When searching for a service provider online—be it for web hosting, software solutions, or just the best local baker—you'll almost always find yourself on a review platform. This reflects how crucial these platforms have become. Over recent years, we've clearly noticed: if you want to be visible online, you need reviews. Period.
We're not talking about fake, purchased reviews but genuine feedback. Honest voices from our clients and customers. These are the statements that matter and build trust.
Why Reviews Are So Important
No matter how good your offer is—without building trust, you'll remain invisible. Reviews provide potential customers with what traditional advertising can't: authentic testimonials. It's a bit like a personal recommendation from someone you know, just in the digital realm.
It’s not just about positive reviews. Constructive criticism can also help improve processes and demonstrate that you’re learning and caring as a provider. We take every feedback seriously—and many of our small improvements are thanks to these voices.
This doesn’t only apply to us—many of our customers, like those in the hospitality industry, rely on it. Platforms such as Booking.com or Google Maps centralize competition. It's not just about competing on price anymore; it's mostly about visibility. Those who are listed at the top are seen—and those who are seen, win. The key to this is good, honest reviews.
Our Experiences
Initially, we underestimated the power of review platforms. We thought: "Those who know us, know how we work." But that’s no longer enough today. Especially in competitive fields like IT services or hosting, one must be visible and trustworthy. And this is only possible through platforms made visible by Google & Co.
We’ve had good experiences with the following platforms:
1. Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile allows businesses to become visible online and directly engage with their customers. With the integration of Google Maps, Google Search, and other Google services, it's a central place for local searches. Customers can leave reviews, add photos, view opening hours, and contact directly.
Pricing Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is free for businesses. There are no hidden costs for creating and maintaining the profile. Companies only pay for optional advertising (e.g., Google Ads).
Activation To create a Google Business Profile, a company must have a physical store or location accessible to customers, such as an office, a shop, or a branch. The business owner must have the right to manage the profile. Google also requires verification of the business address (often via a PIN sent by post).
Authenticity The authenticity of a business profile is ensured through address verification, often via a mailed PIN—though I received three letters because they were stuck together during printing. Google rarely deletes reviews, positive or negative. In my experience as a Local Guide, I once saw Google delete a review after a legal demand.
2. Trustpilot
Trustpilot is one of the best-known and widely used platforms for customer reviews. It allows companies to gather feedback from their customers, thus boosting credibility and transparency. As a review platform, Trustpilot offers both small businesses and large firms valuable opportunities to showcase their services and get direct customer feedback. The platform was founded in 2007 and has since earned considerable trust among consumers.
Pricing/Model: Trustpilot has a free version that allows for collecting and managing reviews. However, this version doesn't allow integrating the reviews via widgets on your website—that feature is available only with a paid plan. Trustpilot's paid service starts at a monthly rate of 189€, offering additional features like widgets and advanced analytics. For businesses looking to collect reviews without using additional features like widgets, the free version is a great option. But for those wanting more interactivity and to incorporate reviews on their site, the paid options can be relatively expensive.
Requirements for Activation: Authenticity on Trustpilot is supported by gathering reviews from verified customers. Trustpilot has measures to combat fake reviews and regularly deletes suspicious ones. As a company, you can respond to reviews, which helps maintain a transparent and authentic relationship with your customers. Negative reviews aren't simply deleted, but there's an option to request a review based on suspected manipulation.
Authenticity: Trustpilot now uses artificial intelligence (AI) to verify the authenticity of reviews. Additionally, company operators can manually report reviews they deem false or inappropriate. An example from our own experience: a review mistakenly posted to the wrong company profile was removed after being reported and undergoing an 11-day review process by Trustpilot. Trustpilot examines every reported review and takes measures to ensure the quality and authenticity of the reviews.
3. ProvenExpert
ProvenExpert was founded in 2011 and remained active in our business until 2020. When we partially sold a division, we also let go of this review platform; however, during our use, we gained valuable insights. We operated under the Basic plan, with up to 50 reviews, and made intensive use of the platform's advantages. ProvenExpert helped us gather customer feedback and strengthen our online reputation.
Pricing/Model: ProvenExpert offers both free and paid plans. The free plan allows collecting reviews; however, these are automatically hidden after 24 months. More features require a paid subscription. Prices for paid plans vary based on needs, starting at about 29.90€ per month for the "Basic" plan, which allows up to 50 reviews.
Requirements for Activation: To use ProvenExpert, businesses need to create a profile and provide their services and relevant business information. No special requirements are needed for activation, but companies need to ensure they can prove they’re receiving reviews from genuine customers. This is supported by a verification process and the possibility of incorporating widgets for collecting reviews.
Authenticity: ProvenExpert follows a model allowing businesses to hide or show individual reviews. Companies can use this to prevent displaying reviews that don't meet their expectations. However, it’s not always clear why a review isn’t shown, which can lead to uncertainties, especially with the free plan usage.
4. Expeero
Expeero is a relatively new review platform with an innovative concept: customers can leave reviews and simultaneously contribute to an environmentally conscious action. Expeero’s business model combines collecting reviews with the opportunity to plant trees. This integration of reviews and environmental awareness appeals to both businesses and customers who value sustainability. We used the platform during a test phase, finding both its functions and concept convincing. Our customers also highly appreciate this solution, and we will most likely start with the Starter plan for 2025.
Pricing/Model: Expeero offers a very fair entry price. The free plan already includes numerous features, including extensive widgets and marketing materials that companies can use to collect and showcase reviews. The paid plan starts at 15€ per month with a 12-month contract binding. This rate provides numerous additional functions, such as multiple survey types and the option to plant a tree for each review (even external ones). Thus, collecting reviews isn’t just a duty but also an eco-friendly gesture that can sustainably improve a company's image. The idea of planting a tree for each review encourages people to submit reviews—even if they're negative.
Requirements for Activation: Getting started with Expeero is straightforward. Companies only need to create a profile and confirm their email. There's no address verification required, but Expeero manually marks business profiles as verified.
Authenticity: Expeero adopts a transparent and fair review aggregation approach. Customer reviews are displayed honestly and uncensored. Negative reviews aren’t hidden but receive the same visibility as positive ones. Expeero follows a transparent strategy where all reviews are visible, enhancing platform trust and building an authentic reputation. As business owners, we can dispute reviews with reasons like "The customer is not known to us" or "The customer is lying or defaming our business." Reported reviews are immediately deactivated and reviewed by the Expeero team.
As a business owner, this feature is advantageous as unwanted or incorrect reviews can quickly be hidden. As a consumer, however, I’d prefer a more transparent solution where, for example, a disputed review on the profile is greyed out, indicating it has been challenged.