Google reviews can help you generate sales for your business? Why? Testimonials serve as the most powerful form of communication you can post on your site and business profiles. Nothing beats persuasive like positive words about your company spoken by someone other than you.
Google Reviews can get you more customers and business.
Google reviews create positive momentum for your company. If someone searches your business name looking for more information, or looks for reviews online, the positive reviews published to your Google Business profile will show up first. That’s a way to gain positive momentum and get new business.
Can Google Reviews help your SEO? Yes, in a way.
Because Google is the biggest and most used search engine, it makes sense for your company to be listed and have an active, up-to-date, interactive profile there. Other good reasons to create a Google business profile and ask folks to give you Google reviews:
- Google shows up first in search results. If your business profile isn’t active, someone else in your niche will show up first in the search results for similar keywords that people would use to find you.
- The more positive actions you check off your Google listing, the higher you’ll rise in search results.
- Positive Google reviews help you get found more easily by web searchers who want what you have.
Positive Google reviews bring good karma to your company. Changes are, when your potential customers search you out, if they see glowing reviews on Google, they might be more likely to leave some positive words, too.
How to ask for Google reviews
Type a friendly message asking customers to provide feedback about your business. Explain that positive Google reviews help your business thrive.
Mention that they can email you if they have a question, issue, or complaint. Explain that negative Google reviews can harm your business, and that if they are dissatisfied with your products or service in any way, they should reach out to you for a replacement, refund, or perhaps a special coupon or deal as compensation.
Why do some businesses avoid Google reviews?
Some NJ businesses are active on Google Business, and use the Google Reviews feature to stay on top of search results. Other shy away from Google reviews, and for good reason. A bad review can harm your business reputation. Additionally, it takes work and a good amount of your time, to keep up with who is leaving reviews on your Google listing.
What if someone leaves you a bad Google review?
If someone posts a bad review of your business, can you delete their review as the owner or manager of the Google business account. Sadly, no. If someone has it out for you and they’ve decided to take out their angry feelings using Google reviews, you can’t just log in and hit delete. But you can report any Google reviews that your business receives which are in violation of their policy violations, and hope that Google removes these from your profile.
Google’s review content should be authentic, relevant, and comply with their community guidelines, as per my research taken from their site.
When can you report a Google review?
Google reviews should focus on and adhere to these general guidelines:
- Actual, real experiences with the product, service or business
- Professional relevance – no digression to unrelated topics
- If the review appears to be fake, or is misleading
- If the review contains inappropriate content including hate speech, explicit or other prohibited content
Any Google review that is posted about your business which does not meet these guidelines can be reported to Google (click on Report) and submit for review with intent to remove.
Can a Google Review be edited after it goes live?
The person who posted the Google review has the ability to edit or take down their review. If all else fails, you can try to contact someone who left you a negative review. Let them know you’ll fix whatever went wrong in your business transaction. Ask them to please reword or delete their review because it can harm your business.
How to make sure your company’s best Google reviews stay toward the top of the list
Google now leaves room to drop an emoji on someone else’s Google review. “Hearting” (dropping a Heart emjoi) on a Google review that also meets Google’s criteria, will get that review to show up toward the top of your company’s list of Google reviews.
How to get more positive Google reviews
- Email your current and past customers and ask them to support your business by leaving a positive review.
- Email friends whom you have done work for, or who use the company’s services, and ask them for a review.
- Offer a free sample of your product or service. Ask for a Google review with feedback.
How to find Google reviews you’ve posted so you can edit or delete them
Finding your Google reviews can be tricky. Here are a few ways:
- Make sure you’re logged into the Gmail account where you originally posted the review from.
- Search for your Google review for a particular company; or…
- Search Google maps for that company. You’ll come across your review right away (not sure why this is).
Once you locate your Google review that you left, click EDIT and make your changes.
You can also delete your Google review if whatever you wrote no longer applies, or if you prefer to submit a different review under a different profile name, for whatever reason.
Work with Us
Want to work with a professional marketing company to update your Google listing for the best SEO strategy? Contact us by filling out the form on this page. We’ll get back to you within 2 business days.