Why is a great online reputation so important for my business? 🤔
Hi, I’m Linda Donnelly. For over ten years, my team at Business Solutions Marketing Group has helped small businesses get more customers. We’ve seen a lot of things change in marketing, but one thing has always stayed true: your reputation is everything.
Think about it. When you’re looking for a new restaurant or a plumber, what’s the first thing you do? You go to Google and check their star rating and read what people are saying. It’s like asking a friend for a recommendation, but on a much bigger scale. That’s why your online reputation is your most valuable asset.
A study from BrightLocal found that about 98% of people read online reviews for local businesses. And here’s a stat that very few people talk about: a study from Podium found that almost 90% of consumers have made a buying decision based on an online review. This means your reviews aren’t just for show; they are a key part of your sales team. A great reputation can bring in a lot of new business, but a bad one can drive it away just as fast.
How do I get more positive reviews for my business? 🌟
So, you know reviews are important. But how do you get more of them? Most business owners hope that a good job will lead to good reviews, but that’s not always the case. In fact, a study by GatherUp found that 32% of consumers would write more reviews if a business would just ask them to. That’s a huge number of people who are ready to help you, and all you have to do is ask!
Here are some of the best ways we’ve found to help our clients get more positive reviews:
- Just Ask! It sounds simple, but it works. We’ve found that asking customers directly, either in person or with a follow-up email, is one of the most effective ways to get reviews. You can even include a little note on their receipt or invoice that says, “We’d love to hear how we did! Leave us a review on Google!”
- Make it Easy. People are busy. If it’s hard to leave a review, they won’t do it. You need to make it super simple. Our team can set up a special link that takes your customer right to your Google review page. No searching, no hassle. We can send this link to your customers via a simple text message or email, which is proven to work. A study by GatherUp found that using a combination of SMS and email to send review requests can generate around 26 reviews per 100 requests sent.
- Show Off Your Best Reviews. When you get a great review, share it! Put it on your website, post it on social media, and even put it in your email newsletter. This not only shows people that you’re a great business, but it also reminds other happy customers to leave a review, too. You can learn more about how we help our clients with their reputation here: https://businesssolutionsmarketinggroup.com/services/reputation-management/.
What about negative reviews? Can they really be removed? 💔
A bad review can be so frustrating, especially when it’s not even true. It might be from a competitor, someone you never even worked with, or a person who just wanted to be mean. It’s tempting to just ignore it, but a study found that businesses with more than a handful of bad reviews could lose up to 70% of potential customers. That’s a huge number!
You might have already tried to get a bad review taken down. Maybe you clicked the little flag button or even sent an email to Google. And you probably got a response that said, “This review does not violate our policies.” That’s because Google has very strict rules for what they’ll remove. They won’t just remove a review because you disagree with it. It has to violate a specific rule.
A little-known stat is that even when a review violates a rule, it can be very hard to get Google to take it down. That’s because Google’s new AI systems are now scrutinizing reviews with a level of sophistication we’ve never seen before. It takes a lot of time and a special process to get Google to agree. You need an expert who knows what to say and how to prove that the review is fake. A study from WiserNotify found that about 30% of online reviews may be fake. That means when a business owner gets a bad review, there’s a good chance it might not even be real. My team has years of experience with this and has proven programs to help get those reviews removed for good.
What’s the real impact of your online reputation? 💡
A single bad review on Google isn’t just a review—it’s a piece of digital graffiti on your business’s front door. You know it’s a lie. It’s hurting your reputation. And you’ve probably tried to remove it, only to be told ‘no.’ But what if there was another way?
Another little-known fact is that a good reputation can also help your SEO. When Google’s AI Overviews and other AI-powered tools look for a business to recommend, they don’t just look at keywords on your website. They look at your reviews to see if you’re a real, trusted business. Your reputation is a key part of your E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), which is what Google looks for now. So, a great reputation can not only get you more customers directly, but it can also help you show up higher in search results.
Key Takeaways
Your online reputation is more important than ever. It’s a key part of how you get new customers and build a successful business. Here are the most important things to remember:
- Don’t wait: A bad review can hurt your business every single day it’s online.
- Ask for reviews: Most people are happy to leave a review if you just ask them to.
- Make it easy: Give your customers a special link that takes them right to your Google review page.
- Use a professional for bad reviews: Trying to get a review removed on your own can be hard and often doesn’t work. A professional can save you time and stress.
- Your reputation is part of your SEO: A great reputation helps you show up higher in search results and gets your business featured in AI Overviews.
5 Most Asked Questions & Answers About Online Reputation
Q: Can a Google review be removed? A: Yes, it is possible for a Google review to be removed. Google will only remove reviews that violate its strict content policies, such as being fake, defamatory, or from a competitor.
Q: How do I get more reviews for my business? A: The best way to get more reviews is to simply ask your customers. You should make the process easy for them by sending a direct link to your Google review page via email or text message after a service is complete.
Q: What is a good star rating for a business? A: A study from GatherUp found that most people won’t even consider a business that has a star rating lower than a 3.3. So you should try to keep your star rating as high as you can.
Q: Why do I need to pay a professional to remove a review? A: Paying a professional saves you time and stress. We have the expertise to prove to Google that a review violates their policies, and we know exactly what to say and how to say it to get the best chance of success.
Q: How can a good reputation help my SEO? A: Google uses reviews as a key factor in deciding if your business is trustworthy. A great reputation helps you show up higher in local search results and gets your business featured in AI Overviews.
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