Google My Business reviews: The secret to boosting your brand

Google reviews are the customers’ feedback that appears with your Google My Business profile, Google Maps, and Google Search results. They are based on a 5-star rating system and include a written comment from the reviewer.

Anyone with a Google account can leave a review on any business with a Google My Business profile. These reviews differ from other review platforms because they are directly integrated with Google's products and services.

Meaning that these reviews have high visibility and influence on potential clients who use Google to search for local businesses.💪🏼

In the world of small businesses, customer reviews play a crucial role. Unlike expensive marketing campaigns, reviews offer genuine insights from actual clients.

Let’s see how Google My Business reviews change the playing field for small businesses.

Google reviews are a form of social proof that shows how your clients understand your business.

Positive reviews can help you establish a good reputation and attract more clients who trust your brand. Negative reviews can damage your image and deter potential clients from choosing you.

Google My Business reviews can influence your clients’ purchase decisions and actions.

According to a study by BrightLocal, 98% of consumers read online reviews in 2023, and 49% only paid attention to reviews written in the past two weeks.

Moreover, 79% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 92% are likelier to buy from a business with positive reviews.

Finally, having Google Reviews increases a business's conversion rate by 58%, while only 9% of consumers consider businesses with a 1 or 2-star rating.

Google My Business reviews is a key factor that Google uses to rank local businesses in its search results. Google reviews can affect your rankings in two of the following ways:

• Quantity
• Quality

The more reviews you have, the more signals Google has to evaluate your relevance and popularity. The higher the ratings and the more positive the comments, the more likely Google will rank you higher than your competitors.

As we know, Google reviews can affect your rankings in two ways. If we elaborate more, Google reviews affects your rankings by influencing three key factors:

1. Relevance
2. Prominence
3. Distance.

These are the criteria that Google uses to determine which local businesses to show to users who search for a specific product or service.

🖇️ Relevance

Relevance refers to how well your business matches the user's search query. Google reviews can help you improve your relevance by providing keywords and phrases that describe your business, products, services, and customer experience.

For example, if a user searches for “best pizza near me,” Google will look for reviews that mention “pizza,” “best,” and “near me” to rank the most relevant businesses.

⛰ Prominence

Prominence is how well-known and reputable your business is. Google My Business reviews can help you improve your prominence by showing how many clients have rated and reviewed your business and how positive or negative their feedback is.

For example, if a user searches for “dentist near me,” Google will look for reviews that indicate the quality and satisfaction of the dental services to rank the most prominent businesses.

𓁅 Distance

Distance refers to how close your business is to the user's location. Google reviews can help you improve your distance by showing where your customers are coming from and how far they are willing to travel to your business.

For example, if a user searches for “coffee shop near me,” Google will look for reviews that mention the location and the distance of the coffee shop to rank the nearest businesses.

There are three methods for your Business Profile to handle Google My Business reviews and ensure a seamless experience in monitoring and responding to customer feedback.

Most merchants find it convenient to manage their Business Profile directly from Google search.

Search for your business’s name or enter [My Business] in the search bar. The Business Profile Manager panel will appear on the left-hand side, allowing you to navigate and manage your profile easily.

To access your reviews, click on Customers and then select Reviews to initiate the management of your Google reviews within the search interface.

The second method is to use the Google Maps App on your smartphone or tablet to access your Business Profile conveniently.

To do so, search for your business’s name within the app, click on the account menu, and then select your Business Profile.

Click on Customers and then navigate to the Reviews tab to efficiently manage and respond to customer feedback.

When using Google Search or Google Maps, ensure you are logged into your Business Profile’s email account.

The Business Profile Manager provides an efficient solution for those managing multiple Business Profiles. Log in to the Business Profile Manager and click on the specific business profile you wish to manage.

Select Reviews to access and oversee all customer feedback associated with that profile

Additionally, stay informed about new reviews through email notifications:

• Set up rules in your email program to prioritize new reviews.
• Receive email notifications when a customer leaves a new review, ensuring timely responses.
• Notifications for new reviews will be visible within their respective interfaces when using Google Search or Google Maps.

