Ever looked at your Trustpilot rating and thought, “This doesn’t reflect how good we are”? You’re not alone.
Maybe a few bad experiences dragged your score down. Or perhaps your happy customers just aren’t leaving reviews. Either way, your rating isn’t just a number; it’s influencing how people see your brand before they even talk to you.
The good news? You can improve it, and no, it doesn’t involve faking reviews or chasing customers for praise.
In this blog, we’re breaking down real, actionable tips that actually work. From getting more positive reviews to turning around negative ones, we’ll show you exactly how to make your Trustpilot profile a true reflection of your brand.
Let’s get into it.
Why Your Trustpilot Reviews Are Critical in 2025
Still thinking Trustpilot reviews are just “nice to have”? Think again. With over 300 million reviews, 64 million monthly users, and 1.3 million domains reviewed (as per the Trustpilot 2024 report), Trustpilot isn’t just another review platform; it’s a global trust engine.
Key reasons why your Trustpilot rating matters for your business in 2025:
1. Reviews Drive Real Purchase Decisions
Today’s buyers don’t just check reviews; they depend on them. According to research by Keda Qiu, 95% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase. Whether you’re B2C or B2B, your Trustpilot score often becomes your digital first impression.
Compared to other platforms, Trustpilot holds a stronger influence in the B2B space due to its open, verified, and highly visible review structure. If your competitors are earning trust faster just because they look more credible on Trustpilot, you’re already behind.
2. Your Rating Can Make or Break Your SEO Performance
Here’s what many brands overlook: your Trustpilot profile isn’t just for customer trust, it’s also a ranking signal.
Google uses review snippets in search results (you’ve seen those star ratings under listings, right?). A strong Trustpilot rating can enhance click-through rates, feed into Google’s E-A-T signals (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), and improve your visibility in SERPs, especially for branded and product searches.
Source – Trustpilot
3. Reputation = Long-Term Brand Power
Beyond visibility and conversions, your Trustpilot rating feeds directly into brand credibility. A solid score reassures first-time visitors, strengthens returning customer loyalty, and even influences partnerships and B2B decision-makers.
In short, your Trustpilot profile isn’t just a review page; it’s your trust layer online. And in a noisy market, trust is what closes the gap between interest and conversion.
How the Trustpilot Score Actually Work
Noticing that your Trustpilot rating barely moves or suddenly drops after one bad review? That’s because the TrustScore isn’t just a basic average. It’s calculated using a smart, weighted system that considers more than just stars.
Let’s break down how it really works.
Key Factors That Influence Your TrustScore
1. Review Quantity and Recency
Trustpilot favors recent feedback. That glowing 5-star review from last year? It matters less today than a 4-star review from this week. The more recent and frequent your reviews, the healthier your score will look.
2. Verified Reviews Carry More Weight
Not all reviews are equal. Verified reviews (those prompted by actual purchases or interactions) are weighted more heavily than organic ones. This helps ensure the score reflects real customer experiences, not just one-off opinions.
3. Star Distribution vs. Volume Over Time
It’s not just about collecting five-star ratings; it’s about maintaining a balanced distribution over time. A sudden spike in low ratings, even with high overall volume, can drag your score down fast. TrustScore considers patterns, not just numbers.
Common Pitfalls That Drag Down Your Score
Inconsistent Review Collection
Asking for reviews only during happy moments or campaigns can create gaps. Trustpilot values consistency. A review drought can make your profile seem inactive or, worse, suspicious.
Poor Response Handling
Ignoring reviews (especially negative ones) is a red flag. Consumers watch how you respond, not just how you’re rated. A lack of engagement shows you’re not listening.
Passive Approach to Negative Feedback
A single bad review isn’t the problem. It’s what you do with it that counts. Failing to follow up or resolve issues makes it look like your brand doesn’t care, and that hurts both perception and TrustScore.
Your TrustScore (Trustpilot rating) is a living, breathing reflection of how consistently and transparently you engage with your customers. It rewards authenticity, recency, and responsiveness, so the more proactive you are, the stronger your score becomes. So, let’s discuss strategies to improve it.
Proven Ways to Improve Your Trustpilot Reviews (TrustScore)
Before you start optimizing for better reviews, lay the right foundation. First, ensure your Trustpilot business profile is fully verified and up to date with your logo, description, contact details, and website link in place.
A complete and professional-looking profile doesn’t just build credibility, it subtly encourages visitors to trust your brand and share their experiences. So, how do you turn that profile into a true growth asset? Let’s get into the strategies that actually move the needle.
1. Deliver a 5-Star Customer Experience First
If you want five-star reviews, you need to earn them first. No amount of clever asking or automated emails will work unless your product, service, or support leaves a genuinely positive impression.
