As per a recent survey nearly 90% of customers read online reviews about local businesses and around 70% completely trust the reviews as much as personal recommendations.
While Google reviews provide a great opportunity for businesses to build credibility and get discovered locally. But, not managing them properly can severely damage brands.
This post discusses the importance of managing Google reviews and provides detailed guidelines on the dos and don’ts when you buy Google reviews for local businesses. Let’s read on.
Importance Of Managing Google Reviews
Positive reviews aid in improving online visibility and SEO as Google prioritizes businesses with many good reviews in local search results. They serve as social proof that attracts new customers.
Addressing negative feedback constructively through respectful responses and resolving issues also help change poor perceptions.
Overall, an effective Google reviews strategy provides many marketing and customer service benefits crucial for businesses in today’s digital age.
The Dos of Managing Google Reviews
There are several important aspects local businesses must focus on to properly leverage the benefits of Google reviews. Claiming and optimizing the Google Business Profile is the first crucial step before even thinking about reviews.
- Claim and Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Claiming your business listing on Google Maps is essential to gaining access to valuable review management tools. To claim the listing, simply search for your business name on Google Maps and click the “Claim this business” option.
You will need to verify ownership by responding to an email or postal mail confirmation. Once claimed, take time to fill out all the important profile details like business name, address, phone number, website, services provided, business hours and even uploading photos.
An optimized profile paints a clear picture of your business for customers and provides a better experience when they look for information or leave reviews.
Keeping the profile constantly updated is important for customer trust. Outdated information can confuse customers and potentially lead to poor experiences.
- Monitor Reviews Regularly
Setting up alerts through your claimed Google Business Profile allows you to stay on top of new reviews and respond in a timely manner. Google provides options to receive alerts via email or text message whenever a new review is left.
Monitoring reviews regularly is vital as customer opinions shared publicly within hours or days matter more than responses weeks later. Being prompt to all reviews, even positive ones with a thank you note, builds greater engagement with customers.
It also ensures no negative reviews are left unaddressed, which can damage your online reputation if many issues seem to be ignored.
- Respond Professionally to Negative Reviews
When inevitably faced with a negative review, the most important thing is to respond professionally and respectfully. So, never get into arguments online as that only makes the situation worse.
Begin by apologizing for the customer’s bad experience, even if you feel their complaints were unwarranted or exaggerated. Offer to have a private conversation offline to resolve their issues to mutual satisfaction rather than publicly debating.
You can also provide your honest perspective on what occurred from your end in a polite tone without accusations. The aim should be diffusing anger and changing perceptions, not proving who was right or wrong.
- Encourage Happy Customers to Leave Reviews
While monitoring reactions, businesses must proactively encourage positive feedback too. Setup clear calls-to-action near registers, on receipts, invoices and websites requesting happy customers to share their experience.
Be specific saying “Please leave a review on Google” with a direct link. Non-monetary incentives through rewards programs for reviews keep motivation high. For example, giving reward points for every review left redeemable on future purchases.
Businesses should also regularly reach out to delighted customers personally and politely ask for a positive review mentioning their satisfaction. Simply making it easy prompts more engaged customers to share.
- Learn from Feedback to Improve Your Business
Perhaps the most valuable part is analyzing all reviews, not just text but also metadata, to identify opportunity areas for improvement. So, you need to locate any recurring themes of criticism over time that need addressing.
Also make sure to study compliments to understand what customer values are being successfully delivered. Accordingly, you need to make necessary changes, big or small, to continually enhance products, service quality and overall experience based on direct inputs.
Customers will notice active efforts to incorporate their feedback into ongoing upgrades maintaining loyalty and referring others. Regular review watching helps progressive businesses optimize and strengthen customer relationships.
The Don’ts of Managing Google Reviews
While following best practices, certain actions must also be avoided when handling reviews to maintain credibility and stay compliant with policies.
- Don’t Argue with Customers Online
Under no circumstances get into a public debate or argument with an unhappy customer in the reviews section. That unprofessional approach will only frustrate the other party further and paint the business negatively in the eyes of others readers too.
Instead take criticisms respectfully and offer resolving issues privately through appropriate channels. Others should not have to witness heated disputes, accusations and counter-accusations online between a business and client.
- Don’t Ignore Negative Reviews
Abstaining from responding to negative feedback leaves a poor impression that the business couldn’t care less about customer satisfaction or complaints. Ignored reviews, especially if reflecting wider issues, damage reputation over time as more pile on without response.
Non-replies validate criticisms in the minds of readers curious to understand what happened. Addressing all commentary demonstrates active commitment to improvement even when criticisms may seem unjust.
- Don’t Ask Employees To Ask Reviews
Having employees regularly solicit good reviews from their friends and families violates policies and diminishes trustworthiness of feedback in the eyes of customers. Reviews are meant to reflect authentic experiences, not artificially boosted ratings.
While businesses can gently reach out to provide best experiences, outsourcing reviews diminishes their third-party credibility. A profile built upon purely genuine feedback delivered by satisfied clients over time holds more weight with searchers and browsers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, managing Google reviews requires a careful strategy focused on building excellent relationships, addressing issues respectfully, learning continuously and avoiding improper actions that undermine integrity.
By following dos and don’ts discussed here thoroughly in detail, local businesses can effectively leverage the power of reviews for increased visibility, stronger social proof and most importantly providing better service that keeps clients happy.
With a customer-centric approach, regular efforts, and assistance from BuyReviewz, profiles will grow organically to attract more patrons.
