Every day, Google processes more than 3.5 billion searches on the Internet, which should give you some idea of this country’s reliance on Google to find information and return it to users. That should also point up how crucial a role Google plays in providing visibility for your company online, since the results it provides users may or may not include your company in the first page or two of its rankings. Below are described some of the specific reasons why Google is so important to local businesses.
Google business reviews
When people write reviews of experiences they’ve had with specific local businesses, based on the service they were provided and the quality of products they used, it can have a tremendous influence on whether or not other users make similar purchases. It is well known for instance, that businesses which receive a rating of 4.0 or higher (out of 5.0), are statistically much more likely to convert leads than are those businesses which are rated below 4.0. These ratings are accumulated by adding up the consumer ratings assigned by customers who have already use the service, so the ratings can have a powerful influence over how much business comes your way.
Google My Business
This is a free tool provided by Google which allows businesses to fill out and manage their company profile, and it also provides a vehicle for interaction with customers. Filling out this profile will require a variety of information about a business, including its website address, contact information, hours of operation, services and products provided, and even the story of how the business was created and developed.
This tool can also be used by companies to monitor any reviews written by customers and to respond to them. Consumers tend to consider companies which have been verified by Google My Business to be more reputable and more reliable as a business to deal with. Any company which hopes to have a solid online presence should fill out their Google My Business form, which can easily be downloaded and quickly filled out.
Good and bad reviews
The powerful influence of good reviews on potential new customers can be overwhelming, especially given the fact that over 90% of all millennials consider online reviews to be just as valid as personal recommendations. If your company can accumulate a catalog of positive reviews, it can seriously increase your brand trust and your online exposure, as well as directing more traffic to your website and converting more customers. The more Google business reviews your company has, the higher your company is likely to be ranked on search results.
However, even bad reviews can have a positive effect on your company. If you notice a trend in negative customer reviews, that should tell you that there really is some kind of problem with your service or products which needs to be addressed. Negative customer reviews can help you identify weaknesses in your business which you can turn around. By reaching out to these reviewers, you can demonstrate to all users that you care about their responses, and that you’re genuinely interested in improving your service or products.
