Google reviews are one of the most important factors in driving growth & sustainability in your business. Google uses them to determine your business's quality, and they significantly impact potential customers. Therefore, responding to Google reviews becomes a crucial part of the online growth strategy for any business. It helps build trust with potential customers who may be reading your reviews and increases your online exposure by improving your local SEO.
Responding to positive reviews shows customers that you appreciate their feedback and are committed to providing a great experience. On the other hand, responding to negative reviews allows you to turn a critical customer into a satisfied one.
Reviews now play a significant role in people's purchasing decisions, and customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. According to studies, 72% of customers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.
According to research, 91% of customers between the ages of 18 and 34 read online reviews before making a purchase. People look for customer evaluations to aid them in making decisions. Still, they also consider how a business responds to negative reviews because it reveals a lot about how they handle their clients if things go wrong. However, knowing how to best respond to positive and negative reviews can be challenging. Therefore, here's a step-by-step guide on how to respond to reviews on Google.
Importance of reviews for a business
Google Reviews Build Trust & Confidence with Potential Customer
Online reviews are one of the prime factors that influence customers' decisions about any business. Potential customers will likely not trust your business if you have mostly negative reviews. On the other hand, if you have mostly positive reviews, potential customers will be more likely to trust your business. Google wants to provide its users with the best possible results, so it will favor businesses that have mostly positive reviews and a high star rating.
According to a survey, 89% of Customer say they are "very" or "somewhat" inclined to trust a company that responds to customer reviews or queries, according to a survey.
Google Reviews Improve Local SEO
Google reviews also play a role in Local SEO. Google uses customer reviews to help determine your business's quality, which impacts its position in search results. To rank in the Google Local Pack (the three businesses that appear at the top of Google Maps), you need to have a good number of reviews with a high star rating. The higher your quality score, the more likely you will appear in the local pack. So if you want to improve your local SEO ranking, one of the best things you can do is focus on getting more Google reviews.
According to Moz, reviews have surpassed proximity to become the second most important ranking factor, up from third. This shift implies that the expected quality of the experience (reviews) is more important than the location from which the searcher is searching (within a range).
Why respond to reviews?
When you respond to Google reviews, SEO and customer relations will benefit! Responding to Google reviews is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your online presence, and there are five main advantages to doing so.
Responding to google reviews has a significant SEO Impact
Build trust with customers and prospects
A large audience will know that you care about your customers.
Increase Your Google Star Rating by Responding to Reviews
Identify and Solve Problems Early by engaging with the customers
How to Respond to Google Reviews Through Google My Business
How to Reply to Google Reviews from a Desktop
Sign in to Google My Business by going to business.google.com.
On the left sidebar, click "Reviews."
A list of your recent reviews will come up. Find the review you want to reply to.
Click "Reply."
A message box will open for you to write your response.
Click "Post reply."
How to Reply to Google Reviews from a Mobile Device
On your mobile device, open the Google My Business app.
On the bottom navigation bar, click "Customers."
A list of your recent reviews will come up. Tap the review you want to reply to.
A message box will open for you to write your response.
Click the "Send" icon in the upper right-hand corner.
Key points to consider when responding to a Google review:
Be Prompt: Google reviews are public, so potential customers will see how long it takes you to respond to reviews. Try to reply to Google reviews within 24 hours, or even sooner if possible.
Introduce Yourself: When you introduce yourself, include your name and position in the company. This will show customers that you are a natural person who cares about their experience with your business.
Say Thank You: Whether the review is positive or negative, always thank the customer for taking the time to write a review.
Be Positive: Stay positive in your response if the review is negative. This will create a professional and customer-centric business concerned with solving customer problems.
Use the customer's name: Add a personal touch to your response by using the customer's name. This will make them feel appreciated, heard, and valued.
Proofread your response: Always proofread your response before you post it. This will make you professional and sincere.
Neutral reviews: Treat neutral reviews similar to negative ones by offering a way to interact one-on-one
If you can, give each a custom response: Depending on the number of reviews you receive, it can be a time-consuming effort to reply to everyone individually. However, it's worth it for the reputation of your business. More than ever, customers are tuned to handling organic customer service. There are many resources for negative review templates, and while these are great to use in a pinch, ensure each response is still authentic.
Put yourself in their shoes. If you're struggling to understand where the frustration is coming from, put yourself in the customer's shoes. If you had a staff member deal with you like the customer mentioned in their review, would you be happy with that service?
How to Respond to Negative or Bad Reviews on Google
Stay calm and take the review as feedback and an opportunity to improve.
Discuss the review with the appropriate team or staff to know about the client.
The best way to handle a negative Google review is to address the problem head-on. Try to reach out to them directly so that you can resolve the issue.
Ask questions to understand and empathise with your customers' experiences.
Keep the first message short but professional and respectful.
Focus on bringing the conversation offline (over email or phone) from your Google My Business.
You should admit when you have made a mistake and offer the best solution possible.
Keep your focus on resolving the issue and resist any urge to argue over anything.
Offer solutions, rebates, discounts, and incentives if applicable.
End all conversations on a friendly, positive note. Summarise the issue and what you're doing to prevent it from happening again.
After a few weeks, get in touch with the client once again to see if the problem has been solved. Ask them how they are doing and see if there is anything else you can do to help. Here's a our detailed guide on responding to negative reviews on Google.
How to Respond to Positive Reviews on Google
Thank the reviewer for their positive response.
Work keywords into your positive review responses
If a customer mentions a product, repeat it in your response
Mention additional products you sell
Share your company values
Let your customers know that you appreciate their feedback by highlighting specific aspects of their review.
How to Respond to Neutral Reviews on Google
Thank the reviewer for their feedback
Ask questions to clarify the customer's experience and begin empathizing with them.
acknowledge the less-than-satisfactory or underwhelming aspects of their review.
Invite the reviewer to contact you to discuss their experience further,and offer an incentive if applicable.
How to Respond to Fake Reviews on Google
Visit the review in question
Hit the three dots to the right of the reviewer's name.
Click on the button that pops up that says "report review."
Choose an option on the next screen that says, "What's wrong with this review."
If this doesn't work, you can also respond to the customer's review, Stating that you don't have records of them visiting your business, followed by kindly asking them to delete it.
Summary
Customers assume the quality of a business based on its online reviews, so it's crucial to have a strategy for dealing with reviews and keep optimising your Google business profile. When responding to negative reviews, always be professional and courteous. Please take the opportunity to turn a negative experience into a positive one by resolving the issue and ensuring it doesn't happen again. If you receive positive reviews, take the opportunity to thank the reviewer and work on some keywords to improve your ranking. And for unbiased reviews, use the opportunity to reach out to the customer and get more feedback. Finally, if you come across a fake review, you can report it to Google or try to get the reviewer to delete it themselves.
By following these online review tips, you can ensure that Google reviews work for your business and not against it.
Our team can assist you if you need help managing your Google reviews. We understand how critical Google reviews are for businesses and can help you leverage the benefits. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our services.
