Verifying Google reviews is an essential part of a successful online marketing strategy. They have a far more significant impact on a business’s local search rankings than they are given credit for. Any law firm that has a business in a specific location and wants to be successful in that location needs to spend time curating its Google reviews. Getting positive reviews is not always easy because what the customer writes about you is a bit out of your hands, but it’s possible.
This post will cover the benefits of positive Google reviews before telling you exactly how to get them.
How do we know Google Reviews show the online help
search ranking?
When the Google algorithm evaluates a website, one of the goals is to measure what is called E-A-T: experience, authority, and trust. Local customers tell Google your business has the credibility the algorithm is looking for. Google reviews are crucial in measuring that “T” in E-A-T.
In addition, some studies prove that buying 5-star Google reviews plays a massive role in your search ranking.
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Last year, Google decided to ban anonymous reviews without attached profiles. The new ban was even applied retrospectively, causing many companies to lose many of their reviews overnight. Joy Hawkins, the owner of Local Search Forum and Sterling Sky, took the opportunity to see if GMB profiles that lost ratings saw a change in their rankings.
Darren Shaw of Whitespark released findings from his annual Google Local Rankings Survey around the same time as Hawkins’ study, showing that reviews accounted for more than 15% of how Google ranks a local business. The result? Most of the time, businesses that had lost a lot of reviews fell two spots or more, sometimes even off of Page 1.
In a similar study, the folks at Moz published an article on what makes good SEO for local restaurants. They found that restaurants with fewer than 100 reviews had only a 1% chance of making it into the 3-pack of the 50 create capitals studied. Also, none of the 3-pack-worthy restaurants they surveyed had ratings below 4.
What are the benefits of having positive Google reviews?
Positive reviews on Google benefit all companies that work directly with customers or clients. Whether you’re a law firm or work at a local bakery, Google Reviews will help you for the following reasons:
Help rank higher in local search.
Google takes this reliability a step further by using reviews as one of its local ranking factors. In fact, in the 2020 Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors Survey, reviews accounted for 16% of local packages’ ranking and conversion factors.
To make its decisions, Google measures the number, frequency, variety, and quality of reviews. These factors show Google that customers are happy with the services they receive from your business and reward you with higher rankings.
In the same survey, reviews top the list of factors that convince customers to convert to Google’s SERPs. The most critical factors were the number of native Google reviews, their positive sentiment, and their numerical value.
Make customers trust you.
The most apparent reason for positive reviews on Google is to show customers that you can be trusted. Before a client decides to work with you, they want to ensure you are trustworthy and reputable.
If you buy positive Google reviews, they’re fake.
The problem with fake Google reviews is that they will almost certainly be fake. A genuine Google review cannot be written by someone who has never used your product or service.
It happens that businesses purchase fake reviews. Of course, they are aware that they are bogus. However, this suggests that your company needs more credibility, contrary to Google reviews’ purpose. You’ll probably fail if you’re trying to reach your target audience and settle for fake customer feedback.
How Do Reviews Affect Map Pack vs. Local Ranking?
Google interprets reviews differently depending on where a business appears in the Map Pack and where it ranks in local search engine results pages.
According to Whitespark’s report, reviews have a 17% share of Map Pack rank but only a 5% share of local organic ranking.
Map Pack rankings are more likely to be influenced by a Google Business Profile page’s quality, whereas local organic rankings are influenced by a broader range of on-site and off-site factors.
Reviews significantly impact how businesses appear in either organic search format, regardless of the percentages.
According to Whitespark’s report, several experts will concentrate on “Keywords in Google Native Reviews” and “Quantity of Native Google Reviews” to increase visibility in 2022.
It Can Impact Your Local Ranking
Reviews and SEO (search engine optimization) boost a person’s online brand presence. Because of this, Google reviews have emerged as an essential component of the local SEO strategy of many businesses.
Suppose you purchase Google reviews to appear at the top of local search results. In that case, you risk experiencing a sharp drop in rankings if Google determines that your reviews need to reflect the customer experience accurately.
Read More: What to Consider When Buying Google Reviews
Final Touch
Treatment. No dedicated and ethical business person should fear user reviews. While it’s true that working with the public sometimes means encountering customers who have unrealistic expectations or unresolved personal issues, most customers want a fair deal more often than not. Customers who complain should be considered company assets as they point out problems that need to be fixed before other customers find them.
The most innovative business owners support all employees with thoughtful complaint-resolution training that makes consumers feel heard and valued. They are so adept at owner responses that they are adept at turning dissatisfied customers into brand advocates based on their delight at being treated with such considerate care. Surely all businesses would prefer only to receive positive reviews, but it makes a big difference for the business when the owner sees a great opportunity.
The article was originally published at bluehillhosting.com
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