Why customer reviews are crucial for small business success

When deciding where to spend their time and money, most people don’t start with a business’s website, but start with the reviews.

Whether they’re planning a day out, booking an immersive city experience, or choosing somewhere to eat, a few lines of honest feedback from a stranger can make all the difference.

That’s why your words matter more than you might think. Leaving a review might take just a minute, and it could be the reason someone decides to book. Almost all customers read online reviews before purchasing or booking, and those reviews can tip the scales for small businesses.

Every single review boosts visibility, builds credibility, and helps new customers discover what businesses are all about. For experience-based businesses like StreetHunt Games, reviews often drive over half of all bookings – especially from customers who are new to the city or unsure what to expect. That’s why gathering reviews isn’t just nice to have – it’s often a core part of a small business’s marketing strategy.

Trust

For small businesses, reviews and testimonials are some of the most powerful tools to build trust and credibility. They not only validate your business but also boost your online presence and shape how people see your brand.

One of the strongest effects of customer reviews is the sense of social proof that they provide. Social proof is the idea that people tend to follow the crowd, especially when they’re unsure. Seeing that others have had a good experience gives new customers confidence to choose your business.

This is especially true for small businesses, where a customer may be engaging with your brand for the first time. A review can be the best reassurance that your product or service really delivers.

Watch out for fake reviews! Trust only comes when reviews feel genuine. Fake testimonials are recognisable and do more harm than good. Honest feedback, even when it’s not perfect, is far more convincing. A mix of positive reviews and constructive criticism can boost credibility by showing transparency and a willingness to improve.

Even the number of stars matters. Research shows that the average star rating impacts customer decisions as much as written feedback. Businesses with ratings below 4.0 often get filtered out.

At the end of the day, people buy from businesses they trust, and nothing builds trust quite like genuine testimonials.

Online visibility

In addition to building trust, reviews can help get your business out there in the first place. Regular reviews show that your business is active, relevant, and engaging with customers. This, in turn, can boost your ranking in search results, and improve your online visibility.

When potential customers search for experiences, restaurants, and businesses in your area, those with a steady stream of reviews are more likely to appear near the top of the list. This gives you a competitive edge over other businesses that have fewer reviews.

Reviews often include the words customers use when searching online, helping your business show up more often in search results.

By encouraging customers to leave detailed feedback, you’re not only collecting testimonials but boosting the online visibility of your business: a powerful marketing tool. Additionally, reviews don’t just increase traffic to your site, but also influence whether or not somebody takes the next step. Having reviews helps convert browsers into buyers.

With over 50 per cent of StreetHunt Games bookings influenced by customer testimonials, reviews on platforms like Google and TripAdvisor have proven to be powerful tools in helping new players discover and book our outdoor games.

Valuable feedback

Besides boosting your reputation, customer reviews can also be a valuable source for feedback. Forbes writes, “Customer feedback can provide a goldmine of valuable insights that helps you develop a better product or service.” Honest feedback allows you to spot recurring praise versus pain points, and things you may not realise on your own.

Listening to reviews helps you make informed decisions to improve your products or services, and ultimately, the customer experience. Making changes based on testimonials gives you confidence that your decisions are grounded in real customer needs, which further increases your credibility.

Viewing reviews as a source of constructive feedback allows you to continuously refine your offering and stay competitive in an evolving market.

How to gather reviews

Collecting reviews is important, but how you get them also matters.

Ask at the right time: The best moment to request a review is shortly after the experience. At StreetHunt Games, we send a follow-up email 24 hours after the game with a simple call-to-action and review links. Timeliness boosts the chances that players still have the experience fresh in their minds.

Make it easy: Simplify the process by providing direct links to Google, TripAdvisor or your preferred platform in emails, receipts, and follow-ups. If someone sends kind words via message or email, offer to turn their quote into a formatted testimonial and send them a link to post it publicly.

Showcase testimonials: Highlight your best reviews on your website and social media. Featuring real voices helps build trust with potential customers.

Encourage detail: Ask customers to be specific about what they liked or didn’t. Detailed reviews are more helpful for both you and potential customers.

Be responsive: While responding to reviews is a topic on its own, acknowledging feedback shows that you value your customers and their opinions.

Be consistent with your efforts to gather reviews. It’s not just about how many reviews you have, but also how recently they were posted. Customers are more likely to trust businesses with recent activity, and Google search results often show the freshest content.

How to respond to reviews

How you respond to reviews says a lot about your business. Thanking customers for taking the time to leave a review shows you appreciate their support and encourages others to share their experiences too.

When it comes to negative feedback, responding professionally makes all the difference. This not only helps repair relationships, but also shows potential customers that you care about the experience your business delivers.

Responding promptly and politely to reviews helps build trust, show your commitment, and strengthens your business reputation over time.

Finally, don’t let great reviews sit unused, but repurpose them into social posts. You could feature them on your homepage, and use snippets of them in emails.

Conclusion

Reviews and testimonials are more than just feedback, especially to small businesses. They are a vital part of building trust and getting your business noticed. By encouraging customers to share their experiences and using that feedback to make improvements, you create a win-win for your business and your customers.

Start making reviews a regular part of your strategy today, and you’ll soon see how powerful a tool they can be for attracting new customers and standing out in a crowded market.

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss further or understand the processes tied to testimonials that we’ve used at StreetHunt Games.