Merging Reviews from Multiple Sources
Sociable Reviews allows you to combine feedback from different platforms into a single cohesive display. This guide explains how review merging works and how to set up a widget that pulls from multiple sources.
Benefits of Merged Reviews
Combining reviews from different platforms offers several advantages:
- Increased Volume: Display more testimonials by pulling from multiple sources
- Complete Picture: Showcase all your customer feedback in one location
- Diverse Perspectives: Include feedback from different customer segments who may prefer different platforms
- Consistent Presentation: Present all reviews in a uniform style regardless of origin
Setting Up Merged Reviews
Creating a Multi-Source Widget
- Go to the Sociable Reviews dashboard
- Click on "Create" to start a new widget. You will need to create separate widgets for each review source
- Enter your Business URL or ID
- Under "Review Sources," check your review source
- Configure your other widget settings
- Click "Create" to generate your widget
Configuring Sources
Once your widgets are generated, go to Online Store > Customize > Add the App Block "Sociable Reviews". In the widget ID, add the first source from your widgets in the app dashboard. Then add the secondary sources in the Secondary ID field via Widget ID. For multiple sources, separate the widget IDs with a comma.
Source Indicators
When displaying merged reviews, each review will include an indicator showing which platform it came from:
- The platform name in the review footer
- Color coding
This helps maintain transparency about where each review originated.
Limitations and Considerations
When using merged reviews, keep in mind:
- Different Rating Scales: Your widget will showcase different rating scales depending on review source (e.g., Facebook's recommendation system vs. Google's 5-star system).
- Review Limits: The total number of reviews displayed is capped at the number you specify, selecting the most recent reviews across all platforms.
- Duplicates: The system attempts to prevent duplicate reviews from appearing, but if a customer posts identical reviews on multiple platforms, both may appear.
- Source Balance: If one platform has significantly more reviews than others, it may dominate the merged collection. Consider this when selecting your sources.