How to Get More Google Reviews: 5 Tips

What's worse than having a bad Google review? Having no reviews. Your customers are savvy, and they want to know what others think before buying. Companies with no Google reviews have a harder time earning their trust.

While trust is hard to measure, data backs up the value of Google reviews. In fact, businesses with a 5-star Google rating get an average 39% more clicks compared to those with a 1-star rating. When it comes to driving sales, reviews and SEO go hand in hand.

But how can you get more Google reviews? There's no magic formula. But you can use these five reliable tips to begin improving your review pipeline today.

Google Reviews Tip #1: Personalize Your Request

According to McKinsey, personalization is becoming the most important aspect of marketing success. Personalization is a key strategy you can use as you discover how to get more Google reviews. 

In a world where inboxes are inundated with spam, your business needs to cut through the noise. Generic outreach often goes straight to your customers' trash folder. Instead, use personalized outreach to build stronger relationships with your customers – and earn more reviews.

Your sales already contain the information you need to get started. By the time you close a transaction, you know what items customers have browsed, where they live and other important details. 

You should use these details to craft personalized requests for Google reviews. At a minimum, you should address the customer by name and reference their specific purchase.

Customers who feel noticed and appreciated are more likely to write your Google reviews.

Google Reviews Tip #2: Use Strategic Email Marketing

On your journey to learn how to get more Google reviews, email marketing is the next essential step. 

Email marketing is already famous for its robust ROI (around $44 for every $1 spent). If that's not enough to convince you, email marketing can also be automated. Automation empowers businesses maximize results without demanding endless staff time. 

If you want to drive new Google reviews, try using CRM software to establish a sequence of emails. These sequences work best if they're based on the personalized details mentioned above.

In addition to the basics, don't forget to personalize the timing. For example, you can trigger the first email a day or two after you know the product has been delivered. 

Next, schedule follow up emails. This timing may depend on the product itself. For example, a summery item purchased in January might need a nudge in May or June. Products purchased around the holidays might be gifts, which your follow up emails can reference.

Google Reviews Tip #3: Offer Incentives

What if personalized email marketing isn't enough to get the results you need? The next step in learning how to get more Google reviews is mastering incentives.

Incentives might seem complicated to navigate, but the rules are actually very simple. In short: You should never offer an incentive in exchange for a positive review. Incentives must be available to any customer who writes a review — regardless of what they say in it.

Not only is it unethical to pay for positive reviews, but it can permanently damage your reputation. Depending on where the review is posted, it also might violate a platform's rules.

So, what kinds of incentives can you offer? The best incentives are small but meaningful, and encourage future sales. Examples include:

• Free shipping on a future purchase
• A 10% off coupon (or a coupon for a surprise discount)
• Early access to a new product collection
• A free download

Incentives that show your appreciation may help to drive more Google reviews. Just make sure you offer them to all customers, with no strings attached.

Google Reviews Tip #4: Leverage Social Media

Social media can be a helpful tool as you master the question of how to get more Google reviews. By promoting customers' reviews on social media, you can stay top of mind for those who haven't written one yet.

It's clear that Google also recognizes the relationship between social media and reviews. In 2018, Google launched a feature called "Small Thanks" to make it easier for businesses to transform reviews into social posts. 

If you're truly stumped on how to post requests for Google reviews, you can always keep it simple by thanking customers who have already shared them.

Google Reviews Tip #5: Engage With Existing Reviews

These strategies can help drive new Google reviews – but there's one more step you should take. In your quest to learn how to get more Google reviews, don't neglect the reviews you already have.

Engaging with existing reviews serves a few key purposes. First, it allows you to build trust with customers. Your customers are more likely to write reviews if they know you care about reading them.

Second, responding to negative reviews can help your business salvage any situation. Customers want to see good reviews – but they also want to know that your business cares about making things right when needed.

Finally, it's easier to monitor and engage with your Google reviews if you have the right tools. GoSite makes it simple--see how when you make a free trial!