Google is often the
first point of contact between a customer and a business. Learn how you can acquire more Google Reviews.
Google Reviews Are Important For Ranking For Local SEO
The quality and quantity of
reviews on
Google is one of the most
important ranking factors for local SEO. When a person scans the search results for a local product or service in
Google ,the business listings that include customer
reviews present greater credibility and, naturally, receive more clicks.
The three main benefits of getting customer reviews:
1.
To acquire testimonials that you can use in marketing your business. (The power of the customer testimonial cannot be underestimated in its influence on other potential customers.)
2.
To better understand what you are doing right and/or wrong as a business.
3.
To improve the visibility of your business on Google.
Google Reviews Matter for Small and Local Businesses
Google is interested in providing the most relevant and beneficial results for local searches. They not only want to know what your business does, but how it is perceived. In large part, they do this by seeing how many reviews you have and what your average customer rating is.
Features of the new Google Maps state outright that the “highest-rated” businesses near you will be returned when you search with local intent. Its map search layout now shows ratings and reviews more prominently. Google content is king, so adding user-generated content on your site or your Google My Business page is a great way to add new and unique content.
When hovering over the pins on google maps for these
locations, you are able to immediately see Google ratings and the number of
reviews making it easy for your customers to compare you to competitors.
Encourage your customers to complete reviews on your behalf by making it easy
for them to do so.
First,
create a link from Google Search:
1.On your computer, search for your business on
Google.
2.
Find your business listing and click “Write A
Review”.
3.Copy and paste the URL you see in the address
bar.
(Note: If the above steps don’t work for you, you’ll need to use the PlaceID Lookup Tool instead which can be found here: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7035772?hl=en
To create a link using the PlaceID Lookup Tool:
1. Use the PlaceID Lookup Tool: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7035772?hl=en
2. Enter your business name in the “Enter A Location” field at the top of the map.
3. Click your business name in the list that appears.
4. Copy your Place ID, which you’ll see beneath your business name.
5. Add your Place ID to the following URL to create your link: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid= <place_id
>
With technology at customer’s fingertips and the ability to voice complaints so easily without ever having a genuine conversation about their complaint with a company creates the fear of receiving a bad review by companies and may keep them from utilizing the benefits of Google reviews.
WORRIED ABOUT A BAD GOOGLE REVIEW?
Receiving an unflattering review is not necessarily a bad thing. By actively engaging and responding quickly to try to resolve illustrates to potential customers that you care about your clients. This activity around bad reviews can actually increase conversions.
Reviews are just as much a tool for you as they are for your customers! They provide valuable feedback for your business and as you engage with them in your responses you are building credibility and trust. Your responses will appear below your customer’s review on Google Search and Maps under the label “Response from the owner”. Both will be viewable by the public and will allow you to build relationships with customers.
Here are some tips for responding to reviews:
- Be nice and don’t get personal
. Keep your responses useful, readable and courteous. (See Google’s local content policy
)
- Keep it short and sweet.
Make it useful and genuine, but don’t overwhelm with a long response.
- Thank your reviewers.
You don’t have to respond to every happy review since every response reaches lots of customers. You should respond to happy reviews when you have new or relevant information to share.
- Be a friend, not a salesperson.
Your reviewers are already customers. Don’t try to sell them, however, do share with reviewers something new about your business or something they might not already know.
If you believe that a Google review
violates the posting
guidelines
you can flag it as inappropriate by clicking the three
dot menu icon and choosing Flag
as inappropriate.
Google reviews level the playing field for all competitors.
The transparency and social proof often trump even the best marketing campaigns.
While marketing campaigns can have a huge impact, they have less relevance in
the context of Google business reviews. Any searcher can type in a search query
and find reviews from actual customers to make informed decisions on whether or
not they should engage with that business.
Google reviews give businesses the opportunity to compete
with retail giants. Big or small, the business who takes advantage of Google
reviews is in the position to rank higher in local search results. They give
your business the power to influence, not only SEO, but brand trust.
Are you ready to exert your power and get higher in the
rankings?
