If someone is on the lookout for a service provider, they would more likely call a company that has much higher ratings compared to one that has only 1 or 2-star reviews. It is simply common sense that customers would opt for a business that has a good record, and those that have bad feedback will get immediately filtered out.
The fact is, nothing else can be more influential to a small business’ success than positive reviews. No matter how beautifully designed your logo or website is, or how competitive your rates or offers are, clients will stay away if you have a bad reputation. The best thing about it is, getting reviews on their Google business listing will not cost them at all. They simply need to encourage existing customers to talk about their experiences and post them online.
The Importance Of Google Reviews
Without reviews, a small business is less likely to show up in searches. This is because reviews are favorable to the search engine and will appear on relevant keyword searches. In the end, these can influence the business’ rankings, specifically on mobile searches. In fact, they have a much bigger impact compared to any other webpage content type.
Up to 88% of customers put their trust in online reviews. Positive reviews have a huge effect on conversion, much more than website content and SEO techniques. Trust and conversion are the key words to a small business’ success. Once a small business masters both, they might find themselves as part of the Local 3 Pack, or the top 3 businesses listed in search results. This will make them stand out even more from their competitors.
Encouraging Customers To Leave Their Reviews
The Google Reviews App makes it easier for people to leave their reviews, whether positive or negative. This ease is great to encourage more of them to do so. Previous reviews can also be easily seen on their mobile phones, so potential customers will get the information they need in a few clicks.
Moreover, small businesses can manage and review their reviews just as easily. In order to do so, they will first need to have a verified Google My Business (GMB) listing. This will allow them to access and manage their reviews, as well as edit their information on Google.
Google reviews are reliable and very hard to fake. Small businesses cannot simply post positive reviews to help their rankings improve because Google will scrutinize every review to make sure they are authentic. Removing bad feedback is also not an easy process, though it is possible if it includes a personal attack on an individual or group. Businesses can opt to flag an inappropriate review and if it does not meet the guidelines, they can be removed.
Businesses can still encourage customers to talk about their experiences on Google Reviews. So long as they have a Google account, they will be able to easily make a review. It is best to get at least 5 reviews so that the company will be able to get stars on their listings. Having stars also improves the trustworthiness of a service provider especially compared to competitors who have none.
How Should Small Businesses React To Reviews?
Replying to each and every review reflects well on the business, and so long as they have their GMB listing, they will be notified when they get new feedback. Answering their customers is also easy, so businesses do not have any reason to ignore them.
At times, bad reviews might be left behind by unsatisfied clients. Though companies fear these, it is not enough of a reason to avoid soliciting feedback. After all, they can still use this negative review to leave a good impression on other customers. The first step is to respond to them and offer them something so they can be more satisfied with the service or product. By being customer-oriented, they can still show potential clients that they deserve their business.
Google Reviews App is vital to the success of a small business, giving them the impression of being a trustworthy and customer-friendly provider. By learning how to utilize this tool, they can directly find a positive impact on their conversion and sales.
