Google Reviews is a feature which is coordinated to work with Google Maps and Google My Business. However, before you can make use of the Google review feature, firstly, your brand or business must have a GMB account. This will enable you become visible and get listed so that your customers or patrons can engage with you based on your brand.
Note that as your product or brand receive better reviews, your visibility and your web traffic increases. And higher traffic means more costumers.
There is no deeper meaning or deeper function to the name. Just as it implies, Google Reviews is a feature that allows a costumer to drop a review based on the experience gained while associating with your brand.
But one might question the importance of this feature. In this article we consider the importance of Google Reviews and how to manage your Google review page section.
Benefits of Google Reviews
Google reviews are significant to a person business pitch or online websites because:
Google reviews affect your web ranking
Another way to improve your web ranking apart from posting meaningful and desired content is by having positive reviews. Having online positive reviews can boost local search and these help various businesses to promote their merchandise or products, services, to the local customers.
A normal local search will include what an online visitor is looking for which in most cases are usually the business category, product name) and also where he could find such product or services. These involves searching for addresses, postal code, city name, etc.
Just as positive online reviews will help increase visibility and increase ranking, negative reviews will have that same effect in the opposite direction. Patrons will not engage your website and not patronize your business, your web traffic reduces and rankings reduce. Hence, if you know how to increase your SEO ranking, your visibility increase.
Credibility
Online reviews on a business page helps a customer to assess a business page and make decisions concerning whether to buy or not buy a product. It can also help a business to grow from recommendations made on the review platforms.
So if your business is well talked about or complemented on the review platform, it shows your business can be relied upon and solidifies your listing.
It impacts conversions
If the reviews on your website are positive about the products, it generates more traffic which means more people are coming to require your services. If they are negative, it might chase off customers. Reviews can make or break your business.
Managing Your Google Reviews Feature
This involves the following:
How to get reviews
How to respond to reviews
What to do about fake reviews.
How to get reviews
Before a customer can leave a “Google” review, he/she needs to own a Google account. In this sub-header we will consider how to get patrons to drop reviews on your page.
The first thing to do is to sign into your Google My Business account.
Then create a personal profile. Look for the Google My Business listing, then go to Menu, select info and add name under it to add a short name. This should be done in this manner -
GMB listing> Menu> Info> Add name.
Only 32 characters will be given for the inclusion of your name. It is important to note that you should select a name that is unique and in line with your brand or business. Your name displays after you are finished.
To obtain reviews, you click on the Get More Reviews button in GMB home page -
Home page> Get More Reviews
A link will be displayed to you. This link redirects a user to a section where they are able to drop reviews. Send this link to all customers and they'll be able to leave a review.
How to respond to reviews
It is no new thing to receive positive or negative reviews about a product or service. After all, you really cannot control people and their feelings but you can control what happens next after a review is dropped on your page.
If the online review is positive –
First express appreciation. Mention the product or the service the customer expressed satisfaction in. This will show you pay attention and you care for user experience.
Endeavor to reply as soon as possible.
Be concise with your replies. It will help you to avoid repetition and they would not feel it is a bot.
Make sure to share reminders about new products, sales promo and other updates.
If the online review is negative –
Stay calm. Do not get upset.
Recognize the problem.
Apologize if necessary. You can never go wrong with an apology.
Offer a solution. This can help salvage your reputation. You can also decide to give a free gift or bonus or discount.
What to do about fake reviews
Receiving fake reviews on your webpage is not good in anyway. It is even likely to chase away potential customers. You can do the following to resolve fake news:
Be brief when replying to fake news. Its best not to even reply at all
Report it. You can report the fake reviews by clicking on a flag option. Type in your email and then you report the nature of the offense.
If your request to remove the fake news is rejected, you can proceed to provide more information on the GMB home page.
Bottom Line
The key to proper utilizing the Google Reviews feature is by maintaining your business online page to remain visible, increased in ranking and being credible. That way, you can benefit from the boost that customer reviews can give your business.