The Importance of Google Business Profile (GBP) Reviews
When searching for a business or service online, many people defer to reviews to help make an informed decision. As a result, businesses with reviews on their Google Business Profile (GBP) will likely collect more clicks and conversions than those without them.
However, having the right reviews online can have a serious impact on search rankings and reputation. Adding reviews to a business page gives professionals the opportunity to reach more clientele, as they allow for the public acknowledgment of the great work that occurs at a firm. When a potential client reads a positive review, this may increase the chances of them taking the next steps to retain services from one firm over another. However, negative reviews could have a detrimental effect on a business. Working with a skilled digital marketing team who is experienced with GBP profiles can make this process a little easier.
Understanding GBP Reviews
While having reviews on your GBP is important, the content and star ratings of these reviews is also crucial.
Star Ratings
Any reviewing customer has the option to leave a star rating from 1-5. Once a star rating is selected, Google brings up buttons that help to clarify the selection. Examples include “good quality”, “professional”, or “poor quality”, “not professional”.
These buttons help clients leave important information about their star rating without leaving a written comment. Of course, these buttons cannot be as specific or in-depth as written review—and in fact, when a client selects a 3-star rating, the buttons are not an option—but they do help to contextualize an otherwise strictly quantitative review.
Written Reviews
At BluShark Digital, we help our clients reach out and ask the right questions to not only get great and authentic reviews, but also get detailed information posted that can help improve rankings and bring in new clients.
The Importance of Review Schema
GBP reviews translate to more than just the listing. By using Review Schema, our team at BluShark Digital is able to add reviews to both your website and organic search results.
This schema code pulls the star rating and a specific review into your search result, which can help to legitimize your online presence and help clients feel safe to click on your site.
How Reviews Boost Site Ranking
Star ratings and the number of reviews impact the decisions of potential clients. Consumers tend to read several reviews before making a decision. Businesses with an insufficient amount may not make the cut when compared to their competitors that receive more or higher-rated reviews. Because reviews play a major role in the consumer decision-making process, Google tends to give more online real estate to companies that have more reviews. This is a way Google can provide more information to its users.
When searching for a specific business, a company’s Google Business Profile (GBP) listing may appear on the side panel of the search engine results page (SERP). On this listing, there is basic information, such as the name, address, and contact information, as well as ratings and reviews. GBP reviews are one of the first pieces of information potential clients view on Google. Additionally, Google reviews allow for better site ranking because client feedback produces more keywords. That allows Google to connect the services that a business offers with the users search query. The more relevant a review is to the service that a user is looking for, the higher that company may rank for that specific search query. When a business ranks higher on the SERP or has more online real estate through their GBP, the more likely it is for a business to gain new traffic, and thus, new clients.
How To Get More Reviews
Overall, customer feedback is necessary because it provides trust and assurance to potential clients. A trustworthy business is crucial to consumers to prevent the case of false advertisement, scams, or the chance of not receiving the assistance they expect. Ethics, morals, and values play a significant role in succeeding as a business. Because every business has the professional responsibility to ensure the satisfaction of their clients, companies should make online reviews a priority. Other than exceeding clients’ expectations by going above and beyond, there are a few other ways to gain more reviews.
One of the best ways is to reply to all the reviews already listed, regardless of whether they are good or bad. Google Business Profile suggests businesses respond to reviews that users leave. When a business owner replies to their reviews, it shows that they care about their customers’ feedback. Replying to a review also displays customer engagement which may encourage other clients to do so as well. Finally, simply encouraging satisfied clients to leave a review is a great way to increase the amount of feedback a company has online.
How to Handle Negative Reviews
Having a bad review in a pool of positive reviews may not have much of an effect. However, a good review in a sea of negative reviews will. It is best to look at negative reviews as learning experiences as it gives businesses the opportunity to learn and improve. Respond to the negative feedback with a genuine apology and a solution. It is imperative to be professional in these responses to negative reviews because a digital footprint is everlasting and is publicly accessible anytime from anywhere. Responding to a negative review may also lead to a client deleting or modifying their original comment. As long as a business’ average rating is high, a negative review may not dramatically affect your law firm.
Learn More About How GBP Reviews Can Impact Your Online Presence
In the continually evolving, innovative, and competitive field of digital marketing, authentic user reviews can go a long way to help your site stand out. At BluShark Digital, we help each one of our clients make an impression with an authentic GBP profile and honest reviews from customers and clients.
To learn more about the importance of Google Business Profile reviews, call us today to schedule a consultation about your digital marketing strategy.