As business owners, we’re always looking for ways to get the word out about our businesses. One way to get buzz for your business is to get more Google+ reviews.
Google+ reviews are definitely worth it since 97 percent of consumers search for local businesses online—and the businesses they see first are the ones with the most reviews. Google+ users’ reviews also have clout since they’re automatically shared with friends in a reviewer’s circle.
But how do you get more Google+ reviews? And how do you help make sure they’re positive? Here are five tips to get you started.
1. Just ask. It really can be as simple as asking your satisfied customers to post a positive review. After all, many people only leave reviews when they are very happy or very upset about their experience. If you catch happy customers right after they experience great service, you increase your chances of getting some stellar reviews.
2. Include a link to your Google+ page in your email signature. If you’re not comfortable with asking outright for reviews, you can make a more subtle ask in your email signature. To draw attention to your link, include a brief line asking customers to leave a quick review.
3. Hand out printed materials that encourage reviews. Your fliers, business cards and other printed materials should help you get more Google+ reviews by asking customers to visit your page.
Also consider including a QR code on your materials. It will let your customers access your Google+ page by scanning their phone over the code. Two free QR code generators include Kaywa QR Code Generator and QRStuff.com.
4. Help your customers understand the process. If you don’t make it easy for customers to submit Google+ reviews, they might not. One way to help them is to add a page to your website explaining how to leave a review. Tell them how to set up an account and how to post an effective review. (As an example, ask them to name your product or service in the review—Search Engine Journal reports that product and service names can act as keywords that can help your Google rankings.)
5. Respond to your reviewers. Google+ lets you publically respond to your customers’ reviews, which is a good practice to adopt when it comes to both positive and negative reviews. Thank your customers for submitting a review, and respond to their complaints with courtesy and concern. (Keep your response short and to the point—long responses can overwhelm readers.)
Also thank your positive reviewers, and feel free to add any exciting news about your business in your reply.
While you can’t control exactly how many Google+ reviews you get and what they say, these five tips can help you get more Google+ reviews from the right people.
