The Rise
of B2B
Product
Reviews
HOW B2B MARKETERS CAN LEVERAGE
CUSTOMER VOICES TO DRIVE
RELEVANCE AND REVENUE
Hello!
2
Mike Weir
Sr. Director, Technology Vertical
LinkedIn
Tim Handorf
President & Co-Founder
G2 Crowd
Brittany Wroblewski
Director of Strategic Partnerships
G2 Crowd
3
70%
Why are reviews becoming increasingly important?
Decision makers for
technology companies look
to their peers for advice.
The majority (70%) of tech buyers
are discussing solutions outside the
buying committee for information
and counsel on B2B solutions.
User reviews are today’s primary
sources for B2B guidance,
education, and research.
Studies show having at least 5
reviews increases likelihood of
purchase (270% more likely to
purchase than product with 0 reviews).
4
How can marketers tap into the
power of reviews?
Find ways to incorporate
quotes from reviews into
social, email, and other
digital campaigns; link back
to product reviews from
your site Build trust by promoting user reviews
alongside branded content.
Market to help users solve a problem, not
sell a product. Use reviews to showcase how your
product has helped someone solve a problem or
impacted their business.
Be authentic by embracing the good —
and the bad. Use critical reviews to engage with
customers, exhibit customer service and gain product and
positioning insights about your solution.
Studies show that
products with a
rating below 5 are
more likely to
purchase
than products
with a near
perfect
rating
How can marketers
encourage customers to write
product reviews?
More product reviews = more purchases. So how do
you get them?
1. Don’t be shy about asking for reviews. Actively ask.
2. Build reviews into your customer lifecycle
3. Encourage dialogue and comments on reviews
4. Strive for authenticity from power users
5. Extend reach of reviews with syndication
6
Respond
How to turn negative reviews into your biggest asset.
ActEmbrace it Follow up
Use a poor reviews as
a chance to clear up
misconceptions or
acknowledge issues.
Use every negative
review as a learning
opportunity across
your business.
Incorporate the
feedback into your
roadmap or
positioning efforts.
Once you have fixed
the issue, follow up
with the user to ask
for an updated
review.
Negative reviews get 200-300% more clicks and views than positive reviews.
1. 2. 3. 4.
7
How do teams use reviews to influence and accelerate
the entire funnel and complete customer experience?
The value of product reviews is growing and growing fast.
ü Produce thought leadership
ü Generate case studies
ü Develop new products and improve current ones
ü Address negative reviews head on
ü Share review insights across sales & marketing
88
How have other companies found success with
these tactics?
Challenge: Kimble needed a way to ensure its solutions were visible
among large, well-funded competitors.
Solution: Through G2 Crowd, customers gain a balanced and
independent view of professional services automation products in one
place Kimble shows potential customers how its PSA solutions work with
complementary products from other vendors.
Results: Boost in brand awareness and increase in flow of qualified leads.
Kimble Uses Reviews to Level the Playing Field
9
How have other companies found
success with these tactics?
Looker Connects with Buyers at
the Right Time on LinkedIn
Challenge: Looker found that prospective buyers of BI tools utilize
networks like LinkedIn during their due diligence stage of buying.
Looker needed a way to connect with these buyers and deliver
valuable information and bring them into the sales process.
Solution: Looker promoted its status as a G2 Crowd Grid Business
Intelligence Platform Leader with a Sponsored content campaign
on LinkedIn.
Results: 2x increase in leads generated year over year. Higher than
average click through rate on LI for more than 6 months
The partnership
between LinkedIn
& G2 Crowd.
• Reviews can be brought to life by
LinkedIn members and shared on
the platform.
• On LinkedIn, reviewers can
showcase their unique knowledge;
while brands can promote their
customer ratings by creating
meaningful dialogue
with LinkedIn followers.
• Join the conversation
on product reviews
with #B2BReviews.
Q&A

The Rise of B2B Product Reviews

  • 1.
    The Rise of B2B Product Reviews HOWB2B MARKETERS CAN LEVERAGE CUSTOMER VOICES TO DRIVE RELEVANCE AND REVENUE
  • 2.
    Hello! 2 Mike Weir Sr. Director,Technology Vertical LinkedIn Tim Handorf President & Co-Founder G2 Crowd Brittany Wroblewski Director of Strategic Partnerships G2 Crowd
  • 3.
    3 70% Why are reviewsbecoming increasingly important? Decision makers for technology companies look to their peers for advice. The majority (70%) of tech buyers are discussing solutions outside the buying committee for information and counsel on B2B solutions. User reviews are today’s primary sources for B2B guidance, education, and research. Studies show having at least 5 reviews increases likelihood of purchase (270% more likely to purchase than product with 0 reviews).
  • 4.
    4 How can marketerstap into the power of reviews? Find ways to incorporate quotes from reviews into social, email, and other digital campaigns; link back to product reviews from your site Build trust by promoting user reviews alongside branded content. Market to help users solve a problem, not sell a product. Use reviews to showcase how your product has helped someone solve a problem or impacted their business. Be authentic by embracing the good — and the bad. Use critical reviews to engage with customers, exhibit customer service and gain product and positioning insights about your solution. Studies show that products with a rating below 5 are more likely to purchase than products with a near perfect rating
  • 5.
    How can marketers encouragecustomers to write product reviews? More product reviews = more purchases. So how do you get them? 1. Don’t be shy about asking for reviews. Actively ask. 2. Build reviews into your customer lifecycle 3. Encourage dialogue and comments on reviews 4. Strive for authenticity from power users 5. Extend reach of reviews with syndication
  • 6.
    6 Respond How to turnnegative reviews into your biggest asset. ActEmbrace it Follow up Use a poor reviews as a chance to clear up misconceptions or acknowledge issues. Use every negative review as a learning opportunity across your business. Incorporate the feedback into your roadmap or positioning efforts. Once you have fixed the issue, follow up with the user to ask for an updated review. Negative reviews get 200-300% more clicks and views than positive reviews. 1. 2. 3. 4.
  • 7.
    7 How do teamsuse reviews to influence and accelerate the entire funnel and complete customer experience? The value of product reviews is growing and growing fast. ü Produce thought leadership ü Generate case studies ü Develop new products and improve current ones ü Address negative reviews head on ü Share review insights across sales & marketing
  • 8.
    88 How have othercompanies found success with these tactics? Challenge: Kimble needed a way to ensure its solutions were visible among large, well-funded competitors. Solution: Through G2 Crowd, customers gain a balanced and independent view of professional services automation products in one place Kimble shows potential customers how its PSA solutions work with complementary products from other vendors. Results: Boost in brand awareness and increase in flow of qualified leads. Kimble Uses Reviews to Level the Playing Field
  • 9.
    9 How have othercompanies found success with these tactics? Looker Connects with Buyers at the Right Time on LinkedIn Challenge: Looker found that prospective buyers of BI tools utilize networks like LinkedIn during their due diligence stage of buying. Looker needed a way to connect with these buyers and deliver valuable information and bring them into the sales process. Solution: Looker promoted its status as a G2 Crowd Grid Business Intelligence Platform Leader with a Sponsored content campaign on LinkedIn. Results: 2x increase in leads generated year over year. Higher than average click through rate on LI for more than 6 months
  • 10.
  • 11.
    • Reviews canbe brought to life by LinkedIn members and shared on the platform. • On LinkedIn, reviewers can showcase their unique knowledge; while brands can promote their customer ratings by creating meaningful dialogue with LinkedIn followers. • Join the conversation on product reviews with #B2BReviews.
  • 12.