by Justin Berg
Google reviews are a powerful tool to enhance your business, boost search ranks, improve your brand visibility, and build trust—all these can be done without any cost. However, understanding how to get Google reviews effectively remains a challenge for many business owners, as they seek strategies to reveal the full potential of this valuable tool.
In this article, we will give simple and comprehensive recommendations on how to increase the number of positive reviews on Google. We’ll show you how to interact with customers so that they leave comments that search engine algorithms like.
You will also learn about the main advantages and requirements for reviews on Google business and get a list of time-tested tips that will help you to get more customer feedback in the form of interesting and credible comments.
The Key Benefits of Accumulating More Google Business Reviews
Increasing positive reviews on Google Business provides businesses with a number of benefits and improves key project metrics:
- rising positions in Google search results: the more reviews you have, the higher ranking in local search you get, which means more customers;
- increase trust and credibility: positive reviews demonstrate reliability and quality of services, convincing potential customers to contact you;
- attracting new customers: positive reviews work as a powerful advertising tool, attracting new customers who look for a reliable supplier;
- increase sales: higher ratings and trust lead to increased sales and profitability;
- identifying and eliminating shortcomings: even negative reviews are useful because they help identify weaknesses and improve the quality of services.
For example, thanks to negative reviews, you can understand how to optimize Wholesale Central’s performance and offer even better service.
Also: Report Reveals New Details on Fake Reviews
Basic Requirements for Getting Google Reviews
You don’t need much to get Google reviews, but take into account our recommendations:
- An active Google Business profile: make sure your profile is complete, up-to-date, and has all the necessary information: your address, business hours, contacts, i.e. everything that allows customers to find you easily.
- Satisfied customers: provide a quality product or service, provide excellent service, and then positive feedback will follow. Although, sometimes even if you offer perfect services, you will have to make a bit of effort to get them.
- Don’t hesitate to ask customers to leave a review! You can do it in person, via email or SMS: the main thing is that a request should be unobtrusive and sincere.
- Make the process easier: ensure that your customers have a direct link to your Google Business profile, maybe even a QR code. The simpler, the better!
- Respond to reviews: respond to both positive and negative reviews. This shows your interest and willingness to engage in a dialog. Even a negative review that you respond to promptly can turn into a positive experience!
Also: BLAST Technique: What It Is and How to Use It in Customer Service
How To Get Google Reviews
Below, we’ll share some tips on how to get more Google reviews and effectively use them to grow your business.
1. Ask for Google Reviews — They Will Not Always Come to You
Sometimes customers will visit your Google My Business profile and leave a review, especially in case they had a negative experience, but you miss out on a huge number of opportunities if you do not ask shoppers for a review of your product or service.
If you have just started your business, you can easily copy the review link to your Google My Business profile and send it out to users manually via email. There are other manual ways to get the review link, but if you runChrome, simply download the GatherUp Google Review Link Generator.
Navigate to your Google My Business profile, click the GatherUp plugin from your top Chrome menu, and drop this link into a URL shortener. Pair the links with written emails to your customers that had a great experience, and ask for their feedback.
If you search for an automated solution, there are also many third-party review platforms that will help you handle this entire process. Third-party review platforms will allow you not only to collect reviews for Google My Business, but also on other platforms as well, such as Yelp and Facebook. Reviews On My Website’s Google Review Widget does a great job of this.
2. Don’t Just Ask — Follow Up
We all are busy with our daily routines, and not everyone is going to reply to your initial request. You do not want to be annoying with your requests, but it normally can take a few tries to get a response.
If you plan to collect reviews via email and have a handful of customers, you can probably manage this process manually. However, it can be a bit tedious for a higher number of customers, so the easiest way to automate an email sequence is to use a third-party review collection software that will automate the entire campaign process.
One big benefit of using third-party review collection software is that you can easily automate the process via SMS. Sending review requests via text message generally yields better results, as normally customers have an avalanche of emails. Believe it or not, asking for reviews via text is still not a super common practice.
3. Collect Google Reviews Through Your Website
If you sell a product or service online, collecting reviews through your website can be very effective. If you want to learn how a customer’s buying experience was, their interaction with your website, and the support they received prior to purchasing your goods or services, you can serve them a review right after they make a transaction or sign-up.