By adopting one of these three methods and staying alert to new reviews, you can proactively manage and enhance your online reputation, fostering positive client relationships.

• Sign in to your Google account.
• Open the Search Page and enter the business name. Locate the Business profile on the right.
• Click Write a Review.
• When the pop-up appears, Rate the business, write your review, and upload photos.
• Click Post to publish your review.

• Launch Google Maps and search for the business you want to review.
• In the left panel, Scroll down and click Write a Review.
• Rate the business, write your review, and upload photos.
• Click Post to publish your review.

On mobile devices, leaving a Google review is similar to doing so on a desktop. It's especially convenient because users can be at the business location. Businesses often share review links via email or QR codes, simplifying the process.

Here's a guide for mobile users on leaving Google reviews.

• Open Google.com, and enter a business name you want to review.
• In search results, Tap star icons to rate. Write your review, and attach photos.
• Tap Post.

• Open the Google Maps app
• Search for the business
• Scroll down to Reviews
• Rate the business out of 5 stars using the icons
• Write your review
• Tap Post.

These steps apply to desktop and mobile, allowing users to leave Google reviews conveniently.

Google does not allow you to delete or edit reviews that you or your customers have posted. However, there are some situations where you can request Google to remove a review that violates its policies. 💡

1. The review is spam, fake, or off-topic.
2. The review contains inappropriate or offensive content, such as profanity, hate speech, or personal attacks.
3. The review contains personal or confidential information, such as names, phone numbers, or email addresses.
4. The review is a conflict of interest, such as a competitor, employee, or former employee.

To request Google to remove a review that violates its policies, you need to follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Google account and go to Google My Business reviews. If you have multiple locations, choose the one you want to manage.
2. Click on the Reviews tab on the left menu. Find the review you want to flag and click the three-dot icon next to it.
3. Click on Flag as inappropriate and follow the instructions.

📝 Google will review your request and decide whether to remove the review. Depending on the volume of requests, this may take several days or weeks. You will receive an email notification once Google has made a decision.

Replying to Google reviews is a great way to engage with your clients and show them you care about their feedback. It can also help you improve your online reputation, resolve issues, and encourage more reviews. Here are some best practices for replying to Google reviews:

This shows that you appreciate and value your customers' opinions and experiences.

This shows that you are attentive and professional. If possible, try to reply within 24 hours or sooner.

Thank your customers for their reviews and acknowledge their feelings and emotions.

For example, “Thank you for your kind words. We are glad you enjoyed our service.” or “We are sorry to hear you had a bad experience. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Provide your customers with relevant and helpful information and offer solutions to their problems or complaints.

For example, “We appreciate your feedback. We are working on improving our delivery time and quality.” or “We understand your frustration. Please contact us by phone or email so that we can resolve this issue for you.”

Encourage your customers to return to your business and reward them for their loyalty and referrals.

For example, “Thank you for your loyalty. We have a special offer for you on your next visit.” or “We are happy to have you as a customer. Please share your experience with your friends and family and get a 10% discount on your next order.”

Getting more Google reviews can help boost your online reputation, SEO rankings, and conversions. Here are some tips on how to get more Google reviews for your business:

⏰ The best time to ask for a Google review is when your customer is most satisfied and engaged with your business. This could be right after a purchase, a service, or a positive interaction

🛐 The best place to ask for a review is where your customer is most comfortable and convenient. This could be in person, via email, text, phone, or social media..

The easier and simpler you make it for your customers to leave Google business reviews, the more likely they will do it. You can do this by:

1. Providing them with a direct link to your Google My Business review page or a QR code they can scan with their phone.
2. Reminding them how quick and easy it is to leave a review and how much you appreciate their feedback.
3. Giving them clear and simple instructions on how to leave a review and what to include in it.

🏆 Offering incentives and rewards for leaving a review can motivate your customers to share their experiences and opinions with others.

