Google reviews – why you need them and how to get them

Let’s talk about reviews and more specifically Google reviews.

Why?

Because having a good number of Google business reviews have a positive impact on your ranking and as a result your online visibility increases as well as the all-important trust element, which is super important if you want more people to buy from you.

If customers are willing to praise you, it shows that they trust you and are prepared to vouch for you, which is an important signal to potential customers and to Google.

What’s more, according to Local Search Ranking Factors for 2020 “online reviews are now the second most important factor for local pack rankings – overtaking links” (Source: BrightLocal)

Where are the best places to have reviews?

Good places to gain reviews include Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific review sites.

Google, however, is one of the most important sources of customer reviews because these get shown in the search results much more than any other reviews on the web.

If you can attract reviews on your Google listing, it’s a fantastic way of standing out from your competitors in local searches because the searcher’s eyes are immediately drawn to the listings with more star ratings and reviews.

Added to this, recent key stats show that 82% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses and the average consumer reads 10 reviews before feeling able to trust a business.

So as we’ve established having 10 or more reviews on your Google listing will put you at an advantage.

How to get Google reviews.

Although you’re dependent on your customers to leave reviews, Google is happy for you to ask clients to provide feedback (as long as there’s no bribery or payment to secure reviews).

You can ask for a review in a multitude of ways, I find that a simple follow-up email works well for me.

To help speed this process up, I recommend writing out a template email to send to each customer a few hours after you have finished providing the service/product. Within your template, you can include your Google review link which takes them directly to the page.
Take a look at the four steps below, which includes an email template you can use.

4 Simple Steps to Get More Google Business Reviews:

1. Make a list of your recent happy customers

These will be your best brand advocates.

2. Find your Google review link

• Sign in to Google My Business.
• From your Home page, you’ll see the ‘Get more reviews’ card
• Click on ‘Share reviews form’ to copy your short review URL
• You can then share this link with customers in your emails, text messages, or even on printouts.
• When customers click on this link, they’ll be taken directly to your review page where they can rate your business and leave a review.

3. Compose a short email

Include key points such as why you are asking for a review, how to leave a review, how long it will take, and thank them for their feedback

Include a clear Call To Action link to the review in your email and make this the single goal for the reader to make the process as easy as possible.

I’ve included a possible template for you below:

Hello [customer/client’s name]

It was a pleasure working with you on your project. Thank you for your business.

We aim to provide the very best service possible so we are always looking for ways to improve. Gaining feedback on our service helps us enhance your experience and helps to make our customers happy.

We would love to hear your feedback. If you could take a minute or two to write a quick Google review for us we would be very grateful.

To submit your review, please click the direct link below

[Insert your Google review URL link here.]

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, it’s very much appreciated. I look forward to reading your feedback.

[your name]

4. Thank them immediately after they have left a review

As you attract reviews on your Google My Business listing, post a response as this shows that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business. Show your appreciation and make it personal by referencing specific things they mentioned in the review.

Your reviews will soon grow and help drive traffic to your website, increase your website’s ranking, boost conversions from clicks to sales, and help build your reputation.

If you found this article helpful, and you’d like to leave us some feedback you can leave SEO+ a Google review here: https://g.page/seo-plus-more/review  Thank you!

If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that getting your business online and in front of people is the most important thing you can do.

Gaining reviews will help to increase your online visibility and your credibility so that more people find you and are likely to buy from you.

I hope this post has inspired you to ask your customers for a Google review. Be sure to let me know how you get on.