As far as online reviews are concerned, Google is at the top of the heap. Google Reviews has earned the trust of users around the world, turning it into one of the most popular review platforms. No matter which industry you’re in, the importance of Google Reviews can’t be understated. These reviews may positively affect your ORM (online reputation management) and SEO (search engine optimization). Here are a few reasons why Google Reviews are so important to business owners.

Building Trust Among Customers

The first reason is one of the most important. Trust is at the heart of a successful business, and that’s why many of today’s companies are investing in online reputation management services. Google’s reviews are popular; people like to read them before making purchase decisions. Here are a few stats to consider:

• Over 90% of buyers read reviews online
• Over 80% of people trust those reviews
• More than 70% of survey respondents said that positive reviews increased their trust in a brand

Google is where most Internet users will find your company, so good feedback increases the chances of turning them into customers.

Improved Click-Through Rates Come With Higher Star Ratings

The display of star ratings in search engine results is a best practice among online reputation managers. Why? Customers tend to prefer businesses with high ratings over those with no ratings at all. Companies that come in between the fifth and tenth positions on Google’s first page may get more clicks than sites that are higher in the results if those sites have a higher star ranking.

Google Reviews Provides Customer-Created Content

There’s a substantial difference between the content you create and that created by your customers. You’re in charge, and of course, you’ll want to portray your business in the best possible light. On the other hand, customers are unbiased, so they’ll write reviews based on the experiences they’ve had. It’s important to remember that not every review will be positive because it’s impossible to satisfy everyone.

Creating a Feedback Loop

In a feedback loop, a business owner collects customers’ feedback and responds to it in a positive way. With Google Reviews, it’s easier to create a positive feedback loop and learn the following things:

• Which services and products the customer received
• Whether the company lived up to the customer’s expectations
• The benefits and disadvantages of the business

These factors and others help companies adapt to customers’ interests and evolve into fully-fledged, customer-focused businesses.

Converting Site Visitors into Loyal Customers

The goal of a business is to increase sales. To accomplish that goal, you’ll have to convert visitors into customers, and Google reviews will help you do so. Although responsive website design, user experience, page load times, content, and navigation are essential factors in your overall conversion rate, Google reviews are powerful as well. A high-rated business should promote that rating all over the site, as doing so will increase customers’ confidence in the brand.

Reviews Improve Search Engine Rankings

Online reputation management and search engine optimization are crucial for all businesses with an online presence. Although ORM and SEO are substantially different, they overlap where Google reviews are concerned. This feedback can help companies establish an online reputation and become more visible. It’s been estimated that online reviews make up 10% of a company’s search engine ranking, and Google considers the quantity and quality of reviews when providing those rankings. Therefore, it only makes sense to get more high-quality online reviews.

A Great ROI

You already know that Google reviews increase customers’ trust, raise click-through rates, increase organic traffic, and improve conversion rates. Each of these are vital SEO aspects that, when combined, improve your marketing ROI. When used the right way, Google reviews can help increase your return on investment. It may take some time, but it’ll be worth the wait.

Get a Few Reviews, and More Will Come

In ORM, quantity, and quality play a critical role in the improvement of a company’s brand image. Google is one of the world’s most popular online review platforms, and leaving a review is quite easy. Because of this, companies can gain a substantial number of reviews within a short time, which may help them improve online reputation and search engine rankings.

Easier Addressing of Customers’ Concerns

Unsatisfied customers are more likely to leave feedback than happy customers are. However, that’s not a bad thing. Companies can earn positive reviews by encouraging satisfied customers to leave them. It’s impossible to please everyone, and you’ll have to deal with the occasional bad review. By listening and responding to your customers through Google reviews, you can address their concerns and ensure that their voices are heard.

Improving Lead Generation

Lead generation is just one goal to be achieved through digital marketing strategies. Google reviews will help you identify potential customers, increase business, and expand your customer base. Without a solid lead generation strategy, your sales will suffer, but with Google reviews, you can retain your competitive advantage.

Staying Connected to Customers

It’s impossible to manage a company’s online reputation without knowing what others are saying. When business owners are part of the conversation, they find it easier to make changes that improve production, sales, and customer service. Google reviews help companies grow and evolve in ways that meet customers’ needs.

Protecting the Company’s Reputation

A company’s online reviews are a reflection of its reputation. When companies offer low-quality products and provide poor customer service, people are sure to tell the world about it in the form of a bad review. Though not every negative review is warranted, there’s no way for a potential customer to tell the difference between a fake review and a legitimate one. If you do get a negative review, don’t get too hung up on it; balance it out with some positive reviews and move on.

Google Considers Other Sources

Though it may seem counterintuitive, Google considers outside review sources when creating search engine rankings. In the ORM field, competitors often run campaigns that are damaging to other companies’ reputations. Thankfully, one such campaign will likely do little damage to your ranking, as positive reviews on other platforms will nullify the effect. Therefore, it’s best to encourage customers to leave reviews on other platforms, such as Yelp, Amazon, Facebook, and Goodreads. Be sure the platforms are relevant to your niche, or the reviews won’t have as much of an effect.

Reach a Larger Audience

Where review platforms are concerned, companies must be able to reach people, gather reviews, and listen to the conversation. Google reviews make it easy to achieve this goal, and because it’s one of the most popular platforms, the average customer is likely to go there to talk about his or her experience. Most people expect businesses to have Google reviews, and not having such a presence will leave customers with an unfavorable impression. As mentioned before, Google evaluates other review sources when determining search engine rankings, so be sure to establish a presence on other review sites as well.

Fewer Negative Reviews and Complaints

No matter which industry you’re in, you’ll have to deal with positive and negative reviews. Every product or service, regardless of how great it is, will have benefits and disadvantages. With Google reviews, potential customers will learn about the pros and cons of a service or product, which will help them make an informed purchase decision. When customers know what to expect, they’re much less likely to leave bad feedback. By establishing a presence on Google Reviews, you can minimize the chances of future complaints.

No-Cost Advertising

A significant benefit of Google Reviews is the size of its audience. As you probably already know, a stronger audience makes a stronger marketing effort. With a solid Google reputation, you’ll enjoy a no-cost form of advertising. With every positive review, your company’s benefits are shown to a broader audience. Therefore, gathering Google reviews will help your company positively influence potential customers’ purchase decisions. Google reviews are a way to contribute to other marketing strategies without spending more, and they can help expand the company’s customer base.

Building Closer Relationships With Customers

Review sites and social media platforms have a significant factor in common: the ability to build relationships with customers. Although review sites provide customers with a chance to talk about their experiences, both good and bad, it’s a two-way street. By responding professionally to all feedback, you can strengthen the relationship with your customers. When companies respond to everything customers are saying about them, even when those things aren’t so good, people trust them more and build social relationships. With time, those relationships form the foundation for brand loyalty and a more extensive customer base. Customer relationships are one of the pillars of a successful business and need to be built with care.

In Closing

People tend to do most of their pre-purchase research on the Internet, and online reviews are a crucial part of the process. The sooner you increase your Google review marketing efforts, the sooner you’ll realize the benefits we’ve discussed.