Good Google reviews can have an incredibly positive influence on your business and lead generation abilities. Here is why you want to encourage current customers to leave you a review.
SEO Juice
The first time a customer enters your website or passes through the doorway of your physical shop is probably NOT the first time they are looking at your service or product. In fact, they’ve probably already reached the decision stage of the buyer’s journey, the last step on the path to purchase.
According to Forbes, 81% of shoppers conduct online research before buying a product or service. That means they are hopping on Google and searching for either the product or the name of your company directly.
The more Google Reviews your business has, the more SEO juice your company has. Let’s say that you sell decorative ceramic tiles for kitchens. When someone who needs that very same product googles “ceramic tiles for kitchens”, if you have a lot of reviews, chances are your company will show up in the search results above the competition.
Google Reviews indicate that people are talking about your company, and search engines rate those conversations as extremely favorable. If your name comes up a lot via reviews, the search bots know that you may be the answer to their users’ problems and will make you more visible to them.
Credibility
Good reviews will also provide credibility for your company. If current clients have nice things to say about you, potentials will feel more comfortable investing in you as well. Their purchase won’t seem as risky because they have the assurance of others who have used your product or service in the past.
That said, don’t worry too much about bad reviews! SEO doesn’t rate the quality of the reviews – so you’ll still get the search engine benefits whether you have one or five stars. You can see a bad review as an opportunity for good press. We recommend responding diplomatically to a bad review by trying to resolve the issue, asking for another chance, or apologizing. There are plenty of ways to turn a disgruntled customer into a loyal advocate if the situation is handled properly. Take a look at how these business owners responded to negative reviews. Even if you don’t win that disgruntled customer back, people reading the exchange will be impressed at your attempts to remedy the situation, demonstrating to others how much you care about providing a positive experience for them.
Now that you know the benefits of Google Reviews, start encouraging your customers to leave you one! 70% of consumers will leave a review for a business when asked. The more happy clients that leave you a review, the less impact a negative review will have on your overall score, and the more SEO juice and credibility you can boast. Once you receive a Google Review, there are a couple steps you can take to increase your referral marketing potential for even more reviews.
Want to learn more about how Google Reviews can positively influence your business and drive people to your website? Contact us today!