Customer-generated Google reviews are comments about a company posted by Google users. Google reviews are prominently displayed in search results and on Google Maps when users are looking for information about a company or for directions to it.
Leaving a review only requires a Google account, and the service is completely free. These reviews are much more widely read than those on websites like Trustpilot due to the prominence of Google as a search engine and Google Maps. Let’s take a walk through the steps you need to take to take Google Reviews to your advantage.
- Create a Google My Business Page
- Ask for feedback from existing customers
- Walk your customers through the review process
- Express appreciation to customers who have provided feedback
- Provide a link to your Google review
Create a Google My Business Page
Step one is to take ownership of your Google Business Profile. If your business has been around for a while, it’s likely that people in your area have already come across it through local searches and Google Maps; you may even have some reviews established.
It will be less of a hassle for customers to search for and leave feedback on your business once you have claimed and optimized your profile.
Ask for feedback from existing customers
The next step is to approach customers and inquire if they would mind leaving a Google review for your business. A simple email or text message will suffice for this. In order to save your customers time, it’s smart to provide a link to your company profile.
Don’t contact a customer weeks after they’ve made a purchase from you; by then, they might have forgotten about you. It’s best to ask for feedback right after a customer makes a purchase. Try to catch them at a time when they’ll be able to devote some time to writing a review. You could try it first thing in the morning or right before you go to bed. To help with the review, you can offer to provide a sample document.
Walk your customers through the review process
Because some customers may be unfamiliar with the review process, it’s important to take the time to walk them through the steps.
Express appreciation to customers who have provided feedback
It’s smart to address reviews when possible. Showing appreciation to a customer who has provided positive feedback demonstrates that you value their opinion and appreciate their business. A willingness to make things right and own up to mistakes can be shown by responding to negative reviews in an open, nondefensive manner.
Provide a link to your Google review
Sending a customer a link to your company’s page makes it much simpler for them to leave a review. Specifically, you can achieve this by
- Checking the Google Place ID Finder
- Enter your business’s name in the “enter a location” field
- Choose your company from the menu
- Then copy your location ID link