The competition in the digital business realm is high and calls for strategic marketing and branding techniques. One of the guaranteed ways of giving your business greater cutting edge is by having as many online reviews as possible. These reviews whether negative or positive will give potential customers a clear perspective of your products and services before they decide on whether to make a purchase.
Positive reviews may be false or sponsored since no business pays for negative reviews. The negative reviews help to enhance the credibility of the positive reviews, and so you should not shy away from displaying them on your profile.
Google+ is one of the vibrant social media platforms that you should strive to get as many reviews as possible on to take your business to the next level. Today, we will look at eleven simple hacks that you can use to get more reviews on this social media platform.
1# Give Users a Chance to Leave a Review
Spend time creating a Google+ page for your business by filling out all the information required to complete the registration process. The Google team will then check the information, and if it’s correct, the page will be verified and made available online. Google Places pages for old businesses are moved to Google+ so if you had that page; you do not need to create a Google+ page.
2# Ask for Reviews
One of the easiest ways to get reviews from customers is by asking them to review your brand. Many times, a customer might try out your service and love it but never think of visiting your page and writing a review. Therefore, you should not shy away from request your clients to leave a review after purchasing your product or trying out your services.
3# Simplify the Process of Leaving a Review
Make it easy for the customers to leave a review. Since most online shoppers are usually in a hurry, make sure that the process is as straightforward as humanly possible. For example, provide a direct link to the review page instead of linking to your Google+ page or website. Ideally, the user should be able to access the review page with as few clicks as possible. Consider that every additional step could hinder you from a possible review.
4# Steer Clear of Fake Reviews & Buying Reviews
People who have been shopping online for a while now know how a legitimate review looks like and can identify a fake review from miles away. Fake reviews show that you are trying to conceal something thereby chasing away possible customers. Another downside is that when the dubious accounts are blacklisted by Google, the fake reviews that they posted on your profile will also be deleted.
5# Strive to Get Reviews Posted on Other Platforms as Well
Well, having many reviews on Google+ is great but you should consider spreading your wings and also getting reviewed on other platforms such as Yelp and Angie’s list. If you don’t have any reviews on these authority review sites, but hundreds of them on Google+, they will be perceived as fake. The point is, when asking for reviews from customers; request them to write not only the reviews on your Google+ page but also other popular review sites. Allow them to choose the sites they prefer instead of forcing them to write it on specific sites only.
6# Respond to Negative Reviews Professionally and Fast
Once in a while, you will receive a negative review from a customer. It is imperative that you respond to this kind of reviews professionally to prevent them from hurting the credibility of your brand. Deleting the reviews only shows that you are hiding something, instead, request the user to contact your customer care team and ensure the issue is resolved amicably. For example, you can offer to refund them or repair the product for free. Once the issue is resolved, request them to reply to the original review.
7# Link to Review Pages Using QR Codes
Nowadays, most shoppers use mobile devices to make purchases online. This means almost all your online customers can scan a QR code and go to particular site that the code links to in seconds. Based on this fact, incorporating the code on receipts and promotional materials is an ingenious way of directing customers to the review page.
8# Deal With Unsolicited Reviews
Nearly all online businesses get unsolicited reviews periodically. If the comment is negative, consider it as an opportunity to offer customer service. On the other hand, if they are positive, reply to them and request the reviewer to post it on Google+. One of the main reasons why you should do this is because private communication cannot be shared with the public without the consent of the sender.
9# Include a CTA in Your Newsletter
Most of the people in your mailing list are interested in your products, and will typically be willing to write a review when they get information about your brand. Include a call-to-action that directs the users to your Google+ profile at the footer of your newsletter. The contents of the newsletter will motivate them to visit your profile and leave a review.
10# Review Other Businesses and Partners
You do not have to get all your reviews from customers. If you have business partners or other companies that you collaborate with, occasionally write a review on their pages. There is no guarantee that they will also write a review on your page as well, but this simple move will help to foster your relationship.
11# Your Service or Product Should be Review-Worthy
You may find that you are not getting as many Google+ reviews as you expected by applying the following tips. You need to provide services and products that a review-worthy to the customers. If the services or products are mediocre, customers will not bother to leave a review. Ensuring that your products are top-notch and the customer service is excellent will result in legit feedback that will paint a positive image of the brand to the target customers.
Indeed, it is possible to get more Google+ reviews without spending money buying fake reviews. Start applying the above hacks today to get your business to the next level of success.
