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8 Ways to Generate More Google Business Reviews
Google reviews can pack a real punch. Carry out a search for pretty much any kind of business via Google and the first thing you see is its customer rating. If it’s on the high side, you’re intrigued. If it’s pathetically low, you’re out. But if it’s distinctly lacking or absent altogether, you probably find it difficult to take the business in question seriously.
So it’s worth asking yourself – what do people see when your business appears in the listings?
Long story short, you could probably do with stepping things up when it comes to your current contingency of Google business reviews. On the plus side, there are various ways and means by which you can make it happen – none of which are particularly difficult or expensive.
Ask for a review
For example, the single most effective way of earning more Google business reviews is to simply ask for them. Each and every time you do business with anyone, don’t bring things to an end without asking them to submit a review.
Educate your customers
That said, you also need to show your customers exactly how they can leave a review, if they choose to do so. You can rest assured that if you expect them to work it out for themselves, the vast majority simply aren’t going to bother.
Personalise the experience
Personal emails are so much more impactful than those sent out to hundreds or thousands of people at the same time. Reviews are worth their weight in gold, so it’s more than worth taking the time to pen personal emails to customers, in return for their thoughts and opinions.
Simplify the process
Ask your customers for an essay and they probably aren’t going to give you one. By contrast, ask your customers for just one or two sentences to sum up their experience and considerably more will reward you with their words of wisdom.
Multiple channels
Make sure that your customers are able to submit reviews via multiple channels. Some will prefer to share their thoughts via Facebook, other by e-mail or perhaps even in person. Open up as many channels of communication as you can to encourage feedback from more customers.
Offer a response
Consumers in general are considerably more likely to submit feedback and reviews when they believe they will be read and considered. The best way of going about this is to offer genuine, unique responses to each review you receive. It can be particularly effective if you also publish these responses publicly.
Star ratings
You could also simplify the process even further by simply asking customers to click one or more star ratings at the end of their experience with your brand. More often than not, even those who can’t be bothered writing a review will still credit you with a click or two.
Tasteful discounts
Last but not least, buying positive praise is never a good idea. There are far too many businesses up and running these days that offer all manner of deals and discounts to those who submit five-star reviews on sites like TripAdvisor. Nevertheless, there’s nothing wrong with offering a tasteful discount of some description for everyone willing to submit a review. After all, something as token as a 10% discount coupon is the kind of thing you would probably be willing to give out free of charge anyway.