Increase Your Sales with Google Reviews

One of the most effective strategies to boost your sales is through Google Reviews. A free service from Google, it’s easy to set up but improves local search ranking, promotes trust, and ultimately increases sales.

How Google Reviews Help Your Business

1. Increase credibility and trust: With shopping on an online store, buyers gain trust through the ratings and reviews from other shoppers. Similarly, prospective clients who read positive Google reviews see that you are credible and that they can trust doing business with you.
2. Improve local search ranking: Online reviews boost your local search rankings, making it easier for clients to find your business both through search listings and in Google Maps. Your stars will also make you stand out.
3. Improve sales: Google reviews can greatly influence the decision for a prospective client to work with you instead of competitors. 

How to Get Google Reviews

1. Claim your business: Create a Google My Business profile at google.com/business. Sign in or create a Google account. You’ll then enter your business details and verify your business.
2. Optimize your listing: Update your business listing with relevant keywords, hours of operation, and high quality photos. Make a good impression through images that tell a positive story about your business. 
3. Ask for Google Reviews: After you finish a project (and it went well), ask for a review. Most clients will gladly do that for you but you’ll want to make it as easy as possible for them by giving them an easy link to leave a review. Do that through these steps:
   1. Within Google My Business, Click on Home. 
   2. On the right, click on the “Share review form” button. 
   3. Copy the link and share with them.
4. Follow up: You’ll get an email notification when you get a Google. Make sure to always leave a reply thanking them and letting them know how much you enjoy working with them. If they haven’t left a review yet, gently remind them. I like to remind them after 2 days, then after 3 days, then after a week. I figure after the 3 reminders, they may have the best of intentions but it’s not going to happen.

How to leave a Google Review

When you ask a client to leave a review for you, you’ll be making it easy for them by giving them a direct link. Typically though, to leave a review for a business, you’ll follow these  steps:

1. Search for the business on Google. If you have a match, you’ll see a business profile box to the right. If Google has multiple matches, you’ll the local listings within the search results, with the local area map. 
2. Click on the “Write a review” button.
3. Click on the stars and write a quick review about why you enjoyed working with that business, or why you didn’t. If you have an image, upload that as well. Click the Post button. Remember that good reviews help the business that you worked with, so thank the business with a rating a ‘5’ if your experience was good.

In Summary

Having lots of 5-star Google reviews lets clients know that you’re a reputable company that they should work with. By making it easy for clients to leave reviews, you can grow your Google reviews without too much work, and it’s well worth it!