Online reviews play an important role in the modern user journey.
Getting good reviews is a necessary part of any modern marketing strategy.
But if you want to control and make the most of your consumer voice, where do you start?
Let's talk about the best review platforms and the best ways to take advantage of them.
1. Google My Business
Google My Business (GMB) is the latest version of what was formerly known as Google Places and Google Local and is the starting point for any online review marketing strategy.
The ratings here will determine your star rating in Google Maps search results as well as the Google "local pack", the list of map results displayed when users perform a local search.
Reviews are the most important factor in determining a local business' presence in Google search results, and Google My Business is the most trusted source for these reviews.
If you think this won't affect you because your business is online and not local, then you are dead wrong.
In a study involving 30,000 websites, Investment Review increased organic traffic from 5,500 to 8,000 in nine months.
However, knowing that your Google profile needs to be reviewed and that is not the same thing as actually getting it.
It goes without saying that an excellent product and top-notch customer service are a must here.
The high emphasis on customer service should be reiterated, as poor customer service is more likely to lead to scrutiny than positive customer service.
In addition to overhauling customer service and developing the best possible product, there are extra steps you can take to get the most out of Google My Business.
online review platform
Let's start with the obvious: you should set up your Google My Business profile, not leave it unclaimed:
Visit https://www.google.com/business/ .
Choose or create the Google Account you want to associate with your business.
Enter your name and address to search for your business.
Click on the appropriate location.
Click "Send me my code". Google needs to verify where your business is located. This is the easiest way.
Add high-quality photos to your profile and emphasize the advantages of communicating your business and products most effectively through visual media.
Update all fields and descriptions and list your profile in the same way as your own website.
Now that you need to encourage your customers to leave reviews, the most effective way is to provide them with a direct link to where they can review your business. That's it:
Go to PlaceID Finder.
Put your business name in the "Enter Location" field.
Click your business name. If you are having trouble, please enter your location.
On the map, below the business name, above your location ID.
Copy your place ID and paste it into "<place_id>" at: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?id=1 placeid = <place_id>.
Follow the link and it should take you to a page where a Google comment form will pop up.
This is the link you need to share with customers at common points of interaction, encouraging them to leave reviews, especially in interactions where you have reason to believe you have happy customers.
A Few Tips for Getting GMB Reviews
Integrate your Google My Business review link into your email marketing campaigns. Use your email signature to ask your customers to leave a review.
Segment your audience, look for quantifiable associations between interactions and customer lifetime value, and request reviews from those in your audience who are most likely to become long-term customers.
Make it part of your training and teach all customer-facing employees to ask customers for their opinions, especially if the customer seems satisfied.
Where it's impossible to provide direct contact, there are ready-made materials to teach customers how to leave reviews.
Write a personal email asking for a comment. The context of a personal email should make it clear that the email is not mass produced.
2. Industry-specific review sites
While industry-specific review sites don't directly telemarketing list affect your star rating in Google Maps and Google Local search results, they can affect your ranking in search results and, prior to clicks, non-local Star ratings are often visible in search results.
On top of that, 97% of customers say they are influenced by customer reviews.
By all accounts, the more reviews available, the better, which is why you want to earn as many reviews as possible in as many places as possible, as long as your products and customer service meet customer expectations.
Angry customers are the most likely to comment - they can have a serious negative impact on your brand's reputation.
Therefore, it is important to strive to encourage reviews from a more representative sample of the customer base.
Industry-specific review sites are sites built or commonly used for a specific industry, such as Yelp for restaurants and TripAdvisor for hotels.
You can use the tips above to get Google My Business reviews and apply them to ot