The Importance of Google Reviews
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Imagine a couple who is having trouble with the amount of clutter in their house. They realize they need some help, so they search for “professional organizer near me” on Google. They see a few different options and are not sure which one to go with. How do they make a decision?
Acquiring new customers is hard for any business. Even if a business truly does offer the best services, it’s tough to get that message across without it sounding like typical marketing-speak. Though every business can claim to have “superior service” on its website, customers are looking for real proof.
So where can these potential customers find out which professional organizer could best help them with their problem? The answer is through reviews.
The best way to reach customers is through authentic testimonials. A message from a satisfied former customer is powerful. Research shows that 92% of customers consult online reviews before making a purchase decision.
Of the hundreds of different review websites on the Internet, Google may be the most important. Google reviews are the first thing customers see after a Google search. A large amount of quality Google reviews shows right away that your business provides real value for your existing customer base.
Tips for how to get more reviews
Just ask – and consider the timing
Unlike Yelp, Google encourages business owners to solicit reviews. That means it’s okay to ask your customers directly to leave reviews on your website.
The best time to ask for a review from a customer is right after the service is performed. Most of the time, customers feel ecstatic right after having their space organized and would be happy to give a 5-star Google review. The chances of them leaving a review are a lot lower if a review request is given weeks later.
Send a direct link
Don’t ask customers to find you online. The more work that customers have to do, the less likely they are to do it. To get the best results, you want to make the process as painless for them as possible. First, get a shortened URL that you can send directly to customers. Then, text or email it to the customer so that all they have to do is click the URL and fill out the review form.
Respond to all of your reviews
Responding to all of your Google reviews shows customers that you sincerely care about every individual opinion. This not only helps your business’s reputation but also encourages other customers to share their feedback in the future.
Though it might be tempting to ignore negative reviews, the best way to deal with these are to apologize and try to address the issue immediately. Remember, negative reviews are inevitable, but when you respond to these reviews in a timely fashion, you are sending a message to everyone reading your page that you sincerely care about every single customer.
What to avoid
Google reviews are meant to serve as a reflection of authentic, unbiased experiences of customers. Google’s policies prevent artificial manipulation of your business’s reviews. You don’t want to mislead your customers and risk a penalty from Google.
Do not publish fake reviews
It’s not hard to tell a real review from a fake one. Posting fake reviews will only end up hurting you in the eyes of potential customers.
Do not offer incentives.
Offering a discount or special offer to customers for submitting a review might sound like a good idea. Unfortunately, this practice is against Google’s policies since reviews posted for an incentive are not “unbiased”.
Remember, there’s no need to cheat the system. When you get offer great services and follow the steps outlined above, you’ll be able to show potential customers what your organizing business can do for them.
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I’ve never asked for a Google review, so this is a new idea to me. I will check out the process and think about it. I’m wondering, if someone does leave a review, how will I know, and how can I respond to it?
You’ll receive an email from Google letting you know about the review and it will provide a link where you can post a response.
I just recently started asking for reviews on google. I am hoping it helps my business show up on the first page. Good information to have. Thanks.
Ooh… let me know how it works out!
Like Seana, I’ve never asked for Google reviews. Potential clients find me easily through Internet searches, so I haven’t considered going that extra step. For a long while, I used Google+ to post my blog as a way to increase visibility with search queries. They’ve removed that platform, but I still come up quickly.
Glad you are coming up well on Google! You might want to keep this option in mind, in case that changes down the road.
I found personally that all of these tips work nicely to motivate people to take action. The average person doesn’t know you can give a review on a business’ Google page. Thanks for talking about this. I also found that when one tries to write a review on Google, you need to have a Gmail account to do so. So, if some people do not have a Google account, it will be difficult. So, giving people the option to write a review on other platforms also helps. I like to send additional review links to my profile or business LinkedIn page and my Facebook page.
That’s an important point, Sabrina. Of course not everyone has or wants to sign up for a Google account! I’ve struggled with providing people with options to choose from or just asking different people to post in different places.