Are you a business and not paying attention to Google Reviews? In that case, I must tell you, Google Reviews can help in multiple ways. Start considering it right now.
These days, a potential customer is likely to search for your business before making a buying decision. As Google dominates the search engine segment there are more chances your potential buyer will also use Google. Now in search engine results, he is likely to see reviews and stars with a particular listing, if there is any. Those stars and reviews will influence a potential customer on his buying decision.
Many survey results have shown close to 84% people consider online reviews as good as a personal recommendation by friends and family members. This information should be of high importance to your business.
So, let’s start with claiming your listing. If you have already registered your business on Google, you can skip this section.
Register your business on Google My Business
As a primary requirement, you need to have a Google Account. Your Gmail account will work here. With this Gmail ID, you need to activate Google My Business account. With the recent updates registration of your business on Google is possible only through Google My Business.
Input necessary information such as Address, Phone Number, Category of business and Website. Click continue, if Google is not able to find the location you will see a Set Market Location button with the instruction. Use this tool and place it in the exact location of your business. If your business is already registered with another email id you will see a pop saying ‘someone else has already verified this listing’. In that case, check with your college if anyone of them has registered with another email id or else start the request ownership process.
If yours is a new listing you need to verify. Google sends the postcard with the verification code. You can expect this to be delivered to your address in 1-2 weeks time. Once you receive a postcard, verify your business. Remember, only verified businesses get published on Google.
Once verified and published you are ready for Google Reviews.
How to get Google Reviews?
Now, when somebody searches for your business it is visible on Google Map but starting with ‘no reviews’. So, how to get those first few Google Reviews? Well, it is advisable to guide your customers.
Go to Google and search for your business. Here I am taking an example of Crowd Multiplier. Your business listing should be something similar as shown here for Crowd Multiplier. If you have got any reviews, it would be visible with stars and number of reviews. Now in the review section, click the Write a review button.
A popup window will open as shown below. You need to disable popup block if you have enabled it in your browser.
From address bar, copy entire URL. Your URL will look something like this https://www.google.co.in/searchq=push+notification+tools&oq=push+notification+tools&aqs= chrome..69i57j0.7424j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8#q=Crowd+Multiplier&lrd=0x395e84604b75285b :0xa7c0f7ba47f6266,3 Ensure last digit is 3. Now, you can send this link in the mail to your customers for Google Reviews. If you think your email body will not look good with such weird alphanumeric string, then use a link shortening service such as Google Link Shortening, Bitly, etc. Send the shortened link in the email. It is said 7 out of every 10 customers will be ready to review your business if they are asked. So, don’t hesitate and ask for Google Reviews to your customers.
As per the research by BrightLocal 87% of respondent said they need 3 to 5 Star rating of a business before they use the products or services of a particular business. The question might be how to get such high starts? Don’t worry, there is a workout for that as well. In your Google Reviews’ link just add a comma and numeric after last digit 3. So your link should be something like this. https://www.google.co.in/searchq=push+notification+tools&oq=push+notification+tools&aqs= chrome..69i57j0.7424j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8#q=Crowd+Multiplier&lrd=0x395e84604b75285b :0xa7c0f7ba47f6266,3,5 This link will open a new pop with 5 stars highlighted. Your customer just needs to write a review in the text box. They click and you start getting 5 star Google Reviews.
The same research by BrighLocal has proved that close to 74% of consumers trust local businesses more if they have positive reviews and almost 68% consumers form an opinion by reading just 1 to 6 reviews. This leads to another question do we have a workout to show detailed Google Reviews to the customers and at the same time ask for Google Reviews?
The answer is yes.
Again, go to your Google Reviews link and replace last digit 3 with 1. So your link will be something as shown below. https://www.google.co.in/searchq=push+notification+tools&oq=push+notification+tools&aqs=chrome ..69i57j0.7424j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF8#q=Crowd+Multiplier&lrd=0x395e84604b75285b :0xa7c0f7ba47f6266,1 This link will open a new popup with all your Google Reviews and a button to Write a review.
When and How to ask for Google Reviews?
Completion of the task or job is just a perfect time to ask for Google Reviews. If you are sending an email for task completion, you can include a link to Google Reviews in the same email.
Reminding your customers is not a bad idea. Convert your Google Reviews’ link into a QR code. Now when you are sending bills for your services, you can include the print of this QR code on the envelope or on the bill with instruction to place a Google Reviews.
If your business is involved in providing products or services which are required by customers at a stipulated time, you can prepare a print handout. Alternatively, you can place QR code in your premise from where you are delivering products and services. So, whenever customer lands in your business premise, he gets a reminder for Google Reviews.
Read and Reply Google Reviews
If your customers start giving you Google Reviews you should reciprocate by replying those Google Reviews. For that again you need to log-in to Google My Business there click Manage Location. Now you should be able to see Reviews on the menu. Click View and reply to respond to a customer review. There express your gratitude in the text box. Your customer will be notified by the email sent by Google and it will help you strengthen the perception of your business.
Why are Google Reviews important?
Have you ever heard of local SEO? No problem if you have not. Have you ever searched in Google ‘Punjabi Restaurants’ or anything similar? If you pay a little attention to the search results you will notice restaurants of nearby areas appear in the results. That’s a result of local SEO. You would read few Google Reviews before making a final choice.
As per MOZ’s Local Search Ranking Factors Survey, online review signals carry 10% weight in the decision of search engine results rank. So, this factor becomes very important to local businesses. Further, Google presents results based on the relevance of search keywords, distance from search location and prominence of resulting locations. This must motivate you to gain Google Reviews.
If you have positive Google Reviews you tend to increase website visits by 54%
I hope you will be able to work out a good Google Reviews strategy for your business. If you need any professional help, you can contact Crowd Multiplier.
