If you are in business, you need to be aware of Google Reviews. Why, you might ask? Well, 92% of consumers, yes 92% read online reviews before visiting a business and yes, there are other review sites out there, Google is the most viewed and visited website in the world and your customers are more than likely going there if they want to learn more about your company.

Google takes reviews very seriously and it helps determine how your business will rank on its very important search results platform.  If there are thousands of people giving your business 5-star reviews, chances are your company is doing a great job – whether that be with sales, customer services, or something else. Google sees that and responds by making sure you’re showing up whenever customers make relevant searches for products or services you sell.

In contrast, if your company has a lot of 1-star reviews on Google, you may not find yourself showing up, very often when consumers do search on items you sell.

Google’s main goal is to provide the best and most accurate experience for its users and with reviews being a big part (15% in fact) of how their algorithm works, these short comments, whether they be true or not can truly make or break your business as we all know Google “runs” the Internet.

It is also seeming to be true that businesses that have higher star reviews see a much higher clickthrough rate (CTR). That means more organic, search engine optimization traffic to your website and more eyeballs learning about what you do.

To achieve reviews, and most importantly have a chance to respond to them, you need to claim your Google My Business profile. This free tool, within the Google platform, allows businesses to manage how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps. That includes providing accurate descriptions, giving hours of operation, and other important items that tell your company story.

By having an opportunity to respond to reviews shows that there are two sides to the story. That’s because in reality you aren’t always going to get 5-star perfect testimonials, and people no matter what their intention, love to vent and get their frustrations out, even if it’s 100% false. By taking the time and responding to both good and bad reviews show you care and shows that you are human. If not, people will just see the one side and assume it is all completely accurate.

Don’t overlook Google My Business and Google Reviews. A strategy should be in place to get genuine, authentic reviews from real people and real customers that have done business with you in the past.

The Interactive Imprint can help make that happen. Call for a consultation today at 954-254-1650 or visit TheInteractiveImprint.com.