Best Way to Get Google Reviews (& Why It’s So Important)

It’s a marathon, not a sprint. A sustainable and paced strategy of collecting Google Reviews will serve you better than getting too many too fast.

Google Reviews are becoming more and more important for the online success of local businesses. For many potential customers, reviews are the first thing they look at when considering you.

Maybe you already know this about Google Reviews, and maybe you’re eager to collect as many new reviews as you can—either to “catch up” to competitors or to rank higher on search engines.

Get ready to unlock the full potential of online reviews and watch your business thrive!

Why is it Important to Have Reviews for Your Google Business Profile?

In today’s digital landscape, visibility is paramount for businesses. Owning a Google My Business account is an essential tool to ensure your company shines on Google Search and Maps, connecting with potential customers and increasing both online and foot traffic.

Discovery at Your Fingertips:

Imagine your ideal customer searching for your products or services. With a Google My Business account, you’ll be right there at their fingertips, making it easy for them to find your business information, contact details, and even view your offerings. This increased visibility translates to more customers finding your business, organically growing your reach.

Building Trust Through Reviews:

Reviews hold immense power in the consumer decision-making process. Potential customers rely on them to assess your business’s legitimacy and build trust. Positive reviews act as social proof, showcasing your commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Even a single review can make a significant impact, swaying a hesitant customer towards your business.

Embrace Feedback, Even the Negative:

Don’t shy away from public reviews. They offer valuable insights into your customer’s experience and present opportunities to showcase your responsiveness and commitment to improvement.

Even negative reviews can be turned around with a thoughtful and professional response, demonstrating your dedication to resolving any issues and fostering positive customer relationships.

What Are the Easiest Ways to Get More Google Reviews?

In today’s digital age, online reviews hold immense power. They shape customer perception, influence purchasing decisions, and can even outrank traditional marketing tactics. Whether shared through word-of-mouth or written online, positive reviews are crucial for showcasing your business’s excellence and attracting new customers.

Here are some effortless and effective ways to gather more Google reviews:

1. Share Your Link, Make it Easy:

Make it as easy as possible for people. “Feel free to leave a review” won’t cut it. You have to give people a direct link to do it. Look for ways to bypass the Google login if that’s a hangup. 

Instead of asking them to do it later, get their review from them right then and there as you’re closing out the service. It sounds like you’re already with them in person (since you can show it on the phone).

2. Incentives: A Sweet Push:

Offer some sort of incentive for them to leave you a review. You can find ways to do this without breaking the bank, such as offering a discount on their next purchase with you.

This way you are protecting your cash flow while also motivating repeat customers. Your margins should be healthy enough to do this — if they aren’t, you could have a business model that needs tweaking or some dysfunction internally that needs resolving.

3. Ask and You Shall Receive:

Don’t hesitate to directly request reviews. Most customers are happy to share their positive experiences, especially when asked directly. Employ polite requests on social media, in emails, or even through business cards.

Understand that some people will say they are happy but they really aren’t happy enough to actually leave a raving review.

People in general aren’t confrontational. They’ll say yes to save them the awkwardness. This should challenge you to really get clarity beyond “are you happy?”. Customers who love you or your service shouldn’t take much encouragement to leave you a good review.

4. Social Media Shoutouts:

Leverage your social media presence to encourage reviews. Share positive testimonials, highlight satisfied customers, and include a call to action for others to share their experiences.

5. Website Integration:

Embed your Google review link directly on your website. This provides easy access for visitors and encourages them to leave feedback without leaving your site.

6. A Footer CTA:

Add a Google review call to action (CTA) in your website’s footer. This gentle reminder nudges visitors to leave feedback while browsing your site.

7. Review Cards: A Tangible Prompt:

Leave business cards with QR codes linked directly to your Google review page. This physical reminder prompts customers to share their feedback while on the go.

8. Respond and Connect:

Show appreciation by responding to all reviews, both positive and negative. This demonstrates your commitment to customer service and encourages further engagement.

How Important is Sharing Your Google Business Profile Review Link?

Boosting your online presence requires a stellar Google Business Profile, and that includes acquiring positive reviews. But how do you encourage clients to share their experiences? The answer lies in accessibility.

Studies show that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Imagine a satisfied client eager to leave a glowing review, only to be met with a clunky, difficult-to-find review page. That translates to a missed opportunity for valuable feedback and potential new business.

Make your review link easily accessible across all platforms. Include it in email signatures, newsletters, social media bios, and even on your website. The more visible it is, the more likely clients are to leave feedback. Remember, a well-populated Google Business Profile with at least forty reviews inspires trust and confidence, ultimately driving more calls and service requests.

So keep things simple and share your Google review link everywhere! It’s a small effort with a significant impact on your online reputation and business success.

What Are the Benefits of Having Google Reviews? 

