[Do you like this? Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel and then share it for me!]
Video Summary
According to statistics, “77% of customers use Google to find Local businesses” while “90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business.”
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, people depend more on online reviews and ratings than ever before. Reviews help them choose where to go and who to purchase from.
But those reviews don’t just tell searchers about your business. They also help get your business seen in the search results. Here’s more about that…
Video Transcript
Hello, my name is Jeffrey Kirk.
Do you want your business to make an impact in your community? A strong local online presence, especially during a pandemic, or as the result of the pandemic, is an absolute must. According to statistics, “77% of customers use Google to find Local businesses” while “90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business.”
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, people depend more on online reviews and ratings than ever before. Reviews help them choose where to go and who to purchase from.
Where to Appear for Local SEO
It’s important to have your business show up in the part of the search results that I call the Money Zone. That’s the part of the search results where you see a map and up to three businesses. I call it the Money Zone because it’s so prominent in the search results that the businesses showing up there are easily seen.
How does Google know which businesses it should feature? Well, one of the most influential factors is user interaction with your Google Business Profile, and a key interaction is that you get reviews and ratings from your customers or clients.
Google gives your customers the ability to provide reviews and ratings when they visit your online profile. Before they can do this, you need a complete and accurate Google Business Profile. I have separate videos explaining how to get and optimize your profile if you need to do these things. You can find the links below for easy access.
Then, to appear in the money zone, you need a constant stream of high-quality Google reviews and a reasonably high numerical star rating.
According to a recent report, “91% of people read reviews, and 84% trust them as much as a friend’s personal recommendation.” Wow, 84%! That shows word of mouth is still very influential – even when the word of mouth is simply written by strangers next to some stars.
We all know, as consumers, that referrals remain one of the strongest types of influences. When your family or a friend recommends a shop, you’re usually inclined to believe them, therefore trusting that the business they recommend is the best one for you. So, when Google displays those high-quality reviews and ratings, we feel comfortable that those are our best choices.
More Reviews Creates Bigger Impact
Also, a recent study concluded that the average number of reviews for a business has a stronger impact on its appearing in the Money Zone, compared to the average ratings of the business. What that means is that more reviews is better than fewer reviews, and the score is less important.
Let’s look at an example of a real search so you can see the impact of reviews and ratings for yourself. The question I want you to answer is, which of the three businesses in the Money Zone will you choose? Here is a screenshot of florists in my local area. What stands out about these? I’ll zoom in so you can see them better…
If you are new to the area, and you know nothing about these shops, you’ll see that the first one is Waukesha Floral and Greenhouse. They have a 4.4 rating with 173 reviews. The second one, Jo-Mar Flowers and Gifts, has the fewest number of reviews and the lowest rating, even though it’s showing in the second position of the Money Zone. And the last one, Thinking Of You Florist, is doing pretty good as well, with a 4.4 rating and 25 reviews.
You only have time to pick one, which one is it? Hurry! Make a decision! I can tell you that you immediately eliminated the middle one. In fact, only 48% of consumers would even consider using a business with fewer than 4 stars. So you might have briefly considered the first one and the third one. After all, they both have a 4.4‑star rating. But ultimately, if you settled on the first one, then you made the same choice that most people would.
And here’s another thing… Google recently added some buttons into the Money Zone area. Look up to the top and you’ll see the rating button.
You can click that, so Google only shows you businesses with a rating above a certain level. This demonstrates that Google understands how important ratings are to the searchers.
Of course, another factor is location. Some people will choose one of the other businesses simply based on the convenience of doing business at that particular location. But overall, Waukesha Floral and Greenhouse will win based on the strength of their reviews.
But You Want More Than Just 5‑Star Reviews
This shows that it’s important to encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews as much as possible. Of course, you want to avoid getting those 1- and 2‑star reviews because they can really drag down your average, but a good system, like the one we implement with our clients, helps you get many more reviews while keeping your overall numbers high.
But getting 5 stars on every review is not the goal. Google has acknowledged that a business with a mix of positive and negative reviews appears more trustworthy to consumers. So those 1‑, 2‑, and 3‑star reviews are okay.
The important thing about those is how you respond! Your prospects are going to read them, so how do you make sure your prospects are happy enough to become your new customers or clients?
Let’s take a look at another screen shot. This one is Accountants in my area. Here you can see all three of them have only 5‑star reviews.
Actually, look at how similar these three businesses appear. Not only 5 stars, but each has been in business 10+ years. Two of them have only one review though, compared to the other with 14. And, because of having more reviews, Google featured Belt Accounting & Tax with part of the review showing with their listing. It’s the only one that says, “would highly recommend to anyone…”
So right now, Belt Accounting would be the winner. But let’s be real, they only have 14 reviews. And what you don’t see in this view is that the newest review was left 9 months ago. How do we even know if they’re still a good business if we haven’t heard anything new about them in 9 months?
What if Midwest Accounting Services started using a reliable system to get new reviews on autopilot? They could very quickly become the dominant business in this list. They would have more reviews and newer reviews. They would get new clients faster. How much would that be worth to them?
How much would it be worth in your business to get more new clients faster?
Online reviews continue to grow in value and have a significant impact on your visibility in your local area. With constant visibility, more prospects find your business and can convert to potential customers with more sales.
Of course, to encourage your customers to leave quality, impactful reviews, it’s always best if you give them a positive experience with your business. That way you’re making it easy for them to say good things about your business.
Join Me On An Upcoming Webinar
Would you like help getting your business to show up in the Money Zone? Would you like to know how to get consistent 4- and 5‑star reviews on autopilot? I have a webinar which shows you exactly how to do these things. Click here for the webinar and please join me soon.
Your business deserves to be seen online, and I will help you get there.
Thanks for watching and have a great day!
