Google reviews are important for any local business, and standing out can be a challenge. Potential clients compare your services with those of other businesses in the area — but how will they know which one to go with if there are no reviews?
The Google my Business platform has stood the test over time, becoming an important component in today’s digital world. It is therefore no surprise that Google reviews are still a reliable tool for business owners in 2021. The value of this type of feedback has only increased, and it can be used to attract new customers or even change your ranking on search engines.
So, you may be wondering — how do I get more Google Reviews, and where do I even start?
Here’s how to do it.
THE 3 MOST IMPORTANT, YET SIMPLE STEPS TO GET MORE GOOGLE REVIEWS ARE:
- Ask your customers for a Google review.
- Show them how to leave a review.
- Remind them to review you.
If you follow these three steps, you will start to get more reviews.
Think about it this way. When you shop online, what’s the one thing you do before you add it to your cart? I bet you read the reviews.
Right?
I definitely read the reviews.
Even before I consider purchasing a product, I check the star rating, as shown in the image above. A quick glance will tell me if other people like the product, which will determine if I’m keen on learning more. If the star rating is low, I probably won’t waste my time on it.
Because I would like to know how many people reviewed the product, I will look at the number next to the stars. Why? Because 1 review with 5 stars doesn’t convince me that it is a good product. There has to be at least 3-5 reviews with a 5-star rating to confirm it’s either good or bad or if I can trust that business.
The same applies to Google reviews.
Using Google Reviews As A Deciding Factor.
Let’s say I’m in Perth and looking for a plumber and Google’s search results have provided me with two plumbers near me.
If you are looking for a plumber, which one would you call? As you can see, they both have high ratings. However, Dianella Plumbing and Gas Services has many more reviews than Jim’s Plumbing Wanneroo with only one. I would most probably call the first option, because I can immediately see they have a better reputation. Google has ranked them as number one because better reviews are one of the indicators that help you outrank your competition.
When Google My Business was introduced, our online behaviour changed. We no longer browse websites but instead look up information on a company’s SERP (Search Engine Results Page) and that has accelerated how we interact with businesses in a way that is much more immediate than before!
A GMB listing provides us with all the information at our fingertips to make an informed decision without ever clicking through to a business’ website!
A GMB listing is so powerful that it can be used as your one-stop service for finding reviews, photos, contact details, products, special offers and more. This central hub of knowledge about your company could help potential customers find exactly what they are looking for when browsing online stores — saving time and money in the process.
You could have the best-designed logo or the most attractive profile photo for your business, but if customers are scared off by terrible ratings and reviews, they will not contact you.
If you want to be a successful local business on Google, then it’s crucial that your reviews are excellent. This rating system is one of the most important things for acquiring new customers from search engine rankings and ensuring higher ranking in future searches by people searching for your product or service.
So, how to get more Google reviews?
1. Ask your customers for a Google review.
If you want to get reviews, there’s no getting around asking your customers/clients. You must ask someone for a review in order to be successful, and it can often seem like an uncomfortable topic of conversation — but don’t worry! You can ask for a review in many ways:
- Ask after a job is done.
- Ask the latest customer you've dealt with.
- Ask through an email.
- Ask when you send an invoice.
- Ask when you finish a phone conversation.
Don’t miss the opportunity to ask a customer for a review. I know that it’s easier said than done because it feels award. However, the more you do it, the better it becomes. Cut your teeth on the customers feel comfortable with and make it part of your business routine and soon enough, it will feel natural.
2. Show Them How To Leave A Review
Some people will have no problem doing it. Yet, others won’t have a clue how to do it. The best way get a review is to provide your customer with a link to your GMB profile. Here’s how to do it:
Login to your GMB listing dashboard:
Go to the highlighted Get More Reviews and click the “Share review form” button as shown below.
From the popup box (shown below), copy your review link and email or text it to your customer.
When your customer clicks on the link you have provided them with, the following box will appear.
Google will request them to sign in with their Google Account. Once signed in the following will appear:
Here they have the opportunity to give you a star rating, write a review and add an image of the product or service you provided.
3. Remind them to review you
This is a very important step as people get busy. Bear in mind that while getting the review is your top priority, writing one is not your customers most important task for the day, and they probably have many other things on their to-do list.
Follow up with them within 7 days to remind them about leaving a review. We all need a nudge from time-to-time.
WHERE DO THE REVIEWS APPEAR?
1. Within Google Search Results
2. Within Google Map Results
CONCLUSION
Google is the king when it comes to reviews, and if you want your business or organisation’s name listed on top of that list then having Google Reviews are necessary. The more customers see your company in their search results, the better chance they’ll choose you over others!
You can tell whether your competitors are doing better than you by looking at the number of reviews they have. If there is more, then it means that you need to work harder and put some effort into getting more Google reviews as well! If they have less, well done, but don’t stop there. Make getting reviews from your customers one of your top marketing priorities, and you will soon reap the benefits of your hard work.
Easy System for getting reviews
Take the Hassle out of getting reviews
Learn how to:
- ASK your customers for a Google review
- SHOW them how to leave a review
- REMIND them to review you
- RESPOND to their review
Tools To Make the process easy:
- How to use My Easy System for Getting Reviews Guide
- Customer Review Monitoring List Template
- Customised Email Review Template