1. Boosts your brand’s confidence: The major benefit of Google reviews is that they increase customer confidence in your brand. It increases user confidence in your brand and its quality. As you may be aware, people these days conduct extensive research before purchasing any items or services from a company. Here’s where Google reviews come into play, and they’re crucial in persuading users that your brand is worthwhile!
2. Increases local SEO and online exposure: To suggest that Google’s search algorithms are complicated is an understatement. However, we can certainly state that Google reviews have an impact on Google’s local search. As a result, credible reviews might help you boost your online visibility and local SEO.
3. Converts more customers: Many people use Google reviews to determine whether a product or service is worth their money. It is for this reason that Google reviews are so important in converting more clients. Users will visit your website after reading positive evaluations about your company. Now, your website must encourage customers to make a final purchase from you.
4. Website Traffic & Leads: Reviews act as a powerful marketing tool, driving organic traffic to your website and converting potential customers into loyal patrons.
5. SEO Boost: Google’s algorithms favor businesses with positive reviews, improving your search ranking and increasing your online visibility.
6. Customer Insights & Feedback: Reviews provide valuable insights into customer experiences, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and enhance your offerings.
7. Free & Easy: Setting up and managing your Google business profile is free and straightforward. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and engage in open communication to build a positive online reputation.

What Is The Best Way to Respond to Business Reviews?

Engaging with your customer reviews, be it glowing praise or constructive criticism, plays a crucial role in attracting new clients and fostering brand trust. Remember, potential customers are reading, and their perception of your business hinges on your interaction with reviewers.

Therefore, crafting professional, friendly, and prompt responses becomes paramount. When faced with a complaint, prioritize a sincere apology, genuine understanding, and a solution-oriented approach.

Remind dissatisfied reviewers of your readily available customer service, and offer specific channels for them to connect, such as a dedicated phone number, email address, or direct link. This demonstrates your commitment to resolving their concerns and fostering a positive experience.

What Should You Do If You Receive Negative Reviews?

Customers will perceive your game in different ways. Remember, you’ve spent countless hours learning every mechanic of your game’s every mechanic and know it from top to bottom, but for someone playing it for the first time, it’s a brand new experience.

They’re likely to find new bugs and have ideas about certain features that you may have never considered. Take a step back and try to look at their feedback (the valuable ones) objectively. Believe me; I know some reviews are extremely harsh, unhelpful, and off-topic. I get it.

Still, it’s helpful not to get into a heated argument with a customer who shares constructive feedback. Remember, the customer isn’t the only one reading your response. Be kind, and most of all, don’t be passive-aggressive. It doesn’t look good and doesn’t help anyone.

Customers will see right through it, and it will only make you look like the bad guy. Finally, make sure you’re calm and clear headed. If you can’t reply without being overly defensive or rude, it’s best not to reply at all.

With that said, here are some made-up examples of negative reviews similar to those you may sometimes come across and how I choose to respond to them:

• Customer Example 1 (Likes the game, leaves some constructive feedback)
• Customer Example 2 (Doesn’t like the game, leaves very little info why)
• Customer Example 3 (Aggressive and unhelpful)

Facing the Negative with Grace:

• Respond, always. Ignoring negative feedback shows a lack of concern and can damage your reputation.
• Be professional and courteous. Even if the review feels unfair, maintain a calm and positive demeanor.
• Acknowledge the issue and apologize if necessary. Demonstrating empathy and taking responsibility shows potential leads you’re committed to improvement.
• Offer solutions or support. If the customer had a legitimate complaint, try to resolve the issue.
• Take the conversation offline. Avoid lengthy public discussions, offer to move the conversation to email or phone for a more private resolution.

Strategies for Positive Reviews:

• Treat customers with respect and provide excellent service. This paves the way for positive feedback naturally.
• Respond to all reviews, positive or negative. It shows appreciation and engagement with your customer base.
• Share positive reviews on social media and your website. This builds trust and encourages others to leave reviews.
• Make review links easily accessible. Include them on your website, email signatures, and social media profiles.
• Go the extra mile. A personalized follow-up message after a great service can encourage positive feedback.

Remember:

• Don’t stress about occasional negative reviews.
• Respond promptly and professionally to show your commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Use these simple strategies to increase your positive Google reviews organically.
• By implementing these tips, you’ll build a strong online reputation and attract more leads to your business.

How Do You Handle Fake Reviews?

Receiving recurring spam or false reviews can significantly impact your online presence. Fortunately, Google offers ways to combat this issue.

If you suspect a review is fake, locate the three dots to the right and click “Flag as inappropriate.” Choose the most relevant reason for flagging, such as “Off-topic” or “Conflict of interest” if you believe a competitor posted it.

However, remember that excessive flagging can raise red flags with Google and potentially harm your business. Only flag reviews you firmly believe violate Google’s guidelines.

It’s important to understand Google’s Business Profile policies regarding fake and misleading reviews. Familiarizing yourself with these rules will ensure you take appropriate action.

