Customer Reviews:
How To Get More Reviews on Google My Business
Are you searching for ways on how to get more reviews on Google My Business? Well, you have come to the right place. Reviews of your business are an essential part of gaining new customers and building a solid reputation. These days most people Google a business and read over the reviews before actually visiting in person or making a purchase. Having many good reviews will encourage potential new customers to do business with you, and negative reviews will have the exact opposite effect. When searching online for nearby places, people find top-ranked places that have invested time on Google My Business.
Once people see their search results, they read through the reviews from current and former customers to get an honest perspective from a third party. Consumers do not want to hear you tell them how great you are. It isn't a marking spiel they are after. They want to hear it from other real people, like themselves, who have used your services or made a purchase from you and how that experience was for them.
People are quick to report a bad experience but may be reluctant to spend the time leaving a nice comment. So how do you get more positive reviews on Google My Business? Follow the tips below to gain reviews and grow your business.
How Does Google My Business Work?
Google My Business is a tool that allows you to claim and verify your business and add information about it. Once set up, it will show up in the search engines, so when someone types in "restaurants near me" or "car repair near me," "dentist near me," the top-ranking businesses in that area that match the description show up. When done correctly, the listing will show details such as the hours, driving directions, website link, etc. It also offers reviews based on a five-star rating system.
Obviously, the user will be more inclined to choose the business with the highest star rating. They may also look at photos and read through the reviews to see what others have to say about the experience. Potential customers will be able to see a restaurant's, dentist, or any business atmosphere and samples of their products and services or view the cleanliness and amount of available parking, for example. This is all before they even speak to anyone or visit your website.
It truly is their first impression of your business and how you treat customers, so you can see how important it is in gaining new customers. The more detailed reviews, the better. A lengthy, descriptive review that shows enthusiasm and love for your business has a more substantial effect than a simple four or five-star rating without a written review.
Setting Up Goggle My Business
Claiming your business is free and easy. However, certain things can improve your success and turn searches into purchases. Providing correct and detailed information is essential for making it work for you. Make it easy for potential customers to contact you and to find more information online. Also, be sure that it matches the info on your website. Once the bare bones are in place, think about how you can get in the top searches. This requires a little more effort but has proven to be an effective way to increase sales.
How to Rank Higher in Goggle My Business
Having a listing for your business is a starting point, but getting people to see it in their Goggle searches is the goal. To do so, you'll need to direct them to your information by adding SEO content to your website, uploading photos that show your service or products. You will want to showcase what makes your business stand out from your competitors and earning positive reviews from those who have used your service or products.
Why are reviews So Important on Google My Businesses?
Consumers are bombarded with ads on all media platforms. In the ads, however, businesses are putting their best foot forward and trying to sell themselves. This works in some cases and can be very effective. But reading a review from a non-biased third-party source carries more weight with potential customers. They want to hear it straight from someone who has used your products and services.
Reviewers will often add photos they've taken of their experience as well. If they describe a positive experience with you or one of your employees or they rave about your food, for example, it weighs more with those searching for a business like yours, and it will encourage them to try it themselves.
More four and five-star rated reviews translate into more sales by helping your business show up higher in the Google ranking. How people interpret their experience with your business creates your brand reputation. Manage your reputation by providing top-notch service and products, asking for reviews, and replying to any neutral or negative reviews.
If someone did leave a bad taste in their mouths, reach out to them, apologize, and offer a direct way for them to contact you so you can fix it. Though you may need to provide extra service or discount, taking responsibility for things that go wrong speaks volumes to potential clients. It is reassuring to know that you will go above and beyond to make things right and guarantee satisfaction. Alternatively, left unchecked, potential clients will take the negative comments at face value and avoid contacting you.
To further protect your business's online reputation, join local Facebook groups to monitor any reviews that may be left there. Negative comments breed more negative comments. You can do damage control by addressing issues there as well.
How to Get More Reviews
Connect with your customer and make it a memorable experience worth writing about. Consistently exceed their expectations. Practice some or all of the tips below to increase your reviews on Google My Business:
- The most obvious way to get reviews is to flat-out ask for them. Do so at the time of service or purchase. Being polite yet direct works well.
- Ask for the review on the printed receipt or confirmation email.
- Engage with clients soon after they do business with you. Build on the initial connection by inviting them to leave feedback within 3-5 days. Send a follow-up a few days after that if they have not completed the task.
- Then create an email list of your customers and build an email campaign to remind them to write a review. Please provide a direct link to make it easy for them to find. This is also an excellent time to review any issues that may have come up and deal with them quickly to avoid a negative review.
- Another way to entice customers to write reviews is to provide some reward. Paying for reviews isn't allowed, but there are other alternatives. Let them know that by sharing their love of what you do, not only will they help others who are in need of your service or product, but they will receive a small freebie, voucher, coupon, or other types of discounts. It can be as simple as creating a coupon code that is automatically sent to reviewers. This also helps to encourage repeat customers.
- You can also use your website to encourage customers to leave a review. Create a landing page requesting reviews, provide a link to start a review on Google My Business, and share positive reviews on your Web page. If you collect phone numbers, you can also ask customers if they agree to receive texts and send reminders that way.
- Additionally, you could offer a bonus discount or freebie to customers whose reviews are chosen to be shared on your website, along with their photos.
- Make it easy for your customers to find your Google My Business page. You can direct them to your Google My Business page with an app like SOTELLUS.
The Local Aspect of Google Searches
When searching for restaurants and other businesses, people are looking for hyper-local matches. Whether at home, or on the road, they want results that are nearby, accurate, and include details and photos about the business. Make it as easy as possible for them to find you. Become a traffic director by learning how to target local markets. Include your city and neighboring cities in your SEO content. It is also worth mentioning nearby attractions to help localize the listing.
How much effort you put into getting more reviews and addressing negative reviews on Google My Business can directly affect your sales. Whether you rely on online sales or have a brick-and-mortar location, Google My Business is a powerful tool that can help you build an online presence. Using customer reviews as part of their ranking criteria, Google shows the most liked and popular places first. Your goal is to get as close to the top of the list as you can in the appropriate category for the type of business you run.
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