Amazon reviews are always one of the first things that I check before hit “add to cart.” If an item has five stars based on 1,000 reviews, then it lends a lot more credibility to the product and makes me much more likely to buy it.
In the same way, Google Reviews are vitally important to the credibility of both B2C and B2B organizations. Potential clients and customers will Google your business name to check you out or they may simply Google your product/service and your Google My Business profile will appear. This will display your Google Reviews. If you have never paid attention to these reviews before, here are several reasons to start doing so now.
Why Google Reviews are important:
- Google Reviews are a big credibility boost to your business and you don’t need to spend a dime. Unlike other marketing campaigns, Google Reviews only require a few minutes of your customer’s time. By utilizing Google My Business, you can give customers a direct link to leave their review. TRG Marketing has devised a strategy to make requesting online testimonials from loyal customers as efficient as possible. The key is clarity so that you only receive positive reviews.
- Google Reviews increase your online exposure and help with SEO, especially local SEO. The Google search algorithm is nearly indecipherable to the common person. But, Moz reports that almost 10% of the Google algorithm is determined by signals from Google Reviews. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Google Reviews have some sway. Online reviews are crucial for businesses because they show up high in Google search results. The more positive reviews you have, the higher you’ll rank on Google, and potential customers will be able to see that people like doing business with you. Having 40 or more reviews on Google portrays your business in a positive light to both potential customers and to Google itself. Furthermore, people are now directly calling businesses from their Google My Business profile rather than going to the website first. Consequently, it’s vital that you take care of your GMB profile and amass quality online reviews.
- Google Reviews are a great way to gain testimonials for use in other marketing areas. While you still need to ask the person leaving the review for permission, it is much easier to obtain a positive response when they have already completed the task. PMC used this strategy when we were developing a new website for one of our clients. We wanted testimonials scattered throughout the website, so we took a few quotes from the old website and then searched Google and Facebook. We asked a number of people who left reviews on these platforms if we could use them on the new website. It was successful!
- Finally, Google Reviews are a good way to better understand what you are doing right and/or wrong as a business. Reviews give you a window into what is and isn’t working in your business. Not all reviews will be accurate, but they can still offer valuable information on ways to improve. One hesitation that businesses often have when asking for online reviews is the fear of negative comments. Although it may not seem like it, a negative review can actually be beneficial to your business. By replying in a professional manner and trying to resolve the problem that the customer had, you’re showing future customers that their satisfaction is important to you. Furthermore, having a mixture of both good and bad reviews makes your online presence more believable and trustworthy.
Positive Google Reviews are essential for maintaining a good online reputation. Contact us today to see how we might be able to help.
