Once upon a time, if a person wanted to know where to go to buy a car or have their television repaired, they asked their friends and family to give them some recommendations. Nowadays, however, things work a little differently.

Instead of having their inner circle point them in the right direction, most prospective customers turn to Google. They figure out where to go and what to purchase by reading online reviews.

Why Are Online Reviews So Important?

If your business does not have many positive reviews on Google, you owe it to yourself to take steps to change that fact. Here’s why:

Reviews Can Boost Your Company’s Search Engine Rankings

Google analyzes a wide variety of factors when determining which results to display when users search for specific keywords, including:

• Loading speeds
• Domain ages
• Security
• Mobile-friendliness

However, it also places a great deal of weight into the ratings and reviews left by customers. Google considers sites with lots of positive feedback to be trustworthy and reliable. Therefore, it tends to place them at the top of its results.

Your company can enjoy an even more sizable rankings boost if its Google My Business reviews contain relevant keywords. If, for example, someone leaves a comment stating that your dealership offers a “great selection of used cars,” your site is highly likely to appear when people look for “used cars.”

Reviews Can Make Your Business Look More Trustworthy to Customers

Positive reviews don’t just make your organization look more trustworthy to Google. They also make prospective customers feel more comfortable about using your website and doing business with you.

Research consistently shows that consumers consider Google reviews to be one of the most credible ways of judging a company’s trustworthiness. In many cases, the public even thinks of these ratings as more beneficial than recommendations from friends and family.

Reviews Can Increase Your Company’s Revenue

When Google puts your website among its top results and customers trust your company, there can be only one outcome. Your business will notice a sharp uptick in its sales figures.

But don’t just take our word for it. Listen to what the experts from Harvard Business School have to say on the matter.

They say that a one-star rating increase can lead to a revenue boost of up to nine percent. This figure is not an estimate or a best-guess. They came to this conclusion after reviewing data published by the Washington State Department of Revenue.

If your business turns over $1 million each year, such a boost could put as much as $90,000 extra into your pocket.

How to Improve Your Google My Business Reviews

Clearly, positive reviews and ratings can have a significant impact on your company. So, you may be wondering how you can improve yours. Luckily, FZA Digital has the answers you need.

To boost your Google My Business rating, all you need to do is:

Provide Consistently Excellent Customer Service

Your customers are unlikely to leave you the positive reviews you need to boost your Google My Business rating out of the goodness of their hearts. You will have to earn them by providing fantastic service.

You can accomplish this feat by:

• Responding to questions and concerns promptly
• Empathizing with their situation
• Remaining positive and friendly at all times
• Resolving their issues as best you can

Before long, you will begin to see a slew of reviews thanking you for going the extra mile for your customers.

Show Your Customers Where to Leave Reviews

Customers who wish to leave positive reviews for your organization don’t always know where to do so. It is up to you to show them.

You can provide them with this information in a variety of ways, like:

• Sending them an email that explains the process
• Handing them an instruction leaflet with their purchase
• Walking them through the process in-store

The easier you make it, the more likely you are to receive positive reviews.

Offer Review Incentives

Quite often, the best way to convince shoppers to rate your organization on Google My Business is to offer them an incentive like:

• A discount on a future purchase
• A free product or service
• A rebate on their purchase
• Entry into a prize drawing

Be careful when offering these incentives, though. You cannot state that they must leave a five-star review to receive the reward. You can only ask them to give their honest opinion on their experience with your company.

Need a Little Help?

Can’t seem to improve your Google My Business rating on your own? No worries! The FZA Digital team is always available to assist.

We have been helping companies boost their online reputation and search engine rankings for years – and we are ready to do the same for you.

To learn more about our services, all you need to do is pick up the phone and give us a call at (424) 229-2923. Or, if you would prefer, you can also send us a message online.