For online businesses, this means:
- Faster-than-promised delivery
- Helpful, responsive support
- Clear, transparent communication
- Exceeding expectations, not just meeting them
If you run an offline or in-person business, train your team to ask happy customers for a review at the right moment, right after resolving an issue or completing a sale. A simple verbal ask, like,
“If everything went smoothly today, we’d love it if you could share your experience on Trustpilot,” sets the stage for a genuine review, especially if followed by a quick link or QR code to make it effortless.
Don’t chase reviews. Create moments that deserve them.
2. Target High-Satisfaction Customers (Segment + Ask Smartly)
Not every customer is ready or willing to leave a glowing review. But some are, and those are the ones you need to focus on first. The key? Identify and engage your happiest customers at the right moment.
Who to Target:
- Repeat customers
- Recent buyers with successful deliveries
- Users who gave positive feedback via surveys or support chats
- Clients who’ve referred others or shared praise on other channels
When to Ask:
- Right after a smooth purchase or service experience
- Post-support resolution (especially when the outcome exceeded expectations)
- After receiving a product, they’ve already shown excitement about
How to Make It Easy:
- Send a direct review link via email or SMS
- Include a short, polite message with a personal touch
- Use Trustpilot’s deep linking or our review request templates for a ready-to-send experience
This approach helps you stack your Trustpilot profile with genuine, positive reviews, straight from the customers who already love what you do. Don’t leave it to chance; ask, but ask smart.
3. Use Automated Review Requests Strategically
Collecting Trustplot reviews manually isn’t sustainable, especially if you’re handling hundreds (or thousands) of customers. That’s where automation comes in. But instead of blasting generic requests, timing and targeting should drive your strategy.
You can start by setting up review requests through email, SMS, WhatsApp, ChatBot, or in-app notifications – whatever channels your audience actually uses. And don’t send them right after checkout. Wait until the product is delivered or the service is complete. That’s when feedback is most thoughtful and positive.
Try to keep the message short, friendly, and easy to act on, ideally with a direct link to your Trustpilot review form.
Automate your review requests with SocialPilot’s review collection campaigns, designed to help you collect more 4 & 5-star Trustpilot reviews effortlessly.
You get:
- Personalized campaigns via email, SMS, or in-app prompts
- Ready-to-use templates crafted for high response rates
- Automated review response using AI in real time
It’s a hands-free system to consistently drive reviews – no manual follow-ups, no extra tools needed.
4. Make It Effortless with Smart Review Prompts and Deep Links
Even in online businesses like eCommerce, SaaS, or digital services, there are plenty of moments where a customer is at their peak satisfaction. The key is to make it effortless for them to leave a review right at that point.
Use these simple methods to streamline review collection:
- Embed “review us” button everywhere: Add them in your product delivery emails, customer portal, product pages, retargeting ads, or chat support window using the Trustpilot widget.
- Checkout or Thank-You Pages: Include a prompt like “How was your experience? Leave a quick review.”
- Deep Links: Send customers directly to your Trustpilot review page (you can even pre-fill details).
Best for businesses like:
- eCommerce stores (post-purchase thank-you page or delivery confirmation email)
- SaaS platforms (free trials, after a feature milestone, or support resolution)
- Fintech or travel services (after booking or transaction success)
5. Respond Professionally to All Reviews – Quickly
Getting reviews is just the beginning. How you respond to reviews, especially the negative ones, plays a big role in shaping your brand’s public image and improving your Trustpilot TrustScore over time.
Timely, thoughtful responses show that your business listens, cares, and takes accountability. Whether it’s praise or a complaint, acknowledging feedback builds trust.
Response Guidelines:
- Always respond within 24–48 hours
- Be courteous, professional, and authentic
- Avoid generic replies – customize your response based on the review content
- For negative feedback, offer a solution or invite the customer to continue the conversation privately
Remember: your response isn’t just for the reviewer, it’s also for future customers deciding whether to trust your brand. Keep it human, consistent, and proactive.
6. Turn Negative Reviews Into Reputation Wins
Negative reviews happen – even to the best brands. But they don’t have to hurt your TrustScore forever. In fact, how you handle negative feedback can actually boost your credibility and win back trust from both the reviewer and future customers.
Instead of ignoring, arguing, or getting defensive, treat every poor review as an opportunity.
Here’s how to do it right:
- Acknowledge the issue with empathy
- Apologize if necessary (even when it’s not fully your fault)
- Offer a resolution – whether that’s a refund, a redo, or direct support
- Follow up publicly and privately when appropriate
Once resolved, many customers update their review to a higher rating, which helps offset the damage.
7. Flag Inappropriate or Fake Reviews
Not every review on Trustpilot is fair or genuine. Sometimes you’ll run into spam, abuse, or outright fake feedback, and these can negatively impact your TrustScore if left unchecked.
