How Google Business Profile Reviews Help You Conquer SEO
Business owners have access to many digital tools to engage and interact with their customers. They have websites that are easy to navigate, social media platforms to share company news or new articles, Google Business Profile accounts with updated business information and much more! With so many digital platforms out there, one commonly overlooked component that holds incredible SEO value is online business reviews.
Why Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Important?
SEO is essential because it significantly enhances a website's visibility on search engines, leading to more traffic and potentially more customers. By improving your site's search rankings, SEO helps your business stand out in a crowded online marketplace. Higher rankings also foster trust and credibility, as users tend to click on the top results, perceiving them as more reliable.
By including keywords and common search terms within your content and following other SEO best practices, you can rank higher on search engine result pages, leading to more website visitors. However, keywords aren’t the only Google ranking factor; Google also analyzes your business as a whole, including your website health, Google Business Profile page, online reviews left by customers and any other way people interact with your business online.
What Is Off-Page SEO?
Off-page SEO refers to efforts made outside the website to improve its organic search engine rankings. It primarily includes building backlinks from other reputable websites, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative.
Google Business profile reviews are an important component of off-page SEO, especially for local businesses looking to enhance their online presence. Online business reviews act as social proof, helping to build trust with both potential customers and Google itself. The more positive reviews a business has—and the more recent they are—the better it will likely perform in local search results. Google uses these reviews to determine how relevant a business is when people search for services or products nearby. Plus, reviews are user-generated content that Google can display, making them a key factor of SEO rankings. Responding to reviews also shows that a business cares about its customers, which can boost its reputation and improve search rankings. In short, getting reviews for your business aren’t just feedback; they’re a vital part of your online success.
The Importance Of Online Reviews For Your Website’s SEO
Positive online business reviews signal to search engines that your business is trustworthy and gives you more authority. This is especially important for local SEO because it could help your website appear in the local pack on the search results page. The local pack is the list of businesses underneath the map, and these results appear above the organic listings. If your site is in the local pack, that means you're ranking in one of the top three spots on Google, and you’ll likely generate additional traffic and more leads. In fact, 50% of users that perform a local search on their smartphones will visit the business within 24 hours.
Things Google Considers When Ranking Sites In The Local Pack:
These are some essential factors Google considers when ranking sites in the Local Pack and can significantly impact your business's visibility in local search results. By understanding these ranking factors, you can better position your website to attract more local customers and enhance your online presence where it matters most:
- Location and proximity to the search: Google knows not all customers are willing to go across town to visit a location and will show more options that are close to the searcher. However, if your business stands out as being the best even if it's a little further away, you could still make the list.
- Number of reviews: The more reviews and interactions your business has, the more Google can understand you are a legitimate business. This is just one of the many reasons why Google reviews help your SEO.
- Google Business Profile: Building an online profile that’s designed to give Google all the essential information about your business can boost local rankings. For the best results, check out some of our Google Business Profile SEO tips!
- Keywords in the review: Google often displays some of the top reviews people leave businesses. The keywords people use in their search are in bold, making reviews stand out more. Additionally, the more strategic keywords you can associate with your brand in reviews, the more SEO value the reviews will have.
- SEO-friendly website: Google will consider the number of pages that rank for your business, how often users are clicking on your content, how much time they spend on your website and more.
How To Get Google Reviews For Your Business
To build up your business’s reviews, just ask your customers to leave one! According to Podium’s study, 77% of consumers are willing to respond to a company they’ve interacted with when asked to leave a review. The key to this process is timing. If you’ve performed a service for a customer, you can ask them to leave a review the same day. When selling products, it’s best to wait about a week or more so your customer has a chance to use the product. Businesses can make asking for reviews a part of their texting or email marketing process. When checking in with their customers after they’ve made a purchase, ask them to leave a review about their experience.
Where Should Customers Leave Online Business Reviews For My Business?
So far, we’ve talked a lot about the importance of reviews for SEO on Google’s search engine because this is where the majority of users perform local searches. However, it’s equally important to get reviews for your business across other local rating sites. This will give potential customers a better chance to find you, especially if there’s a site commonly used in your industry. There are many local rating websites, but some of the most common are:
- Yelp
- Facebook
- Better Business Bureau
- Angie’s List
- OpenTable
- Home Advisor
- Glassdoor
How To Respond To Google Business Profile Reviews
Coaxing your customers to leave a review is only part of the reviews and SEO process. Responding to reviews is just as important for your business, and as a matter of fact, Google highly encourages it. Simply thanking your customers for taking the time to give their feedback signals to Google that you’re doing everything you can to provide a great customer experience. Additionally, this gives your business a chance to use some of your keywords for SEO benefits.
While it’s okay to have a few standard responses to Google reviews, you don’t want the customer to feel like you sent them a cookie-cutter reply. Try to customize what you say whenever possible. Start with thanking the customer for leaving a positive review or sharing their experience, reassure them that your staff is dedicated to executing great customer service and end with showing appreciation for choosing to do business with your company.
Responding To Negative Online Business Reviews
No matter how well you run your business, you will likely receive a bad review eventually. It’s important not to overreact in your response. This reflects poorly on your company and could unsettle the customer even more. Take your time to reply with a comment that highlights the bright side of the situation, shows you are apologetic and offers a solution. When you make the situation right with a customer, they will have a better impression of your business. We’ve actually seen some unhappy customers go back and leave a higher rating when the company offered a discount or resolved the issue.
Get Reviews For Your Business With Blue Compass
Let us do what we do best while you focus on managing your business and keeping customers happy. If you’re not sure how to get started with Google Business Profile or need help managing and replying to reviews, our SEO experts can help. We help businesses respond to Google reviews to boost their SEO value, which earns our clients more business. Reach out to us to learn more about our services.