Four Impactful Types of Incentives for Generating Reviews, According to 10,000+ Consumers
We know incentives are enough to motivate 73% of consumers to write reviews. But what incentives actually work?
The short answer is that it depends. An incentive that works well for one brand might not be as successful for another.
However, we recently surveyed more than 10,000 consumers to understand what motivates them to write reviews — and there were four incentives that rose to the top. Let’s dig into each of them so you can determine which might be a good fit for your brand.
Receiving the Product Free of Charge
Receiving a Product Before It’s Available to the Public
Discounts with Store or Brand
Loyalty Points with Store or Brand
Let’s face it: people like getting free stuff. So it’s probably not terribly surprising that receiving a free product is the most effective incentive for getting more reviews. 91% of consumers said they’d be motivated to write a review if they received a product free of charge.
So if you’re looking to generate a high volume of reviews fast, product sampling might be just the ticket.
The concept is simple: send free samples to consumers — and then ask them to write a review. But it’s incredibly effective. At PowerReviews, the average submission rate for product sampling campaigns is 85%. That means 85% of those who receive a free sample go on to write a review.
Reviews that result from product sampling campaigns are also high quality. We’ve found that reviews generated through a sampling campaign are 83% longer, compared to those captured via other methodologies.
This is great news, as 56% of consumers say that the length, depth, and detail of review content are factors that matter to them.
2. Receiving a Product Before It’s Sold to the General Public
Getting early access to a product can make a customer feel valued, special, and, quite frankly, a bit like a rock star. It’s a pretty cool feeling to know you have something that hasn’t officially hit the shelves.
Early access to a product can also motivate consumers to write reviews. 85% of consumers say that receiving a product before it’s sold to the general public would motivate them to write a review.
If you’re releasing new products, consider doing a pre-launch product sampling campaign. The consumers who receive early access are likely to write reviews — and that means you can officially launch the product with plenty of reviews already in place!
What’s more, the feedback you get in those pre-launch reviews can help you understand where your product shines — and where it falls flat. Then, you can use the insights you uncover to tweak the product before it officially hits store (and digital) shelves.
3. Discounts with the Store or Brand
Consumers are constantly on the hunt for great deals and discounts. According to a cash app database survey from Valassis, 72% of consumers make it a priority to save money by using coupons and discounts.
Who wants to pay full price when they don’t have to? No one!
Offering a coupon or discount can also increase the likelihood that a shopper will write a review. 67% of consumers say they’d be motivated to write a review in exchange for a discount for the store or brand.
So if you’re looking to increase your review volume, consider offering shoppers some sort of deal in exchange for writing a review. For example, you might provide a code for a percentage off a future purchase or free shipping percentage off a future purchase that’s “unlocked” after the customer has submitted a review.
The right discount or deal will help you generate more reviews, and as an added bonus, it’ll give your customers an excuse to shop with you again. The same survey from Valassis found that 54% of consumers said that receiving a coupon or discount has caused them to make an impulse purchase.