customer trust. There are various types of customer review sites available, from general platforms like Yelp and Google reviews to industry-specific platforms like TripAdvisor and Zillow. 

To display reviews on a website, businesses can use methods like creating a testimonial page, displaying star ratings, using review badges or snippets, or integrating with product review platforms using widgets, API, or iframe. It’s important to make sure that the reviews are displayed in a way that is consistent with the overall design of the website and that they are compliant with the terms of service of the review platform they are taken from. Additionally, it’s important to keep the reviews up-to-date and accurate.