Trustpilot allows you to flag such reviews for investigation, but it’s important to do it properly.
What can you flag on Trustpilot?
Reviews from people who have never interacted with your business
Reviews containing hate speech, personal info, or inappropriate language
Duplicate or spam reviews
Reviews violating Trustpilot’s guidelines
Here is more information on the review you can flag on Trustpilot.
How to do it right:
-
Use Trustpilot’s built-in “Report” feature directly from your business dashboard
Source – Trustpilot
- Provide clear reasons and context when flagging
- Don’t mass-report negative reviews just because they’re negative, Trustpilot may penalize misuse
Authenticity builds trust. Keeping your review page clean and accurate is key to protecting both your reputation and your score.
8. Create a Dedicated Review Landing Website Page
Sometimes, customers just need a clear and easy path to leave a review. Creating a dedicated Trustpilot reviews page on your website gives your happy customers one central place to share their experiences and shows new visitors that your brand values transparency and feedback.
What to include on this page:
- A short note on why reviews matter
- A live Trustpilot widget or embedded TrustScore
- A direct CTA/button to leave a review
- A few highlighted 5-star reviews for social proof
- Optional: answers to “How do I leave a review?” for clarity
Why does it help your TrustScore?
- Makes it easier for satisfied customers to leave reviews.
- Helps collect more frequent, authentic feedback (volume + recency = TrustScore boost).
- Builds public trust by showing you’re confident in your service.
9. Educate Customers on the Power of Their Reviews
Most customers don’t realize how much impact their review can have, not just on your business, but on other potential buyers, too. Sometimes, all it takes is a gentle nudge and a little context to turn a silent customer into a 5-star advocate.
How to educate effectively:
- Post-purchase emails: Add a short line like “Your review helps others make confident choices.”
- Newsletters or drip campaigns: Include customer spotlights or review stats to show impact.
- Social media posts: Share how customer feedback led to real improvements in your product/service.
- On your website: Include a message on your Trustpilot review page about how valuable every review is.
Why does it work?
When customers understand that their feedback isn’t just a formality, but a way to help others and support your brand, they’re more motivated to leave thoughtful, honest reviews.
10. Incentivize (Without Violating Trustpilot Guidelines)
Yes, you can encourage more reviews, but you need to play it smart. Offering incentives might seem like a quick win, but if you’re not following Trustpilot’s rules, it could do more harm than good.
What NOT to do:
What you CAN do (and should):
- Offer small incentives (e.g., entry into a giveaway or loyalty points) for any review, not just 5-star ones.
- Make it clear that feedback, positive or negative, is welcome.
- Stay transparent about why you’re asking for a review.
Incentives (done right) increase review volume and frequency, which directly improves your TrustScore’s consistency and accuracy without triggering penalties.
11. Monitor and Analyze Feedback Trends
Collecting reviews is just step one. If you’re not paying attention to what people are actually saying in them, you’re missing the real value. Behind every rating is insight, and the businesses that improve their Trustpilot score fastest are the ones that listen and act on what customers are telling them.
When you start spotting patterns like repeated complaints about delivery time or constant praise for a particular product feature, it gives you direction. You know exactly what needs fixing and what should be highlighted more in your marketing.
What to Look For:
- Recurring issues or complaints (e.g., slow shipping, poor support)
- Frequently praised features or service aspects
- Shifts in sentiment after product or service changes or updates
- Rating distribution trends over time
This isn’t just about damage control either. It also helps in future-proofing, catching small issues before they snowball into reputation problems.
Turn Insights Into Action:
- Share feedback with relevant teams to resolve common issues
- Adjust internal processes, policies, or product features
- Update your customer communication and support based on real concerns
- Proactively address potential issues before they affect your rating
How will this practice improve your Trustpilot rating? Because the best way to improve your TrustScore isn’t by asking more – it’s by being better. And that starts with listening closely. Want to turn your improved TrustScore into real marketing impact? Learn how brands are marketing with Trustpilot reviews to boost conversions and brand credibility.
It’s Time to Boost Your Trustpilot Score
Your Trustpilot TrustScore isn’t just a number – it’s a signal of credibility, reliability, and customer satisfaction. The businesses that stand out in 2025 will be the ones that listen actively, respond quickly, and build systems that make gathering honest feedback a habit, not an afterthought.
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to recover from a dip in your rating, the strategies above are proven to help. But to truly scale your efforts, you’ll need the right tools.
SocialPilot Reviews helps you automate, manage, and analyze all your customer reviews in one place (Trustpilot, Google, Facebook, Yelp, and more), making it easier to build trust faster.
Good news: You can even get started with our free plan and explore how it fits your workflow before scaling up.