A Brief Guide to Google Reviews

What are Google Reviews?

Before we discuss the many business benefits of using Google Reviews, let us briefly talk about what this tool actually is. With Google Reviews, customers of a business can post their thoughts about a business without requiring a special app. These reviews are important as they help to level the playing field so that businesses with slick websites, extravagant ad campaigns, or marketing hype are not necessarily the ones to enjoy the most success. Now, that is not to say that good websites or marketing campaigns are not relevant, but reviews from actual customers act as social proof and transparency, helping other people make informed decisions regarding a particular business. So, without further ado, let us dive into the details of how Google Reviews can benefit your business:

Benefits of Google Reviews

1) Greater brand trust

More and more customers are emphasizing transparency. This transparency is primarily due to the large amount of business information available to consumers. Today, conducting business research prior to making a purchase is the norm rather than the exception – and a significant portion of this research is performed with the help of Google Reviews. The power of Reviews can be judged by a survey that revealed that approximately 72% of participants are encouraged to trust a business that has positive reviews. This means that, with positive Google reviews, local businesses can match up to – and even dominate – their competitors. Conversely, businesses that prioritize responding to negative reviews to the satisfaction of a customer, once again, establish more trust than businesses without Google Reviews.

2) Improved online exposure

To say that Google has complex algorithms would be a massive understatement. However, the one thing that is not difficult to understand about those algorithms is the fact that Google Reviews play a crucial role in local search rankings. In fact, Moz believes that Google Reviews are responsible for driving approximately 9% of the entire Google search algorithm. These reviews are usually focused on quantity, diversity, and velocity. The more balance that you have between these three signals, the higher you will end up Google’s search results. This means that your business has a far greater chance of showing up quickly and easily than if you only leveraged conventional SEO activities like blogging and keyword researching.

3) Better website click-through rates

Every savvy businessperson knows the importance of getting customers to click their business website link when it pops up on any search engine. You could dedicate huge amounts of money and effort to your SEO campaigns, but it is all futile if the customer does not actually end up visiting your business website. Thankfully, Google Reviews can help you significantly improve your click-through rates. A review rating on Google shows up alongside the business name; hence, the more positive ratings you have, the more clicks you can benefit from.

The Last Word

To sum it all up, if you haven’t already leveraged the business impact of Google Reviews, you should start right away and enjoy the improved local SEO, brand trust, and a wealth of relevant insight and feedback. Using Google Reviews is a highly cost-effective route towards increasing leads and attaining your local customers’ trust.

Contact our office if you would like to learn more about using Google Reviews to out-perform your competition.