Opening Hook
Just imagine that there is a potential customer at your doorstep. They are not appreciating your branding, reading your site or even your menu. They are on the phone, going through reviews about your business locally.
That is the battlefield these days. Not yours layout of stores. Not that selling stuff. But what other folks say.
In cyberspace, word-of-mouth is now handled by online reviews, the equivalent of other customers talking about you, except that, in cyberspace, it travels farther, it never dies off and it seeds either your growth, or silently strips you of it.
Don t just hope that your clients will leave feedbacks. Start the process of creating a system which will accrue a system of high-quality reviews which is transformed into an engine of growth.
1. Understand the Local Review Landscape
Google is smaller than the review ecosystem. The first step is to know what to compete upon.
- The one thing you cannot forego is Google Business Profile. Google ratings also have a direct impact on local ranking and search visibility in Google Maps.
- Facebook: Social proof at the site made to share. The network effect is of an advantage in high rating in this case.
- Yelp: Remains strong in such categories as dining, salons, contractors, and services.
- Site-specific: By industry: Healthcare: Healthgrades, Tourism, food: TripAdvisor, Real estate: Zillow, Restaurants: OpenTable.
Major lesson: You are not in a position to be everywhere. Select the two or three sites on which your clients actually search, and conquer them.
2. Build a Rock-Solid Review Foundation
You have to have a basis set where customers can leave reviews easily and you can manage them easily before you even receive them.
- Claim and optimize your Google business profile-fill in all of the information, quality photos and descriptions.
- Be consistent- name, address and contact details should be the same everywhere. Credibility is important to the search engines.
- Activate notifications, these include such tools as Google Alerts or review management systems, designed specifically to notify you about new reviews.
- Manage track requests- run through a CRM or excel sheet to make sure you do not request too much and follow up with the correct people.
The foundation stage does not look glamourous but without it, your game plan will collapse in your review strategy.
3. Identify Your Ideal Review Candidates
Not all happy customers review a service or product- but your best customers are ready to.
Who they are:
- Individuals who are the open promoters of your service.
- Repeat shoppers that are in the knowledge of your value.
- The followers of your social media.
Questions to arrive at the best time to ask:
- Service business- immediately after an effective project.
- Retail: at checkout or in several days time through email follow up.
- Restaurants/ hospitality >> right after an excellent meal or hotel.
As you come across potential candidates, keep a record of candidates of your dreams and make it a habit of inquiring from them.
4. Time Your Requests for Maximum Impact
There are opportunities where timing is critical to success or utter failure.
- Capitalize when the feelings are hot. Questions should be asked at what time customers are the happiest.
- Service businesses: Cancellation of a project to boast of.
- Retail: checkout or 72hours.
- Hospitality: the customer is concluding a good experience.
One does not want to ask when customers are hurried, preoccupied, or unhappy the forced timing hardly feels natural.
5. Create a System for Follow-Ups
Forgotful even by happy customers. Follow-ups that are gentle ensure that your review flows.
- Set up prompt 1-3 days after the experience by sending an e-mail or message.
- Use a short introduction that is friendly and the link to the review should not be difficult to locate.
- Be useful with automation, where available? Use a human tone.
It is the aim to have you only be a next logical step when it comes to reviewing rather than being a task.
6. Play the Long Game
Gaining local reviews of your business is not a one time press. It is a continuous loop of:
- Provision of excellent customer services.
- Timing to ask a question.
- Follow ups that are personal sounding.
- Making sure you stay on selected platforms.
Local reviews grow over time when done on a regular basis. They improve search ranking, raise trust and foster a self-developing chain of referrals.
SEO Optimization Notes:
- The placement of keywords: local reviews of your business is integrated in subheadings, introduction and overall body copy.
- The terms that can support are Google reviews, review strategy, customer feedback, social proof, local SEO.
- Structure: shorter pieces, lists to scan and takeaways to action to improve time people spend on pages and engagement.
Final Thought:
Consider reviews or the scoreboard of your business that everybody can see. All positive ones will build your credibility, all negative ones are opportunities to show you are interested and all uncollected ones will be lost leverage. The companies that come out on top in local reviews are understatedly conquering their markets.
