Summary:
- In addition to providing you with valuable feedback from current customers, Google Business Profile reviews create brand trust and provide potential new customers with social proof. They also support your local SEO efforts by increasing your rankings in Google Maps and local search results.
- Businesses can incentivize customers to leave Google Business Profile reviews by offering small rewards or discounts, showcasing memorable reviews on social media, sending personalized email requests, creating in-store experiences that encourage reviews, and hosting review contests or giveaways.
- Common mistakes to avoid when trying to get more reviews for your Google Business Profile include buying fake reviews, ignoring negative reviews, over-incentivizing, and having an inconsistent process for requesting reviews.
Google hosts nearly 3 in every 4 reviews on the internet, and reviews have a massive impact on the behavior of your potential customers. In fact, reviews influence the decisions 93% of consumers make when considering a product or service—so you should always be interested in getting more of them and making sure they’re up to date.
Reviews are one of the most important metrics we use to determine the success of our organic marketing & SEO campaigns at Monochrome, so we know all about what they can do for your business. Below, we dive into why Google Business Profile reviews matter and provide a handful of strategies you can (and should) use to acquire more of them.
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3 Ways Online Reviews Help You
Reviews are more than just a useful way for you to get feedback from your customers and give them a way to communicate with your business directly.
Reviews Boost Local SEO
A high volume of positive reviews signals to Google that your business is well-regarded within your local community. This can improve your rankings in Google Maps and local search results, making your business more visible to potential customers in your area. Reviews containing relevant keywords and phrases can also help Google understand your business better, which further enhances your local SEO performance.
Reviews Create Opportunities for Brand Building
Responding to both positive and negative reviews is an opportunity to keep developing your relationship with your customers. It also demonstrates that you value their opinions and are committed to addressing their concerns. This level of engagement fosters long-term customer loyalty and helps build a positive brand image, making you more appealing to potential new customers in the long run.
Reviews Provide Social Proof
Reviews also show that your business is credible and trustworthy. Positive reviews act as testimonials from satisfied customers, highlighting the quality of your work and the effectiveness of your customer service. Addressing negative reviews also helps by showing that you’re accountable and committed to customer satisfaction. This gives potential new customers a sense of reliability and assurance, leading to an increased likelihood of choosing your business over competitors.
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6 Things You Can Do to Get More Google Business Profile Reviews
Encouraging customers to leave reviews of your business is easy as long as you approach them the right way. Try any (or all) of the following strategies:
Offer Incentives
Providing small discounts or rewards in exchange for reviews is often an effective way to make people leave more of them. Not only can giving them a small percentage off a future purchase motivate them to review your business—it can also create a positive impression, increasing both the chances that the review will be favourable and the chances of that customer making another purchase (since they’ll want to use the discount).
Feature Memorable Reviews on Social Media
Shouting out particularly glowing reviews on your brand’s Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube channel makes your customers feel seen and valued. While posting about positive reviews amplifies their ability to create social proof, you can also stand out from the crowd by sharing any funny or quirky reviews you’ve received. This also comes with a side benefit: social media shoutouts are also a proven way to increase your following.
Write Personalized Email Requests (Carefully)
Yes, you can ask the customers on your mailing list to provide reviews of your business—but since solicitations can backfire, you need to do this carefully. Don’t go generic here—give the email a catchy headline, a joke or two in the body text, and eye-catching visuals so that people are encouraged to open it. Make sure it also includes a compelling CTA.
Improve Your In-Store Experience
Not all businesses have brick-and-mortar locations—but if yours does, you can use it to your advantage. Set up counter cards and other in-store displays with QR codes that take visitors directly to your Google Business Profile review page. Make sure to position these in high-traffic areas of the store (like the checkout counter or entrance and exit areas), and rotate your signage periodically to keep it fresh and engaging for repeat visitors who may not have taken the time to review you yet.
Hold a Review Contest
In addition to offering small incentives for individual reviews themselves, you may want to consider offering a larger reward as the prize for the reviewer who leaves the funniest or most genuine review during a specific period. Give your contest clear rules, including eligibility, entry requirements, duration, and the method for selecting winners. Be transparent to maintain trust and avoid any confusion.
Collaborate with Local Influencers
Find an influencer in your local area who aligns with your brand and who has a strong following that overlaps with your target audience. Once you do, send them a proposal explaining how a collaboration will benefit both of you—we suggest that you offer them a unique discount or reward that they can share with their followers, which helps them continue building an audience while driving traffic towards your products and services. We also recommend creating a branded hashtag that your influencer can use for the campaign so that you can track its effectiveness.
Via Adobe Stock.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Trying to Get More Reviews
Here are some major pitfalls to steer clear of when trying to score more reviews for your brand. Sidestepping these will prevent setbacks that could impact the trust and authority you’re building.
- Don’t pay for fake reviews: some services provide fake reviews (along with social media likes and follows, typically from bots)—but fake reviews go against Google’s review policy and are seriously risky. Not only can they get you penalized in search results, but any review that comes from a person who hasn’t actually purchased and experienced your products or services can misinform other potential customers, leading to disappointment down the road when they try your business themselves and have an experience that isn’t what they expected.
- Don’t write reviews yourself: of course you probably think your business is the cat’s pajamas, but posing as a customer to compliment yourself is also considered a fake review. At best, it’ll get taken down—at worst, your rankings will suffer.
- Don’t make rewards or incentives conditional: customers who are reviewing you for a reward or participating in a review contest shouldn’t feel pressured to provide positive feedback if that didn’t reflect their experience. Like the two examples above, this can create a biased perception of your business and violate Google’s policies.
- Don’t make rewards too big: overly generous rewards eat into your profits and offset the impact of any new business your reviews bring in. They can also be perceived as an effort to “buy” positive feedback.
- Don’t make the review process complicated: the more hoops your customers have to jump through to leave a review, the less likely they’ll be to do it. Clear in-store signage and CTAs on your website and digital ads, along with QR codes and links that go straight to an optimized submissions page remove friction for potential reviewers and increase the number who will complete the review process.
Make Your Review Process as Efficient as Possible
Getting more reviews for your Google Business Profile isn’t rocket science, but it does require some legwork and an understanding of how your customers behave. Use the ideas above to get started, but don’t be afraid to reach out to our digital marketing experts and ask for help if you need deeper insights into what’s helping drive your reviews (and what isn’t).