For legitimate negative reviews, responding promptly and professionally with common customer service practices is often the best solution. This demonstrates your commitment to resolving customer issues and portrays a positive image of your business.

How Do You Improve Your Business with Customer Reviews?

Few online reviews? Seeking to leverage them for a stronger business name? Consider these digital marketing tactics:

1. Showcase your praise: Embed your stellar Google reviews across your website, social media, and marketing materials. Let your star rating shine!
2. Engage with your audience: Follow up with potential and past customers, showcasing your dedication to their needs. This fosters loyalty and encourages positive reviews.
3. Cultivate happy advocates: Track satisfied customers and reach out for feedback. Their positive experiences can become powerful testimonials, spreading word-of-mouth praise.
4. Leverage content creation: Showcase customer love through blog posts, SEO-optimized content, and social media campaigns. Include direct links to your Google Business Profile to encourage more reviews.

How Do Customer Reviews Affect Your Business?

While a few negative reviews can lend authenticity to your business in Google’s eyes, a consistent stream of bad feedback can significantly impact your reputation and client perception.

Studies reveal that 86% of potential leads become hesitant to engage with a company plagued by negative reviews. Additionally, just one negative review can translate to a loss of 30 leads.

Clients scrutinize response times to negative reviews. Delayed responses can further discourage potential clients and lead them to reconsider your services or products. The importance of responsiveness extends to positive reviews as well.

Do Reviews Impact Your SEO? 

In today’s digital landscape, online presence and search ranking are critical for any business. Google reviews play a crucial role in both, directly impacting your visibility and credibility. The more positive reviews you accumulate, the better chance you have of appearing in Google searches and attracting potential customers.

People rely on reviews to make informed decisions, and Google recognizes this. When determining search rankings, positive reviews act as a strong indicator of quality and trust. This is why aiming for at least a four-star rating is essential, as only businesses with such ratings are displayed prominently in search results.

Beyond influencing search ranking, positive reviews also boost your online reputation and build trust with potential customers. They act as social proof, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction and quality service. This can significantly influence purchase decisions, turning leads into loyal clients.

The connection between reviews and SEO goes even deeper. Optimizing your profile with relevant keywords helps people discover your business during their online searches. By incorporating targeted keywords into your profile description and responses, you increase the chances of appearing for relevant queries.

Therefore, actively encouraging positive reviews and incorporating effective SEO practices are two sides of the same coin in building a successful online presence. By focusing on both strategies, you can ensure your business thrives in the competitive digital marketplace.

Google Reviews in Short Period Isn’t Good Idea

But getting too many Google Reviews in a short period of time is bad for your business in three ways:

• It looks spammy to Google’s algorithm.
• They’ll get stale fast.
• You’ll burn through your best potential reviewers.

1. It looks spammy to Google (and prospects, too).

Where you show up in a local Google search depends on your ranking signals. These are the “characteristics of a website that determine the position in search engines. All ranking signals combined form the algorithm of a search engine.” There are a few different kinds of ranking signals including social, Google My Business, link… and, of course, review signals.  

Now there’s more to review signals than quantity alone—velocity (how often you get reviews) and diversity (Facebook recommendations, BriteBee reviews, etc.) are also essential. In fact, Google can monitor velocity, and if your business gets a big review spike or Google picks up on another strange review pattern, this looks spammy and might even lead to some reviews being removed. Here’s their official line:

Reviews are only valuable when they are honest and unbiased. (For example, business owners shouldn’t offer incentives to customers in exchange for reviews.)

2. Reviews Go Stale Fast.

This stat says it all: 84% of consumers believe reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant. How’s it going to look if you have thirty five-star reviews that were posted six months ago and there hasn’t been a single new one since? They might think you’ve closed up shop or maybe assume the quality of your customer service has gone downhill.

Takeaways from this:

• Freshness is king, not quantity.
• You’ve got to make sure your reviews are consistently paced to meet your prospects’ expectations.  

3. You’ll burn through your best potential reviewers.

We know you have clients who love you (nice job!), and they’re more than happy to give you five-star reviews. But if they all pile onto Google right now, that means they won’t be around to give you good reviews later on when you might need them more. You’ve used all your customers’ goodwill. And existing clients—who are willing to give reviews—are a finite resource.

Blowing that review potential too quickly is like giving your racing car a nitro boost when there are still 100 laps to go. You’ll pretty much have to depend on brand-new clients’ reviews solely going forward.

Final Thoughts

In today’s competitive market, customer feedback is a hidden gem businesses often neglect. But reviews hold immense value for both potential customers and businesses alike. They influence purchase decisions, build brand trust, and ultimately drive long-term success. Trusted companies not only rank higher in search results but also attract more loyal customers.

This free platform allows you to collect, manage, and showcase customer reviews, building trust and credibility. Beyond reviews, Google Business Profile offers a suite of free tools to promote your business, boost sales, and expand your reach.