On average, Google generates close to 3.5 billion searches every day. Talk about working overtime! Many of these searches relate to consumers seeking information about local businesses or restaurants. Therefore, increasing the number and quality of your company’s Google reviews is a vital step to converting new customers online.
Google reviews are one of the biggest factors when it comes to influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. Example: If you wanted to hire a business to fix your roof, who exerts more confidence? Competitor A with six 2-star reviews? Or Competitor B with twenty-four 5-star reviews on Google? Logically, you’d opt for company B with more and better Google reviews. Ok great, but how do you encourage customers to give more reviews? Not to worry, check out these 4 steps to help you secure more Google reviews!
Step 1: Create a Google My Business Listing
Create a Google My Business page! No so brilliant right? But it’s probably the biggest hurdle for most small to mid-sized businesses. Through the Google My Business dashboard, you can customize your page with exterior and interior photos, pictures of your team or products, contact information, a hyperlink to your website, and business hours. More importantly, Google My Business allows you to begin receiving reviews from anyone with a Gmail account!
Once you’ve created your Google Business page, verified it, and filled in all the required fields, your business’s listing can start working for you. Now you can begin approaching clients to review their experience with your brand.
Step 2: Allow the Option to Leave A Google Review
People love to voice their opinion, and the Internet allows every Tom, Dick, and Harry to have their own voice. With some help from Google reviews, web surfers can gain valuable insight into your company from first-hand accounts. Sure, this opens you up to a possible negative review; but you also can gain a great review packed with nothing but praise.
Step 3: Adding a Personal Touch
Make your customers feel like their opinion matters! If you want more Google Reviews, reach out to current and past clients and ask them to leave an honest review. One method of accomplishing this involves sending a personalized email to each client. This email should be jammed pack with reminders of your first-class customer service, or your hard work and dedication.
But if you’re considering sending out a generic email to all your clients, pump the breaks! They can spot a copy and pasted message from a mile away. Instead, personalizing your requests will compel clients to write an outstanding review. Rather than stating, “Leave a review,” make your messaging clear. Should they discuss the quality of their experience? Efficiency? Or would they recommend your product or service to other people? Providing clear-cut example questions will allow your clients to craft a better and more accurate review.
Step 4: Always Respond to Google Reviews
How many times have you called up customer service? Doesn’t it just make your blood boil when your concerns fall on deaf ears? People want and expect a response. After reading over their comments, your businesses should respond to their Google review. This shows the public that you’ve acknowledged their questions, concerns, and issues while doing your part to rectify them. For positive reviews, thank them for their business and reiterate your number one priority is customer satisfaction.
But what about the dreaded negative reviews? While it’s easy to ignore a negative review, failing to address a customer’s concerns shows poor customer service. Moreover, it creates a belief that you don’t care about your customers or their problems. When confronting negative reviews, always address the issue and apologize for any negative experience before offering solutions to the problem. Responding to Google reviews also exerts a high level of engagement and customer courtesy; just as they helped the business, the business can now help them with any problems they might have faced.
Let’s Review
Google reviews offer prospective customers great insight into your company. In turn, a Google review may act as the deciding factor to use your services. Be mindful, however, that customer reviews aren’t exclusive to Google. Online reviews may come from Yelp, Facebook, or even on a personal blog. As such, you’ll want to follow similar guidelines those platforms. Follow these simple steps, and you will soon receive more Google reviews.
Do you need help managing your Google My Business Page? Or are you searching for new ways to improve your business’s visibility on search engines? Give us a call at (973) 346-8100 to contact the digital experts at Premiere Creative for more information about SEO services today!