Why You Need More Google Reviews

Reviews and testimonials are important for every business in every industry…maybe more so than you realized. The statistics below paint a clear picture of how crucial reviews are for your business, especially from sources like Google Reviews! (Source)

Now that it’s clear how important these reviews are, it’s time to go out and get them. How do you get more Google Reviews for your business? This can be a source of stress for many business owners. It can feel uncomfortable asking customers and clients to do this favor for you. It can also feel vulnerable to open yourself up to potentially negative reviews. Given the data, though, this is nonnegotiable. Here are some tips and tricks for getting positive reviews.

Always send your customers a direct link to the form for leaving a Google review, because when someone has to find that link themselves, they may be put off by the extra steps or might give up. To find that link, search for your business by name in Google to see your Google Business Profile show up on the right side of the page. Scroll down to the Reviews section and click “Write a Review.” You’ll see a pop-up box with a blank form for leaving a review. While that box is open, copy and save the URL. This is the exact link your customers can use to leave a review without any extra clicks.

You don’t need to send everyone you’ve worked with a perfectly crafted custom email in order to get reviews. Use automation to passively request and receive reviews over time. 

First, set up your online purchasing platforms to send requests for reviews after customers make a purchase. Remember to add in wait time to account for shipping times – no one can leave you a review before they receive their purchase, and very few people will remember that link you sent them a few days later when their order arrives!

Second, add your review link to your email signature. This keeps that link front and center so anyone can leave you a review whenever they think of it. It’s a passive technique that will likely have a lower return than other techniques, but it’s one and done. Plus, it’s a reminder for yourself that you need to keep asking for reviews!

Give people a reason to leave a review by being open about the impact their reviews will have on your business. If you’re a newer business trying to establish yourself, point out how important it is for you to garner reviews fast to build trust with potential customers. If you’re more established, talk about how important it is for you to continue to improve your services, which is only possible with continued feedback.

Ask every client you’ve had in the past six months for a review. (You can skip the ones who were unhappy with your service. Keep reading for advice on managing poor reviews.) You know your customers best. If you have a client who would prefer a call, give them a call to ask their thoughts on your service and ask them to put it in writing in a review. Be your authentic self and more people than you may expect will leave you that positive review?

Negative reviews can hurt. You work hard to provide a great experience or product and you believe in your team and customer service. So when you see that 0 or 1 or even 2 star rating, it sucks. Luckily, negative reviews don’t have to be as detrimental as they may feel.

• • 82% of people look for bad reviews specifically to get a better understanding of the full experience of purchasing from or working with you. That means that the perfect 5.0 rating you’ve been aiming for isn’t necessarily the best thing for your business.
  • People trust a 4.7 average review over a 5.0 review (source) As it turns out, people may distrust those perfect 5.0 star reviews, particularly if that’s all you have. 

Keep in mind, how you respond to negative reviews matters to the people who leave them as well as other potential customers. 

First, look into the issue stated in the negative review. If it can be fixed, like someone receiving the wrong package in the mail or someone never receiving a call back from your sales team, fix it.

Second, whether or not there was a solution to the issue, respond to the review with a truthful, apologetic response. You’re responding to the reviewer, but you’re also communicating to potential customers about what kind of people work at your business and how they can expect to be treated on the off chance that something goes wrong.

If you disagree with the account that the reviewer tells, do so factually without emotion. Future customers don’t want to see a business owner attack a former customer or treat them with disrespect or sarcasm, even if that former customer was wrong.

No matter what industry you work in, your Google reviews are a critical part of your online presence. Most people look for business reviews before becoming a customer, and most people trust those reviews as if they were written by someone they know. If you don’t have enough reviews, or if your overall rating is too low, some people won’t even visit your website.

If you don’t have reviews, prioritize that right away. Open up your email right now and reach out to 3 people with a request for a review and a direct link for where to leave it. Every review you get makes a difference!