Tips to get more reviews on Google My Business
Google My Business reviews can offer your SME a higher degree of visibility and interaction with customers. In this post we tell you how they work and what you can do to get them.
There are several factors that determine a customer's purchasing decision. One of the most important is the opinions of other customers about your businesses' products or services. A few years ago, people used to ask their friends or acquaintances about the stores they were interested in. Now, however, it is common to look for reviews on the Internet, especially on platforms such as Google.
Knowing what your consumers think is key to making business decisions. That is why Google My Business reviews can be of great help. Throughout this post we will tell you how they work and a series of best practices to get them.
What are Google My Business reviews?
Before understanding what reviews actually are, we must know what Google My Business is. It is a free tool created by Google to help businesses manage their online presence. It allows you to manage the information that Google users see when they search for our business or products we offer. Such as, for example, opening hours, website, postal address, contact information, among others.
All this information is displayed in the Google My Business profile, which is nothing more than an information sheet of your business. In it you can find the Google reviews program. These reviews allow users to know the opinions that customers make about the quality and reputation of our business. In addition, by providing useful information, it helps us to stand out from other businesses.
What are they for?
Online reviews have become very important for consumers in recent years. Indeed, according to a report by Podium, around 90% of consumers use online reviews to make purchasing decisions. And, although there are several online review platforms, Google My Business has become one of the most used by Internet users.
Among the various advantages that Google My Business reviews can bring is the contribution of greater visibility of your business, improving local SEO and attracting higher levels of traffic to the web.
How do they work?
When customers review your business, each rating is compiled and added to an overall rating displayed on the business card. Among the main features of the reviews we can find the following:
- Possibility to rate from 1 to 5 The valuation is based on rating with stars being 1 the minimum score and 5 the maximum.
- Key words If the review includes keywords related to the sector, it will have a higher value.
- Images If the review includes images, it will have a higher value for Google and also for users, who will be able to see the quality of the product.
- Date A current review is more valuable than one that was done a long time ago.
Whether they are positive reviews or not, it is important to respond quickly and appropriately to your customers' opinions about your business. Google provides some recommendations that can be helpful when responding to reviews, but we advise you to always try to be polite, clear and be willing to apologize when necessary.
How to get reviews on Google My Business?
Now that you know how Google reviews work and the benefits they can bring to your business, you may be wondering how do I get them? Here are some best practices for doing so.
- Ask customers for reviews One way to get reviews is to ask for them directly from your customers when you have a positive encounter with them.
- Create a direct link to Google Reviews You can also create a link directly to your merchant's review page and incorporate it into your social media or emails.
- Create a Google reviews badge You can place a Google badge on your website that will display your business rating. This way, visitors will be able to see your Google rating on your website.
- Respond to reviews If you read and respond to your customers' reviews, they will be able to see that you appreciate their comments and take them into account, which will encourage others to give their opinions as well.
All in all, Google's review program can be very beneficial for getting the word out about your business. We invite you to put these tips into practice to gain more and more reviews about your business and make it more attractive to your customers.