No need to buy Google reviews: How to improve your reviews on Google & Co.
Buying Google reviews only brings you short-term success. To inspire your customers in the long term, reviews need to be authentic. In the internet age, online shoppers pay particular attention to reviews in the form of star ratings, a general average rating or similar proof of quality.
The reasoning behind this is clear: the better rated by the crowd, the more reliable and of higher quality. But what if fake reviews thwart this concept? We explain why buying reviews is not necessary - neither for you nor for your competitors.
What do others say about your company?
"The customer is king!" - This basic rule in contact with customers not only applies to all activities up to the conclusion of the contract, but should also be observed afterwards.
Feedback, i.e. reviews, both positive and negative, is important and helps your company to grow. On the one hand, positive reviews can lead to an expansion of the customer base, while negative reviews can be used as an opportunity for improvement.
Now the question arises, what is meant by reviews and what advantages do they offer? Reviews include all (publicly) shared contributions from customers who rate the company's product, service or service.
Why are ratings so important?
The "word of mouth" is one of the cheapest and most successful marketing measures of all. Whether happy or frustrated, most people like to share these feelings with family, friends or work colleagues.
In the age of social media, this is now even quicker and easier. A post on a social media platform with a wide reach leads to discussions and interactions and can instantly change the image of a company, both positively and negatively.
Ratings & reviews: You should pay special attention to this!
However, many customers also use the opportunity to find out about the service or product and read Google reviews before deciding to visit or make a purchase.
It is therefore important that you know about your Google reviews, respond to them and ultimately turn negative reviews into positive ones. Here are some guidelines to initiate successful reputation management:
Keep an overview: Attention should be paid to a wide variety of communication channels.
Listen: Your customers take the time to rate your company, so you should not take these ratings for granted and pay enough attention to the reviews.
Responding: A good review system also includes responding to and thanking customers for (positive) reviews.
Criticism: Negative reviews are also part of feedback and should therefore never be ignored. They should be seen as a source of opportunities for improvement.
Collect reviews: Draw attention to your review channels and ask your customers (through direct conversations, newsletters, homepage, app, Google) to leave reviews for your company.
Brand ambassadors: Regular guests can be attracted and rewarded with special offers such as discounts and promotions.
Ratings & reviews: Central aspect for successful customer loyalty
When it comes to customer loyalty, Google reviews are indispensable. Experts in the field of digital customer loyalty, such as hello again, offer you the option of integrating a rating feature into your own loyalty app. This allows customers to rate your company directly via the app and distribute this on various channels.
This benefits both parties. On the one hand, you receive free feedback directly from your customers and can utilize it. On the other hand, your customers are rewarded for their Google reviews by receiving additional loyalty points in return, which they can in turn redeem for great rewards.
About SEO: Search engine optimization
It is also important in terms of search engine optimization (SEO) that your company receives many reviews from customers. According to a study by MOZ, customer reviews account for up to a third of Google's ratings for local references.
Many users use the Google ranking as a deciding factor before making a final choice for a business or restaurant.
Buying customer reviews is not necessary!
Good customer review systems can lead both to an increase in regular customers and to the positive development of the company, because:
"Customer feedback is sometimes painful, but always good."
Rolf Hansen
