One of the Starfish SEO & Marketing team’s superpowers is anticipating new marketing trends and helping our clients use them to optimize their online presence. We always do whatever we can to make our clients rank higher in local online searches. In this blog, we review why favorable Google reviews are so critical.
Boost your local search rankings.
It’s simple. Google rewards businesses that have the most favorable online reviews. The more positive Google reviews you have, the higher your Google search ranking will be among your competitors.
Online reputation enhancement.
According to searchengineland.com, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as getting a recommendation from a person. Google is the largest search engine, so when potential customer is looking for a credible business, they will review your business online before selecting a service provider or making a purchase.
The best way to get more Google reviews? Ask for them.
Asking in person is the most effective way to solicit and get a customer review. Make asking for reviews a component of employee training. “The review ask” should be a routine part of the customer experience, the final phase of completing a job.
Make leaving a Google review as easy as possible for customers.
Create a review link and share it on different platforms, such as your website, newsletter, and social media profiles. Give your employees these links so they can send them to customers when completing a service call.
Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date. Review your profile and make sure all the essential information related to hours, phone number and business address, logo, and photos are up to date.
Thank your customers for leaving a review.
Respond to every review you get. Responses to all reviews allow you to receive a higher Google search ranking. By “mirroring” the words written by your customer, they will feel heard and know that you care about how they think and feel about your business.
An example of review mirroring:
Google Review: I was thrilled with the service I received when my kitchen flooded. Mike and his team were great. They kept us informed of their progress and took great care of our furniture and belongings. I would definitely use them again! Mrs. Smith
Mirrored Google review response: Dear Mrs. Smith, we are thrilled to know that you received such great service from Mike and his team. Thank you for taking the time to write this great review!
What about bad reviews?
Bad reviews can be used to your advantage. Immediately responding to bad reviews demonstrates your desire to resolve customer issues as soon as they arise. Potential customers see how swiftly you work to fix problems and how you handle unsatisfied customers.
Conclusion
The more four and five-star Google reviews you get, the greater you’ll rank on Google Maps and Google Search. Prospective customers will be encouraged to see how responsive you are to Google reviews and may incentivize other customers to leave reviews, too!
Reach out today!
We love to explore, anticipate, and identify new SEO trends that help our clients adapt to the ever-changing world of internet marketing. Starfish SEO & Marketing is a specialized digital marketing agency that assists small to medium-sized businesses with local SEO, custom video production, and paid social media marketing. If you are interested in finding out more about our products and services, you can reach us at info@starfishseo.com.