Nearly 70% of consumers read between one and six online reviews before making a purchase decision. With most local customers searching via Google and other online platforms, including AI-powered search tools, reviews are more critical than ever to a business's success.
Whether we're talking about a retail store, a restaurant, a salon, a plumbing contractor, or any other brick-and-mortar or service-area business, positive reviews can be a huge asset. They not only build credibility and trust among potential customers, but also play a pivotal role in enhancing a business's online visibility and local search engine optimization.
Why Getting More Online Reviews Matters: Boosting Credibility and Local Search Performance
Get More Online Reviews To Build Trust
Online reviews serve as digital word-of-mouth references, allowing potential customers to gain insights into the experiences others have had with your products or services.
Positive reviews instill confidence and trust, influencing the purchasing decisions of prospective clients, while negative reviews push potential customers to look elsewhere for products or services like yours.
Get More Reviews Online To Improve Local SEO
Beyond building trust, online reviews play a crucial role in boosting a business's local visibility through local SEO, one of the most important aspects of digital marketing for any brick-and-mortar or service-area business.
Traditional search engines, like Google and Bing, consider various factors to determine the relevance and authority of a business, which help them decide where to rank it in search results. The quantity, quality, recency, and velocity (the speed at which you get reviews) of online reviews are among these factors.
When your business accumulates positive reviews on platforms such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, Tripadvisor, and other local review sites, it signals to search engines that your business is credible, reliable, and relevant to local customers.
Positive online reviews act as a vote of confidence from satisfied customers, and search engines reward this by increasing your business's rankings in local search results. Higher rankings mean more visibility, more clicks, and, ultimately, more customers.
Additionally, online reviews contribute to the creation of valuable user-generated content. Search engines love fresh, relevant content, and reviews provide just that.
Regularly updated reviews indicate to search engines that your business is active and engaged with its customers, further improving your chances of ranking higher in local searches.
And now, in the era of AI search, getting more online reviews can also improve your brand's visibility in AI-generated search results, whether it's in Google's AI Overviews or answers provided by Google AI Mode, Gemini, or third-party AI search tools like ChatGPT and Grok.
How To Get More Online Reviews: Actionable Tips
1. Provide Exceptional Customer Service
Naturally, the foundation for positive reviews is exceptional customer service, so ensure that your team is dedicated to providing a seamless and satisfying experience for every customer.
Even if you know your products or services are top-notch, strive to go above and beyond to exceed expectations. Highly satisfied customers are more likely to take the time to leave positive feedback than those who have an average experience.
2. Ask for Reviews at the Right Time
It's okay, and even recommended, to ask for reviews from your satisfied customers directly, but timing is crucial when doing so.
You should try to request feedback when your customers are likely to be the most satisfied, such as immediately after a successful transaction or the completion of a service. This increases the likelihood of receiving positive reviews while your service is top-of-mind for customers.
3. Give Customers a Direct Google Review Link
The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more likely they are to do it, so simplify the review process for your customers as much as possible.
One of the best ways to do this is to provide a direct link to leave a review on your Google Business Profile, which you can provide in follow-up emails, SMS messages, on your website, or even in person through a QR code. For example, if you run a restaurant or retail store, you could place a QR code that directs customers to leave a Google Review on tables, at the cash register, or in another highly visible location.
How To Get More Online Reviews With a Google Review Link:
1. Go to your Google Business Profile account .
2. Click "Ask for reviews" in your account dashboard.
3. Copy the Google Review URL or choose how you want to share it (QR code, email, Whatsapp, Facebook).
4. Encourage Reviews on Social Media
Leverage your social media platforms to encourage reviews as well. Share positive reviews you've already received and ask your followers to share their experiences. Create engaging posts that prompt customers to leave reviews, turning your social media community into a source of valuable testimonials.
5. Incorporate Reviews into the Customer Journey
Get more online reviews by incorporating review requests throughout your customers' journey. For example, include a call-to-action to leave a review in post-purchase emails, on invoices, or on thank-you pages on your website.
The more seamlessly you incorporate the online review-leaving process into your customer interactions, the higher the chances of garnering positive feedback.
6. Offer Incentives (The Right Way)
While incentivizing reviews can be effective, it's essential to approach this strategy ethically and responsibly. Ensure that your incentives align with review platform guidelines, and focus on encouraging honest and unbiased feedback rather than just positive reviews.
Avoid offering direct incentives to customers, which can violate platform guidelines. Instead, consider incentivizing your team to ask for reviews, rewarding employees who earn positive mentions. This has the added benefit of encouraging both top-notch service and review requests!
7. Respond to Reviews (Both Positive and Negative)
Actively engage with your reviewers by responding to both positive and negative feedback. Thank customers for positive reviews and address concerns in a constructive manner for negative ones.
This not only shows your commitment to customer satisfaction, but also enhances your business's online reputation.
8. Ask for Reviews in Email Marketing Campaigns
If you run email marketing campaigns, make sure to request reviews after a customer makes a purchase. Send personalized emails to customers asking for their feedback and providing direct links to your GBP profile and other review platforms. Personalized requests are more likely to be well-received and acted upon!
9. Monitor and Analyze Your Reviews
Regularly monitor and analyze your Google reviews to help guide your business strategies. Pay attention to common themes, address recurring issues, and use feedback to continually improve your products or services.
This proactive approach helps you maintain a positive online reputation and contributes to long-term business success.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting More Online Reviews
How do I get more online reviews for my business?
The best way to get more online reviews is to consistently deliver excellent service, then make it easy for happy customers to leave feedback. Share direct links to your Google Business Profile and ask at the right moment, such as right after a successful service.
What is the fastest way to get more Google reviews?
The fastest way is to provide customers with a direct Google review link or QR code. Combine that with a simple follow-up email or SMS asking for feedback while their experience is fresh.
Do online reviews really help with SEO?
Yes. Google and other search engines consider review quantity, quality, recency, and velocity as ranking factors. More positive reviews improve your local SEO visibility and make your business stand out in Maps and local search results.
Can I offer incentives for online reviews?
Be careful. Most platforms, including Google, don't allow businesses to offer direct discounts or rewards in exchange for reviews. A better approach is to reward your employees for asking customers to leave honest feedback.
Where should I get reviews besides Google?
While Google is the most important, reviews on platforms like Yelp, Tripadvisor, Apple Maps, and industry-specific directories also help build trust and visibility, especially within AI-driven search experiences that frequently cite these third-party sources.
Final Thoughts
Online reviews, especially Google reviews, are one of the most powerful tools for building trust, improving local SEO, and driving real business growth.
In other words, when local businesses understand how to get more online reviews, it directly leads to more on-the-ground success in the local marketplace!
The key is to consistently deliver exceptional service and then make it easy for happy customers to share their feedback. Do that, and reviews will become one of your strongest marketing assets.