Give them a discount, coupon, freebie, or loyalty points for their next purchase or service. Encourage them by entering them into a contest, raffle, or giveaway for a chance to win a prize such as a gift card.

Use testimonials to feature clients on your website, social media, or newsletter as examples of success stories.

🖼️ Showcasing your Google My Business reviews on your website and social media can increase your online exposure, increase traffic, and generate more reviews. Use widgets or plugins to embed your reviews on your homepage, landing page, or testimonial page.

Share Google reviews using screenshots or quotes on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn page. Encouraging your followers to have a look and leave feedback.

Responding to Google reviews and asking for referrals can help you build a relationship with your customers, improve customer service, and expand your customer base.

Thank your customers for their reviews and ask them to share their experiences with friends and family. Apologize to your customers for any negative reviews and ask them to give you another chance to make it up to them.

Invite your customers to join your email list, follow your social media, or visit your website for more information and offers.

If you want to go beyond just Google my Business review management, you can integrate the Google Business Messages with Kommo CRM.

Kommo is a smart and simple tool that helps you increase sales with messaging apps. It provides you with an ultimate CRM system, including

• 🎯 Capture and centralize conversations from different channels, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger.
• ✂ Create a customized sales pipeline, automate tasks and follow-ups, and monitor your team’s performance and results.
• 🎨 Offer your customers a personalized and real-time buying experience, no matter where they are.

Google Business Messages + Kommo integrations add some important new features to your account, including:

1. A Chat button to your Google business card.
2. Lead capture from Google, Google Maps, and your Google AdWords.
3. Using a chatbot to respond to Google Business Messages.

Connecting Google Business Messages to Kommo CRM is pretty straightforward:

1. In your Kommo account, go to Settings > Integrations > Search Google Business Messages.

1. Accept the privacy policy and click Install.
2. Click Sign in to Google.

1. Sign in to your Google account.
2. Click Continue to allow Kommo access to your Google account.
3. Connect your Google Business account by entering the relevant information and clicking Next. These fields contain your brand name, website address, and privacy policy URL.

1. Type your business’s location in the search bar, then click Verify underneath the map. You can add multiple locations as long as they have all been verified in your Google Business profile.

1. To customize the welcome message customers will see when they open a chat, edit the text in the white box above your Privacy Policy URL.
2. When you’ve added your business’s location and are happy with the welcome message, click Save.

Congrats! The integration is now connected. You're now one step closer to unlocking the full potential of Kommo.

With Kommo, you can easily ask your clients for reviews in many ways. This can help you get more reviews and boost your business.

SMS has a huge advantage: A stunning 90% open rate within seconds! This means that almost everyone who receives your review request will see it.

And if you can persuade them with a catchy message, they might just leave a review for your product or service! Kommo can help you choose the best messaging platform for your audience.

Kommo helps you automate your sales receipt and promptly send it to your customers.

You can include a small message asking them to review your product or service in a friendly way. This can easily encourage them to write a review.

Kommo can help you retain and nurture your clients by sending them timely and relevant emails. You can ask them for reviews in these emails using a brief and effective message.

Kommo is designed for small businesses that want to grow their online presence and reputation with Google My Business reviews. You can try Kommo for free and see how it can help you get more reviews and sales. 😊

Here are some frequently asked questions about how to manage Google reviews effectively.

So, Hopefully, this guide not only shows you how to see and manage your Google my Business reviews. 🤞But also helps toget your business more positive reviews. ⚖️.

And remember, when people see your Business Profile, they will see both the Google reviews left for your business and your responses to those customer reviews.

Be very careful what you say in your replies 🧐. Even your negative reviews can advocate your brand if you answer them properly.

Fill up your customers' intent, give them what they want and need, and support them with your service. Be a friend to your customers and see the magic of a sale.

And if you want more magic, connect Google Business Messages with Kommo. The magical CRM Platform and integration is your on-the-go solution for All the unique ways you manage clients combined into one app.

Get Kommo’s 14-day Free Trial to explore the magic of CRM

🤓Book a free demo session

👩‍💻Login to your Kommo account

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