Reviews Are Critical User Generated Content: Review of Reviews [Infographic + Marty Tips]
It’s not even just e-commerce sites that allow reviews either. Local Directory sites allow customers to review businesses, whether the business encourages them or not.
Ecom & Reviews Birds of a Feather
You can't run a successful ecommerce website without reviews. I would go further and say you can run a successful #Ecom website without User Generated Content (UGC). Excellent infographic explains why.
5 Tips For How To GET Reviews & UGC
* Gamify - provide social capital as reinforcement.
* Glorify - Reviewer of the month and other accolades.
* Review Reviewers - ask community to rate reviewers, brand the best of them.
* Contests - make becoming a reviewer a hard won prize like Amazon.
* Give 'em a Job - once you find the 1% willing to contribute gives them a "job" and that will help recruit others in kind.
BTW, I don't agree that a negative review means your company is dead. I posted on how to turn negative reviews around not long ago:
Turn Negative Reviews Into Money
http://scenttrail.blogspot.com/2011/07/turn-negative-reviews-into-money.html
