As an online business owner, you don’t need us to tell you how important each and every review is for your business. In fact, most small online businesses live and die by their reviews, as they’re often the only thing potential customers have to go off of. If you’re like every other online business owner, you are searching for any way to get more reviews. Here at R5 Website Management, we teach our clients that engagement on their Google My Business page can bring them more traffic.
Key Takeaways:
The Power of Google Reviews: Positive Google reviews are crucial for businesses online as they can significantly impact potential customers’ decisions.
Direct Review Link: Sending a direct link to your Google Business Profile review page can increase the likelihood of customers leaving reviews.
Strategic Reminders: Regularly reminding customers to leave reviews, either through email, text, or in-person, can boost your review count.
Leverage Compliments: Capitalize on positive feedback from customers by asking them to share their experience on Google.
Here are some of the steps you can take to get your online business more reviews:
1. Get Your Google Review Link
You want your customers to give you positive reviews, right? Well, to do that, they need an actual place where they can leave a positive review. You can generate a Google review link for the reviews you want. In order to get that link, you will need to:
- Login to your Google Business profile account.
- Select the location you would like to manage.
- Click Home on the left-hand menu.
- Click on the “Get more reviews” card and copy the URL.
This will be the URL you will send to your customers and clients to get more reviews for your local business. Sending them a direct link makes it more likely that they will leave customer feedback.
2. Send the Link Via Email or Text
After a customer buys your product or purchases your services, you should send them a link via your preferred method. Many online business owners choose to set up a system that will automatically send emails or texts after a purchase. You can add the link to this email or text to request reviews.
If you’d prefer to select the people you send a review link to, then draft a short request and your custom URL. Send it out to past customers who have not left feedback before. If you do have a client that you think would want to share more reviews on more than one platform, you can direct them to Yelp or Facebook to share.
3. Send Reminders
One important thing to remember is that your customer base is often just as busy as you are. This means that sometimes they just don’t have the time to leave online reviews. No worries! Send them a reminder with the link attached so they remember to fill out a review when they have more time on their hands.
4. Turn a Compliment Into An Ask
When you are meeting with clients or customers and they give you a compliment, this is a great opportunity to ask them to leave their customer testimonials as a review. All you have to do is ask if they’d be willing to share that same information on Google. If they agree, send them the link or have someone in the office share it with them when they go to leave.
5. Leave Reminders On Your Website
There’s absolutely no shame in wanting a customer to leave a positive review for potential customers to see. After all, your business is essentially fueled by Google reviews. Don’t be afraid to leave reminders all throughout your website, reminding customers to leave a review if they enjoy your products or services.
Ask While the Experience Is Still Fresh
Timing matters more than people think. If you wait three months to ask someone for a review, there is a good chance they have forgotten the details that made the experience worth talking about. Asking shortly after a purchase, project, appointment, or other positive interaction usually gives the customer more to work with.
That does not mean sending the request the second somebody walks out the door. Pick a point in your normal customer process where the experience feels complete. The easier and more natural the request feels, the less likely it is to come across as another marketing message.
Make Review Requests Part of Your Normal Process
One big review push can help for a little while, but it is difficult to build momentum if you only remember to ask once or twice a year. Reviews are easier to grow when the request becomes part of what you already do.
That could mean adding the review link to a follow-up email, training employees to mention it after a successful interaction, or creating a reminder inside whatever system you use to manage customers. The goal is not to pressure people into leaving feedback. It is to make sure satisfied customers actually know where they can share their experience.
Do Not Ignore Reviews After They Come In
Getting the review is only part of the process. Responding shows customers that somebody is paying attention. A simple thank-you on a positive review can go a long way, and a thoughtful response to a negative review gives you a chance to address the situation without getting defensive.
Keep responses professional and avoid turning them into arguments. Future customers may read both the review and your response before deciding whether to contact you. In that sense, how you respond can be just as important as the review itself.
Reviews are not just a number next to your business name. They are an ongoing conversation with customers, and managing that conversation should be part of your local online presence.
Contact Us Today For SEO Services
As an online business owner, you hardly have the time to make breakfast in the morning. The last thing in the world that you have time for is the search engine optimization of your business’s website. That’s why our team here at R5 Management is here to help. We offer a wide range of SEO services to help you grow your business. Contact us today to find out how we can help you!
