On Thumbtack, viewers can find everything from home contractors to nutritionists to aquarium services right in their neighborhood. The list of service providers consumers have to choose from is endless. So how do you make your home service business stand out from all the rest?
Well, we’re glad you asked! Having positive customer reviews will make or break your business, no matter what industry you are in. That’s just a fact. Here we’ll cover the best ways to gain more business through reviews on Thumbtack.
Just a few quick notes first about Thumbtack.
Before we get into the good stuff, we wanted to cover what exactly Thumbtack is and why online reviews are so critical, in case you weren’t already aware.
What is Thumbtack?
Besides being a handy office supply, Thumbtack is an innovative new review website. It’s got a handy mobile-friendly app that helps consumers find, research, hire, and review local service providers all at no cost.
But using Thumbtack doesn’t stop there. Thumbtack is a great tool that sets itself apart by going beyond just rating and reviews. They offer informative how-to guides for handy viewers and a way to get cost estimates for countless projects, all in one site.
How does Thumbtack work?
Thumbtack is simple and straightforward to use. Businesses can use Thumbtack to improve their online presence and reach a wider audience.
Customers can create a free account, search for the service they need, then compare prices, reviews, and availability for the different professionals in their area. Once they have selected a professional, they can contact them and work out the details of the project.
Pros and Cons of Thumbtack
So now you know what Thumbtack is and how it works. Here are som pros and cons to help you decide if this website is right for your business.
Pros:
- Thumbtack.com is a great way to find and connect with local customers.
- It is easy to use and can help you save time and money by connecting you with people who otherwise may not have known your business existed.
- Thumbtack.com has a wide variety of professionals and services available, so customers can find exactly what they need.
- The website also offers helpful customer support if you have any questions or need assistance.
Cons:
- The website does not always have all the information customers might need to make an informed decision. This is why it’s crucial to make it easy for customers to contact your business.
- Thumbtack.com does not guarantee the quality of the services provided.
Why bother with online reviews anyway?
The real question should be, why not? These days everyone does a preliminary search for customer experience reviews on service providers when they are shopping around, especially when it involves having someone in their home. And we mean, everyone. Don’t you?
Ok, maybe as a home service professional, you’re not going to be shopping around for contractors or landscapers in the area. But let’s say you’re in the market for a dog groomer. Wouldn’t you want to know what kind of experience other customers have had before entrusting them with your beloved pooch?
The stats don’t lie. If you average it out, roughly half of all adults consult online reviews before making a purchase of any kind. That number is only going to continue to increase in a world where technology and online communities are ever-growing
Having an extensive collection of reviews for your home service business also puts you at the top of the list for online searches, meaning you’ll generate leads with ease. Plus, when you keep a finger on the pulse of those reviews, you can see what makes your customers happy and where you can improve.
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Below are a handful of useful strategies for gaining some great reviews.
How to Get More Reviews on Thumbtack.com
Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Below are a handful of useful strategies for gaining some great reviews.
Put together an email campaign to get more reviews on Thumbtack.
If you’re doing it right, you already have a few email campaigns set up to periodically reach out to customers after interacting with your business. You may use these to automate order confirmations, sending out quotes, and providing updates on the lead time.
This feedback messaging should be no different after you have completed a project for your customers. It doesn’t matter if you are a landscaper, an electrician, or a painter. Immediately after providing your services, an email should be sent to your customers to thank them for doing business with you.
Take that follow up opportunity to ask for a Thumbtack review. Thankfully, HubSpot did all the hard work for you. They did a little research and determined that fancy graphics and thorough copywriting content didn’t make any difference.
As with most things in life, it’s always better to keep it simple. Believe it or not, the email style on the left will yield you more clicks and lead to more reviews. Even though the imagery of cupcakes is cute and all, people don’t want the fluff. Get down to the point, quickly. Sometimes “less is more.”
Of course, don’t forget to throw a link to Thumbtack in there, making it easy for your happy customers to leave you a review.
