Think Google Reviews!

With the growth of people using Google via mobile phones to search for products and services, Google itself has started to put far more importance on the localisation of website content and in the reviews that people leave on the Google review system.

If you haven’t noticed, over the past few months if you do a search on google for a company or a service the results will contain some listings with star ratings. These ratings are added to Google by clients of the company. These ratings are very important.

Added Credibility

The reviews add a new dimension to Google’s results as they offer peer review of a company or product. We all like to have recommendations from our friends, family or colleagues about whether a company is worth using or will provide a good service. The Google review system takes this to a higher level as the reviews are perceived as independent and unbiased.

When people place a review on Google, as opposed to your website, it has a direct implication for your placement in the organic search results in Google. Quite simply the more 5 star reviews you have, the more credibility Google gives your site and company.
Additionally, when potential customers see the reviews in the Google search results and listings, they will give your company more credence and will more likely contact you than someone with no reviews.

Get Active

You shouldn’t leave this important aspect of your marketing to chance. Don’t be afraid to ask people to review you on Google. I would go so far as you can make it part of your post-sale customer service to do so. You can send people an email with a link to your Google listing and ask if they are happy to do so could they leave a review. Even create a page on your website to explain to them how to do so (or include instructions in your email). Another way is to have a poster in your shop or offices that ask happy customers to give you Google Reviews.

There is a downside to the Google Reviews, and that is you cannot control them or alter them. Which means if someone gives you a bad review it will show on Google. The person can change or remove it but you can’t. If this happens, it is where your customer service switches into high gear, and you find out why the person left the review they did. It may be the first time you hear about their complaint is on Google. So you need to keep an eye on your Google reviews.

Having great reviews in Google will boost you in the search results and improve people's perception of your company so take some time to learn and understand how to use them effectively in your marketing effort.

If you would like to discuss your activity on Google or any other aspect of your marketing, please call us.