Did you know that over 93% of purchases begin with an online search? And Google is the most popular search engine site in the world.
That makes Google Reviews really important – but why?
I sat down with Tyne Wilson from Boutique Marketing to talk about why Google Reviews are important and why you should start asking your clients for them.
Here are her four top reasons.
Google Business Reviews Increase Brand Trust
Google Reviews play an important role in making your business look trustworthy, both in the eyes of Google and your customers.
Many potential clients and customers will choose whether or not to contact a business after reading reviews online – and many will read Google Reviews because a business can’t delete or alter them. They’re the real deal!
Think about when you do a Google search, let’s say for an osteopath, and you get a list of 5. All have nice looking websites and are local to you, but one has a bunch of great reviews. That one feels like a safe choice because others have validated them before you.
Google Business Reviews Increase Online Exposure & Local SEO
Google places a higher value on websites that are trustworthy within their industry. If your website / business has good reviews on Google it will be deemed more valuable and therefore rank higher in searches.
We want to support local businesses, right? And it’s more convenient for us to do so.
Google business reviews can be one of your most successful marketing tactics, partially because Google business reviews allow your business to show up in the “Map Pack.”
The Map Pack (shown below) consists of a group of businesses near the location from where you’re searching. The Map Pack displays the name and link to the business, the address and phone number, and the total number of Google reviews in addition to the average rating.
It’s easier to find your business
This one’s pretty obvious – the higher you rank in Google, the more people that will see your business. And the more likely people will click on your business’s website.
In fact, it’s estimated that the first organic hit on the search engine page will receive around 32.5% of the traffic share. With quality reviews driving your business your search rankings – this organic SEO – will help bring your business to the top.
It can showcase your love and commitment to your customers
It’s considered best practice to respond to your reviews and in this way others are privvy to your conversation and to the way you interact with your clients.
Even a negative review, although certainly not ideal, is a wonderful opportunity to prove that your company is willing to learn from its mistakes. If a bad review rolls through, it gives you the chance to rectify a bad situation. Address your customer complaints, explain how your company will improve and apologise for the experience your customer had with your company.
Don’t shy away from it – showcase your love and commitment to your customers!
So how do you get people to write you a review?
I was recently given an upgraded service for no extra fee and when I was thanking him he said, you’re welcome, and you can thank me by giving me a Google review if you feel so inclined.
It really is as simple as asking. When you interact with clients, ask them face to face. If they say yes they have made a commitment and will feel more compelled to do so.
Do you send out a regular email? Pop it at the bottom and ask. Make it easy for them by providing the link so they can go straight there.
On that note:
If you’ve ever worked with me and loved the work we did together, I would really appreciate a Google Review!
I’ll be doing the same for people I’ve worked with too!
Stephanie