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VelSEOity’s Reputation Management Tips for More Positive Google Reviews-1

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5 years ago

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Reputation management starts with you and improving your Google reviews is the first stop. The vast majority of customers will look at business reviews before purchasing an item – upwards of 90% in some industries. So, ensuring you’re presenting a positive image is important.

 

Cormac Reynolds of VelSEOity.com has some great tips on how a business can improve their Google reviews and enjoy big wins in 2020.

 

  1. Ensure Users Can Leave Reviews

In order to grow your Google reviews, the first and most important thing to do is to set up a Google My Business(GMB) page. While it might seem apparent, most small businesses fail to realize that just because you are a business, it doesn’t mean that you are outrightly given a GMB page. Businesses first need to register for the page and provide complete and accurate information.

After the page has been created and verified, then it can start garnering reviews. For the older businesses that have a Google Places page, it will be automatically transferred to a local GMB page. This provides them with a good starting point for a more complete profile. Seeking the services of a professional online reputation management firm like Rize Reviews is one of the most effective techniques of increasing Google reviews.

 

  1. Ask!

In most cases, simply asking for reviews is the easiest way of getting them. You will often find that customers will buy one of your products and be satisfied with it, however, not many think about returning to your page to leave a review. The same also applies to services, but in most cases, industries such as restaurants and hospitality tend to accumulate reviews faster.

Normally, before buying your product, customers will have already followed your social media accounts or subscribed to your newsletter. Take advantage of these platforms to request your customer to submit honest reviews. It is better to have substandard reviews than having none at all.

 

  1. Simplify the Process of Leaving a Google Review

In order to accumulate as many reviews as possible, aim to link to the review form as closely as you can. Rather than linking to your website or basic Google My Business page, consider directly linking to your review page. Minimize the number of clicks the user has to make to get to the review page. Customers will be deterred from leaving reviews if they have to rummage through your website or page to get to your GMB local page then rummage again to find where they can leave a review. For each extra step, the user has to take treat it as a failure on your efforts to gather more reviews.

 

  1. Avoid Purchasing or Faking Google Reviews

Users who have experience with the internet know what a valid review looks like. And even more importantly, they are capable of spotting fake reviews. There are a number of telltale signs that you’ve bought your positive reviews or you have been deleting negative reviews. Purchasing reviews from accounts that leave bought reviews or using personal accounts to leave reviews of your own business raises suspicion about your business.

Another reason why you shouldn’t buy reviews is that your reviews get lost once the false accounts are removed. Credibility is vital when it comes to business and marketing, and you should always present your business as a credible business.

 

  1. Get Reviewed Elsewhere

 

While GMB is effective in bringing reviews, you shouldn’t entirely rely on it. A majority of users depend on Yelp, Angie’s List, and other sites that provide business reviews to find reviews. When there aren’t any reviews of your business on these sites, but many on GMB, then your reviews might appear bought.

Thus when requesting reviews, utilize any and all other popular review sites instead of just Google. Your customers should have the freedom to review your business on any site they want. Some users will go above and beyond to post reviews on multiple sites.

 

  1. Handle All Negative Reviews In Personally and In a Timely Manner

 

At one point, you will come across negative reviews. As soon as one or two-star reviews appear, they should be handled immediately. This means that you need to be constantly monitoring your reviews. Never attempt to delete any bad reviews as users will notice and raise an alarm. Rather, you should take the time and effort to expeditiously take care of the user’s issues or concerns.

Request the reviewer to contact the customer service department for further assistance. If you are unable to fully satisfy the user, then just request them to reply to their initial review.

  1. Link to Review Pages Using QR Codes

Nowadays, the majority of shoppers are using smartphones. Thus almost all shoppers are able to scan a QR code and go the website that is linked to. Consider printing a QR code on your receipts, promotional materials, and any other place that the users can see as this helps to directly link to a review page. The users will be indirectly inclined to leave a review after they scan the code.

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