The Many Benefits of Google Reviews (Besides the Obvious)

While it might seem pretty obvious to most, the true power of Google reviews is often overlooked. In fact, the influence they hold over consumer decision-making can be considered a business’s best friend! They not only help with your search engine rankings but also have the power to attract new customers and keep old ones coming back for more! In this blog post, we’re going discuss some benefits that you might be unaware of when it comes to Google reviews.

Google reviews can boost your local rankings.

When someone searches for a business in your area, Google looks at reviews as one of the main factors in determining which businesses to show first. So not only do reviews drive new customers to your website, but they can also improve how easily people in your community can find you online.

In fact, a higher average review rating can even outrank competitors with more reviews. This means that making sure your current customers are happy and leaving positive reviews can directly impact how easily potential customers find your business – more on this later.

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Google reviews add social proof to your brand.

Did you know that to most online reviews are just as trustworthy as word-of-mouth recommendations from friends or family? In a recent study, it was found that 84% of people see online reviews to be equally reliable as personal recommendations. Crazy right?!

Having positive Google reviews can add credibility and trustworthiness to your brand, showing potential customers that others have had positive experiences with your business. This social proof helps convince hesitant customers to choose your business over competitors with fewer or lower-rated reviews, and this, in turn can lead to an increase in sales.

Google reviews contribute to consumer purchase decisions.

According to BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey, 97% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2022 before making a decision, with 93% saying that reviews directly influence their decision. This means that the more positive Google reviews you have, the more likely potential customers are to choose your business over competitors with fewer or lower-rated reviews. But don’t take our word for it; just look at those crazy stats!

Google reviews can provide valuable customer feedback.

Reading through your Google reviews can give you valuable insight into how customers perceive your business and what areas you may need to improve on. By responding to positive and negative reviews, you can show customers that you value their feedback and are dedicated to providing the best possible experience. This not only helps improve customer satisfaction but can also lead to more positive reviews in the future.

More Google reviews mean more leads from Google.

The more positive reviews your business has on Google, the higher you’ll rank in local search results. This can lead to a significant increase in website traffic and potential customers finding your business through Google. So not only do reviews have a direct impact on driving new customers, but they can also indirectly lead to even more leads and sales.

How to increase the number of google reviews you have

Now that we’ve talked about the many benefits of Google reviews, it’s important to consider how you can increase your number of reviews and make the most out of them.

Just ask!

One way to do this is by actively asking for reviews from happy customers. This can be as simple as adding a note to your email signature, including a link to leave a review in your post-purchase follow-up emails or prompting to do so via text message.

Respond to as many reviews as you can.

You should also make sure to respond to both positive and negative reviews. Responding shows new customers reading the reviews that you value feedback and are dedicated to providing the best experience possible, taking on board any feedback to improve your business or product. This can lead to new customers also wanting to give feedback as it incentivises them to make an effort to be heard.

Avoid offering an incentive.

Try and avoid rewarding your customers in exchange for reviews or incentivising them somehow to do so. While it might seem like a good idea to offer a discount, this can often be viewed negatively by both current customers who may see it as a bribe or potential new customers who might suspect a perfect 5-star rating as fishy. Recent studies have confirmed that most consumers were more trusting in products or services when the rating was between 4.2 to 4.5 stars than a full 5 stars.
In conclusion, Google reviews have many benefits for businesses and should not be overlooked. Not only do they drive new leads from Google search, but they also have an impact on consumer buying decisions, provide valuable feedback for improvement and add credibility to your brand. Start actively asking for reviews and responding to them, and you’ll soon see the benefits for your business.

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