You will see a lower survey completion rate when using this method. Some customers will wait until they have tried a product or service, but it can be effective for collecting some quality reviews quickly, especially if there is a time lag in receiving your products if a customer makes several orders. On the other hand, if you want to collect a review immediately after a consumer has had the chance to use your product, you will want to send them the review request at the right time during the feedback loop.
You can also take the Google My Business review link and embed it behind a widget and display it on your site. Using the Rich Plugins Google Reviews Widget for WordPress users, you can easily embed a widget on a website. Not only does this build trust and rapport for your brand, but it also allows users to easily click on your Google rating (or Facebook and Yelp) to easily leave a review.
4. Use QR Codes for Google Review Collection
Using the power of QR codes on print advertising is a very effective way to maintain your Google reviews. If you send printed receipts with your products, you can print the code on the receipt and encourage your customers to leave a review with a coupon code or discount on a next purchase.
Restaurants can print QR codes on their receipts, while customers serving B2B clients can add a QR code to their invoice they send asking for a review. To get a QR code set up for your Google My Business account, you need to:
- Copy your Google My Business review link using the GatherUp Chrome extension.
- Head over to the QR Code Generator and drop the link.
- Download the QR code and add it where relevant to your print advertising process.
Place a QR code on receipts, business cards, and promotional materials — it’s a convenient way to direct customers to the review page. How to get QR code for Google review simply and effectively? Google review QR code — just generate and place!
5. Collect Reviews On-Site via Mobile Devices
Another great use case for those that have an in-store experience is collecting Google reviews through their mobile devices. If you are in a restaurant and the waiter asks you to leave a review, providing you with a tablet or mobile device, you are much more likely to complete one right there on the spot.
There are plenty of SaaS solutions out there on the market to help you achieve this. Normally, customers will first leave a review using the third party’s review software on the tablet device, and just as with Google Reviews, they will need to actually log in to their account first before they leave a review, this is something that most consumers will not be too keen on doing for security and privacy reasons.
Although, during the review process, the survey will ask for an email where a customer will later receive an email asking them to leave a review on Yelp, GMB, or others. Collecting reviews in store and in person can be a super effective method to maintain your Google reviews.
6. Always Responding
When potential customers browse your Google My Business profile, it will certainly be important for them to see that you respond to reviews that other customers left. You should always respond to all reviews and engage with consumers, notwithstanding if this is a positive or a negative review.
By responding, you actually encourage other customers to leave reviews as they see that you notice and appreciate the feedback. This is especially true for negative reviews, since consumers want to see that you take recourse to resolve issues connected with your product or service.
7. Use e-mail and SMS
Send feedback requests via email or SMS. SMS is faster and more effective than email, because everyone is overwhelmed with emails, and the text is seen instantly. Don’t forget to add a link to your Google business profile!
8. Encourage Reviews
Offer small bonuses or discounts for leaving a review. It can be a promo code for the next purchase, or participation in a drawing. How to get people to review your business on Google? Even a small gift is a powerful motivation!
9. Collaborate With Other Platforms
Don’t limit yourself to Google! Collect reviews on other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc. This will help to create a holistic positive picture of your business, and all these reviews build trust!
Ask the question of how you can get your long-term customers to leave a Google review. How to get a Google review is a comprehensive approach.
So, more Google reviews mean new customers, higher rankings, and more revenue. Use these tips to improve your online reputation and attract the attention of potential buyers. Don’t delay! Start collecting reviews today.
And to find reliable suppliers for your business, contact Wholesale Central: we’ll help you expand your assortment and increase your profitability. Increase the number of positive reviews, solve your tasks and achieve your goals!
FAQ
To get to Google reviews, just search for your business name or Google Maps. On your Google Business profile page, you’ll find the Reviews section.
You cannot download Google reviews as a file. You can only view them directly on your Google Business profile.
Yes, you can easily create a QR code that leads to your Google reviews page using free online QR code generators.
To get a link to your Google reviews page, sign in to your Google Business profile. Then find and copy the link to your reviews page.