Google reviews can significantly impact your business's search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, and therefore, it's essential to understand how they work.
First and foremost, Google reviews are a type of user-generated content (UGC) that can help to improve the credibility and authority of a business. When people see that your business has positive reviews from satisfied customers, it can boost their confidence in your business and encourage them to visit your website. People like to work with trustworthy businesses.
Google reviews also help to improve a business's local SEO. When you have good local SEO, you rank higher on Google than your local competitors. When a business has a large number of positive reviews, it can help to improve their visibility in local search results, which can be incredibly beneficial for businesses that rely on local customers.
Additionally, Google reviews can also help to improve a website's overall SEO by providing valuable inbound links. When someone leaves a review on Google, they are also providing a link to the business's website. These links can help to improve the website's overall authority and search engine ranking.
To encourage customers to leave reviews, it's important to make it easy for them to do so. This can be done by including a link to the business's Google review page in email signatures, on the website, and on social media. It's also important to respond to reviews, both positive and negative, in a timely manner. Responding to reviews can show that the business values customer feedback and is actively engaged with its customers.
Having trouble getting reviews?
We can set up an automated process to ask your past clients for reviews for you. Anytime you finish working with a client or customer, we build a system that automatically emails them requesting a good review. Have your own clients help you get more business! Schedule a call with Jolly Web Consulting to talk about how to get started.
What if the reviews you're getting are very boring and generic?
My business coach once gave me the task of calling my past clients and getting the info that they liked and what helped them the most with their new websites, branding, and/or SEO boosts first hand. I used that information to write stunning reviews using their words. I followed up the call with an email with a link to review my business and an already curated review ready for them to copy and paste! It's a lot more work, but the results are stunning.
In addition to Google reviews, there are other ways to boost your local SEO and improve your online reputation. These include:
- Claiming your Google My Business listing: This allows you to manage your business information, including reviews, on Google.
- Encouraging customers to leave reviews: This can be done through email, on your website, or by providing a link to your Google My Business listing.
- Optimizing your website for local search: This includes including relevant keywords, location information, and contact details on your website to make it easier for customers to find you.
In conclusion, Google reviews can play a critical role in improving a business's SEO. They can help to boost credibility and visibility in local search results, and provide valuable inbound links. By making it easy for customers to leave reviews and responding to them, businesses can encourage more reviews and improve their SEO.
Interested in talking together about your current SEO state and Google Reviews strategy? Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call with Jolly Web Consulting today!
