When it comes to standing out in a crowd, there are few things more powerful for small businesses than online reviews. According to one BrightLocal study, 87% of customers read online reviews for local businesses in 2020, and fewer than half said that they would consider using a business with a rating lower than four stars.
In other words: you can tell people how great your business is, but it is much more effective when it comes from your customers.
From a customer’s perspective, reviews can tell you a lot about a business: the type of service or experience they offer, how the staff behaves towards the clients, what the quality-price ratio is like, etc.
The more Google reviews you get, the better it is for your business.
As a result, it’s vital for businesses to earn five-star Google reviews to distinguish themselves from the competition.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- The importance of Google reviews
- Eligibility requirements to get reviews
- How to get Google reviews
We’ll also add some tips and tricks to help increase the number of reviews you receive from your customers.
Table of Contents
Why Google reviews are important for your business
Leaving a review is an easy process that many satisfied customers won’t hesitate to do. Here’s why businesses should be thinking about how to get more Google reviews:
- You’ll get more interactions. 88% of shoppers read online reviews and trust them similarly to personal recommendations. As you get more Google reviews, more customers will interact and engage with your business.
- You can make more sales. Shoppers are willing to spend 31% more to buy from a business with excellent reviews, and on average, they’ll read 10 reviews before feeling confident enough to make a purchase.
- It improves local rankings. According to the way Google determines the rankings of local businesses, the overall number of reviews and the amount of positive ones dictates your position in the search rankings.
- It’s free advertising. Leaving and responding to Google reviews is completely free. Positive reviews are free endorsements for your business on one of the most widely used and trusted platforms in the world.
Requirements to start getting Google reviews
Before your customers can leave a Google review for your business, there are a couple of things that you need to address first:
- Follow Google’s policies. Google has a few rules that businesses must follow when asking for reviews from their customers; most notably, a business cannot offer rewards in exchange for a positive review. Make sure to follow these policies so that you stay eligible to receive Google reviews.
- Create your Google My Business profile. You’ll need to create a Google Maps listing and a Google My Business (GMB) account along with verifying your ownership of the business before you can start receiving customer reviews.
Don’t have a GMB page yet? UENI will create your Google My Business profile along with your brand-new Website.
How To Get More Google Reviews
Now you’re ready to get started—here’s how to get more Google reviews:
1. Make it easy for your customers to leave a review
While it’s relatively simple to leave a Google review, the easier you make it for your customers, the more likely they are to take the time to write you one.
That’s why making sure your customers have a direct link to leaving your business a Google Review should be your highest priority.
For UENI customers, getting your review link couldn’t be easier:
- Head to the My Customers tab in your UENI Business Hub.
- Scroll down to your Google Listing section
- Click Copy URL underneath the “share my review link” button.
You can also copy it directly to WhatsApp, Facebook, or Twitter by clicking on the icon.
You can include your GMB review link on your website, in your emails, on your receipts, or anywhere else you can think of!
If you don’t have a UENI website, but still want to know how to get your review link, you can use Google’s Place ID Finder to create a link that leads directly to your GMB review section. You can also use a free URL shortener like Bitly to customize your link.
Going one step further, you can add a Google reviews page to your website to not only encourage potential customers to make a purchase but also to inspire them to leave their own review after interacting with your business.
Don’t have a website yet? Get your business online in less than 7 days with UENI.
2. Ask customers to leave a Google review
Every business wants to know how to get more Google My Business reviews, so what’s the secret? Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking for them.
An easy, indirect way of asking for reviews is to create small “thank you” cards to include in your product’s packaging. With these cards, you can thank your customers for their support and suggest that they leave you a Google review so that you can continue improving their experience. It’s a great place to include your GMB review link.
When you ask them to review you on Google, be sure to explain that is this valuable for your business and for building your online reputation.
The Best Way To Ask For Reviews
How you choose to ask for Google reviews depends on your activity and how you operate.
If you have an updated emails database (meaning more than 50 percent of your customers) then you should send a simple email asking your contacts to leave you a review, either on a third party site or on your website.
How quickly you send this email depends on the type of service you provide. But generally, it’s a good idea to ask for a review 3 to 5 days after the transaction took place.
You can even set up an automated email if you’re afraid to forget or have a large customer base. But don’t forget to add your personal touch as no one enjoys a generic email request.
If your business is not very email-oriented, opt for a more traditional approach (comment cards, phone calls, etc.) Also, don’t shy away from asking in person.
Most customers won’t mind the request; many will appreciate that you care.
You can also ask any vendors you work with to leave a review for your business. While they might not be customers, they are people who you work with on a regular basis. Don’t forget to leave them a review also!
3. Respond to your customers and their reviews
It’s important to respond not only to positive reviews that your customers leave but to acknowledge negative ones as well. This shows your customers that you appreciate and actually listen to their feedback.
Being personable and genuine with your responses will help create a connection between you and your customers, leading to an increased likelihood of more people leaving a positive review.
Negative reviews can actually be beneficial. If you respond promptly and put in the effort to offer a solution to resolve the customer’s issue, you can potentially turn a negative review into a positive one. And, even if you can’t please that one customer, other ones will see that you did everything in your power to take care of the problem.
Build your online presence & start getting Google reviews with UENI
Growing your business starts with building an online presence and interacting with your customers in a way that makes them want to leave you a positive Google review. It all boils down to making the process as simple as possible, encouraging them to leave a review, and responding to their feedback.
Let UENI build your brand with a customized website and a Google My Business profile.
