Pump Up the Reviews: Getting Google Reviews Has Never Been So Important

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Written by: Nice Branding Agency

Categories: Other Tips

Published On: 10.18.2017

Let’s face it. The way people make purchase decisions has changed. Word-of-mouth campaigns used to be a common marketing tactic, but today, people are turning to online reviews to influence their decision-making process. As a result of this consumer shift, getting Google reviews is more important than ever.   If your business has five-star reviews, it immediately gives you street cred with customers, and it can really transition a browser to a buyer with little to no effort on the part of your sales team. On the flip side, negative reviews can put you at odds with potential customers, even if what the reviewer states isn't the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In addition to influencing customers’ purchase decisions, Google reviews work wonders for search engine optimization (SEO). Say hello to an improved ranking if you can pump up those reviews! This Search Engine Watch article uncovers the fact that “high-quality, positive reviews” can increase your business’ visibility on Google. Does that mean what you think it means? Absolutely. Positive reviews can help improve your ranking with the search engines. That’s like, practically free SEO work. And to top it off, studies show that seven out of ten customers are willing to leave a review if asked to by the business. After reading those three last sentences, your gears should be turning — but what is the best way to ask a customer for a review? Fear not. If you keep up with Nice Branding Agency Blog, you already know that we’re about to share some solid nuggets with you. Here are the five steps you need to take to get reviews from your super-satisfied customers. And just one teeny tiny disclaimer before we dive in. You need an email marketing list for this Google review strategy to work. More on that later.

STEP ONE | Getting Google Reviews

Be reviewable. Provide the kind of service that someone would want to review. This one goes without saying, sort of, but we thought we would just give you a gentle reminder. No marketing strategies in the world can help your business if your service is less than stellar or if your product isn’t worthy of five stars.

STEP TWO | Getting Google Reviews

Stay in touch. Follow up with clients promptly ask for a review. Keep in mind that asking too early means that the customer may not have had a chance to experience your awesomeness fully. And asking too late means that the initial shock and awe of your awesomeness may have worn off. So, time your request carefully, my friend. Many times a customer will provide accolades on their own through direct conversation or via an email to your team. Take that opportunity to thank them and kindly ask if they wouldn’t mind leaving a review online.

STEP THREE | Getting Google Reviews

Make it easy. When asking for a review from a client, make it as easy as possible for the person to figure out where to leave the review. Linking them to this page is key. Here’s how to find the Google review link for your business:
  1. Google your business name.
  2. On the right-hand side, click “Write a Review.”
  3. A screen will pop up, prompting you to leave a review.
  4. Grab the URL from the top of your browser.
  5. It may be beneficial to shorten this URL with a site like bitly.
  6. Add the URL to your website and include your social media posts.
Remember, if someone doesn’t have a Google account, they aren’t going to be able to help you in getting Google reviews, so it might be wise to also include a link to your Facebook page as an alternative.

STEP FOUR | Getting Google Reviews

Make it systematic. Often, marketers and business owners are on fire for a specific initiative for a period of time. We pound the pavement to make something happen, and then we get busy, the initiative doesn’t seem to be working, or the novelty wears off. This is where systems come into play. Make obtaining reviews a regular part of client interaction or project closeout. The best way to do this would be to create a custom, branded email that goes out to clients or customers after a purchase or at the end of a project. The email will serve as a “thank you” and should have clickable links in your email signature and on your website to where your customer can leave a review. If you send the email out through an email marketing platform, such as MailChimp, you will be able to see who opened the email and who clicked on the link. All of this talk about emails brings up another good point — all of your customer email addresses should be added to a segmented list as soon as an individual is converted to a client or a customer. And because we want you to succeed in all of your marketing efforts, here are a few more tips on how to build an email marketing list.

STEP FIVE | Getting Google Reviews

Train your team. Everyone should have a clear understanding of the importance of having positive reviews on the interwebs. Educate your sales team about the impact that reviews can have on your page rankings and how that can ultimately result in a greater number of leads for them. From the top down, it should be a priority for everyone in your business to request reviews from satisfied customers. Ready to pump up the reviews? A stellar branding strategy for getting Google reviews can be completely created and managed by Nice Branding Agency on your behalf. We also offer Reputation Management if you need assistance handling negative reviews. Raise your ranking and acquire more customers by harnessing the power of positive reviews. Get started with our team today.