Use social media to ask for Thumbtack reviews.
Whether you love it or hate it, social media is the place to be these days. As a home service business, you have a unique opportunity to showcase your work and ask for reviews on sites like Thumbtack.
Use platforms like Instagram to post gorgeous pictures of a home remodel your contracting company did (with the customer’s permission, of course). And maybe even ask that satisfied customer to post it as well.
Twitter is a powerhouse when it comes to social media. Below is a chart featuring the number of ‘Monetizable daily active Twitter users worldwide from 1st quarter 2017 to 2nd quarter 2020.’
That’s right, in Millions. Almost two-hundred million users worldwide have the potential to spend money with your business. That is a gigantic viewer pool. Why not take advantage of these platforms to ask customers for reviews and show off all the positive reviews you have earned?
The software developer Dokmee does a great job of this. With over ten-thousand followers on Twitter and simple, fun posts asking for reviews, they are knocking it out of the park with social media.
With social media, it’s super simple to link to Thumbtack for a third party review. People are already fiddling around scrolling social media; if you make it easy, they’ll likely take the time to pop over and leave you a review while they are at it on Thumbtack.
Try texting your customers to get a Thumbtack review.
No, we don’t mean to text all your customers from your cell phone every time you want to request a Thumbtack review. That would be insane. Fortunately, there just so happens to be some innovative tools out there to help.
For instance, Podium Reviews is an effective solution. With their easy to use app, you can link to all the review sites like Thumbtack, Yelp, Google Reviews, and more, all in one place. Having text messaging in one centralized location allows you to manage your business’ online reputation and reviews in a user-friendly format.
Podium features are built with messaging in mind. When your small business signs up for Podium services, you receive two-hundred free review contact messages. Just that push alone will land you a hearty number of great Thumbtack reviews.
Reward reviewers if they review you on Thumbtack.
Incentive programs always go over well for getting Thumbtack reviews. Think about it, you already have a happy customer, and then you offer them even more value for working with your company, simply for taking two minutes out of their day. Being in the home service industry, you have the opportunity to provide a variety of reward programs.
Say you have a business that specializes in deck remodels and repairs. Let your pleased customers know that if they rate you on Thumbtack, you’ll offer a discount for future services.
If you provide services that aren’t easily discounted or don’t anticipate return customers, try offering an Amazon gift card. Everybody loves those. You can shoot them a quick message with a link to Thumbtack and let customers know you want to hear how they enjoyed the work you did with a review.
Float, a software company, pops onto online forums and throws down twenty bucks for reviews and clearly outlines the terms.
Now it’s important to distinguish between asking for a review and asking for a positive review. You don’t want to try and sway people to leave a five-star review if that isn’t genuinely the experience they had. Welcome all reviews since even the negative reviews give you a chance to hear customer pain points and improve your services.
Moral of the story, don’t be afraid to ask for the review on Thumbtack.
Sure, some people will go out of their way on their own to leave a comment or rating about your service, but not that many. Certainly not as many as your business needs to generate a killer online reputation that draws in even more business. Plus, it’s in your best interest to guide them to platforms like Thumbtack for the best results.
Remember that millions of people are out there looking at reviews every day. The common consumer appreciates being able to scope out home service providers and the quality of service offered. So it’s not a huge ask to request that they contribute to that ecosystem.
Taking the initiative to build a solid environment of reviews online can only help your business grow. There’s no doubt about it. Why not show off the results of your hard work, right? Put your company out there. Use fun social media posts and simple email campaigns to get the word out.
Do yourself a favor and automate things as best you can with tools like Podium to send out text messages. Since everybody seems to prefer texting nowadays, you should too. Also, try throwing folks a little something for their feedback. They’ll be thrilled about the reward, and you can emphasize how much their opinion means to your company.
Alternatives to Thumbtack
Not sold on Thumbtack? Looking for similar websites? Here are a few alternatives to consider:
