How do my competitors have so many Google reviews?

It’s no secret that Google reviews about your brand are a major influence on prospective customers. That’s because customers trust other customers more than the brand itself, simply because they are more objective.

While a brand can make claims and offer benefits, the consumer has no tangible evidence that those promises will be fulfilled. To ensure a brand is worth their time and money, 81% of consumers will check Google reviews first. If what they find isn’t up to scratch, they will look elsewhere. 

So, the bottom line is, you need to have more Google reviews. Not only that, they need to reflect your company in a favourable light. If your competitors are outranking you on Google, this can be a challenge. In this article, we explore all the things your rivals are likely doing to maintain a healthy, steady stream of Google reviews so that you can do the same.  

How Google reviews work 

Google is an online platform where customers can share their experience with a company for others to see. This is a third-party platform meaning the brand in question cannot edit or delete what is said about it. 

Essentially, customers can check the reviews of a brand before choosing to invest in it. If there is a 5-star rating and a lot of positive comments, they will be more inclined to buy from the company. If the reviews are predominantly 1-star ratings, negative comments, or simply lacking altogether, the customer will be tempted to look elsewhere. 

Creating a Google My Business account

If you’re new to Google reviews, you’ll need to set up a free Google My Business account. This creates a credible, searchable account for your company that customers can easily find. Once you’ve added the relevant details, customers can find the business, ask questions, and leave a review. If you don’t do this, you won’t receive any Google reviews. 

How to get more Google reviews

To get your Google reviews up to speed, it’s worth having a game plan in place. If your competitors have an impressive array of Google reviews, 5-star ratings, and customers shouting their praise, they’re sure to be implementing some of the following strategies. 

Asking customers at the right time

If you don’t have enough Google reviews, the first step is to ask. Consumers are busy and often don’t think about leaving a review. To make it easier for them, just reach out with a link to your Google review platform. 

While asking is the first step, remember to target customers at the right time. Not all moments in the buyer's journey are equal so be sure to ask at a time when they are feeling excited or satisfied. Some of the best times to ask are immediately after a purchase, following a service interaction, and after subscription renewal. In each of these moments, the customer is likely to have good things to say as well as have the time to visit Google reviews and fill out a response. 

Providing incentives

While it isn’t ethical to bribe customers into giving a positive review, there is a way to use incentives to your advantage. By offering a chance to win a giveaway or a discount code, you can encourage more customers to leave reviews. Just remember that every entrant should be in with an equal chance to win – whether they leave a positive or negative review. 

Using automation and processes

If your competitors are constantly getting more reviews, chances are they’re using automated tools like Mailchimp or HubSpot to do it. You can set these tools up to do all the hard work for you and take the responsibility off your team members' shoulders. For example, you can use HubSpot to send automated emails with review links already included. This way, when a customer receives the communication, they can easily follow the link and leave a review. 

Communicating through multiple channels

The easier the review process is, the more likely a customer is to leave one. This means sending review links across multiple communication channels so that customers can use the one they prefer. This could range from QR codes on your packaging to email invoices to social media prompts. Wherever your customers are, you should meet them in that space. 

Responding to all online reviews

If you want more people to buy from you and leave positive reviews, the least you can do is listen to them and acknowledge their input. Whether it be a simple “thank you” or an in-depth conversation, never leave a review unanswered. Even if it’s a negative review, the way you approach the situation will say a lot about the way you treat customers. 

Acting on insights 

Reviews are essentially a public form of customer feedback and therefore, they can hold a lot of helpful information. Whether good, bad, or somewhere in between, take the time to read, interpret, and act on the insights your Google reviews contain. This can be anything from product development to increased customer service training to updating your website. 

By taking your customer feedback onboard, you can ensure more customers are satisfied with the experience. Over time, this will improve the tone of your Google reviews and result in a much more positive rating overall. 

Getting more Google reviews is a lot more simple than people think, especially with the right tools to help you. Using a feedback platform like Review Tui can be highly beneficial because it has everything you need in one convenient place. With a centralised dashboard, built-in analytics, automated emails, real-time reporting, and campaign links, you can boost your Google reviews effortlessly.

The Review Tui platform is set to go live later so join the waitlist to be the first to find out more.