The emergence of review sites like Yelp has given business owners a far greater incentive to satisfy their customers, lest they receive a low star rating. Getting five-star reviews on a consistent basis can do wonders for your business success. These are five tips to increase online five-star reviews.

Ask Your Regulars

Your regular customers should be appreciated for how they help you keep afloat. They should also be seen as a great source of five-star reviews. When one of them comes in, ask them if they wouldn’t mind leaving a review for you. Don’t do this with any set expectations. Some might feel uncomfortable with this kind of thing or not have enough experience with the internet. If you ask them kindly, they should hopefully show the kindness back to you.

Be Personable

Getting a five-star review is about having a desirable product or a wonderful service, like rodent control or auto repair. If you run a restaurant, you asking your guests how they’re enjoying everything can be the difference between a four-star review and a five-star one. Knowing that they’re being treated so well can give them positive feelings after the meal has ended and encourage them to share their good experience with the world.

Encourage Reviews

Your problem might not be that you don’t have five-star reviews. It could be that people just aren’t leaving reviews. Advertise signs around your business that ask customers to leave five-star reviews. This can help to give you a greater presence on various review sites and bring in more traffic.

Listen to Criticism

Some criticisms will just be nasty attacks on your business and your character. However, there will be plenty that offer good advice, even if their tone is a bit harsh. If people are consistently expressing the same concerns, then you know that this is something you need to take care of. Publicize that you have listened to their concerns and that you’re taking care of things.

Be Unique

A business that’s doing things similar to other successful ones might not be getting many negative reviews, but it’s unlikely to get many glowing ones. Five-star reviews signify that a business is truly special. You need to find some kind of a hook that lets you stand out. Avoid leaning into cheap gimmicks, because you want the quality of your business to keep people coming back.

One doesn’t just get five-star reviews because they feel entitled to them. You have to earn them on the basis of your business’ quality. If you’re willing to accept that you have room for improvement and are willing to put in the work necessary, you can be rewarded with well-earned five-star reviews.