How to Get Genuine Customer Reviews on Google

Over 90% of consumers read reviews online regularly. Meanwhile, 84% trust the reviews they read online as much as personal recommendations from friends. Customer reviews can boost brand awareness, trust, and loyalty. On-the-fence customers will realize shoppers just like them already trust you. As social proof, reviews can influencer behaviors to help you improve your reputation online.

It can also boost your search engine ranking, helping you reach even more customers.

Without reviews, however, consumers might struggle to learn more about you. They might turn toward your competitors instead.

With these nine tips, you can gather small business reviews using Google and attract new clients. Ready to boost your business? Get started with these tips for gathering genuine reviews today!

1. Update Your GMB Listing

First, you'll need to update your Google My Business (GMB). You'll struggle to gather fresh reviews if your customers don't have a place where they can submit them. Your GMB listing provides customers with relevant information about your business.

This information includes your:

• Business name
• Website
• Address
• Directions
• Phone number
• Hours
• Customer reviews

Your GMB listing also takes up prominent space in a Google search. When someone looks for your business, your listing will appear. Keeping your listing up-to-date could help you attract more customers.

If your listing is already up-to-date, check the reviews you've gathered so far. Make sure to reply to each one with a personal message. Show current and future customers that you're listening.

Then, create a dedicated review page on your website. You can use a plugin to feed your Google customer reviews to the page. Add a call-to-action (CTA) button encouraging website visitors to post their reviews.

Try linking your GMB listing to social media, through email marketing, and using other tactics, too. Remind people they have an opportunity to post their reviews and they will!

2. Send Follow-Up Emails

Consider sending new customers follow-up emails after a sale. Make sure your emails are personalized. Personalized emails are more likely to connect with the reader.

Otherwise, you might come off as robotic.

You can also use an automated email drip campaign to send your customers surveys asking them for their feedback.

3. Request More Than Once

It's okay to ask customers for reviews more than once. Try to space out your requests, though. Schedule only one request within a week.

Remaining persistent can help you stay top-of-mind. If you wait too long to ask customers for reviews, they might forget about their experience.

4. Use Review Generation Tools

If you're too busy to ask for customer reviews, consider using a generation tool. These tools can ask for reviews through your landing pages, SMS, or email campaigns.

You can use these tools to remain organized and still gather genuine reviews from customers.

5. Avoid Buying Reviews

Consumers can tell when reviews are fake. Fake reviews can make your business look fake and ingenuine, too. People might think you're trying to hide the truth about your brand's reputation.

Your credibility could drop as a result.

Avoid buying reviews or incentivizing customers with free gifts. In fact, incentives are against Google's terms and conditions for gathering customer reviews.

Instead, offer customers a tool, like an eBook, as a thank you. Keep the button for your GMB listing on the page. They'll want to post Google customer reviews about how helpful you are.

6. Improve Your Customer Service

One of the best ways to gather genuine reviews is to improve your customer service. Otherwise, customers won't think your company is worth a positive review. Focus on impressing your customers and they'll want to speak up.

Otherwise, unhappy customers will post negative reviews.

In fact, about 96% of customers say customer service is important when deciding to remain loyal to a brand.

Keep your customers happy. If they voice their frustrations, respond. Ask them how you can do better. Then, make a change for the better.

7. Review Other Businesses

Are you working with a lot of partners and vendors this year? Your partners can help you gather genuine reviews and attract new clients, too.

Instead of asking your vendors for reviews, post on their own GMB listing. Tell them how much you enjoy working with them. Posting on their GMB listing first will help them see you genuinely care.

Then, they'll reciprocate the feeling by posting a review on your GMB listing, too.

8. Learn How to Ask

Pay attention to your interactions with customers. Was one of your customers really happy with your product or service? Ask them if they can share their thoughts using Google.

Learning how to ask customers for genuine reviews can take time and practice. Don't force it on them. Instead, focus on the customers who are already singing your praises.

These customers already have a genuine, positive opinion about your brand.

Instead of waiting for Google customer reviews to come to you, you can ask customers directly. Ask them about their experience. Did they find everything they were looking for?

Once they share their thoughts verbally, ask if they wouldn't mind posting their thoughts as a review.

In addition to asking in person, you can also ask customers:

• Over the phone
• In a text message
• Through email
• Over social media
• On your website's review page
• Through a website thank you page
• On your invoices and receipts

Spread out! Give yourself multiple opportunities to ask. That way, you never miss an opportunity.

9. Automate

You're busy enough running your business. You can also use marketing automation on your website to gather reviews and save time.

Add a chatbot to your website. Chatbots can help customers online, even when you're busy with customers in-person. The chatbot can answer questions and improve the online user experience.

Once the chatbot has helped your site visitors, it can prompt users to your GMB review page.

Then, you can gather more customer reviews without splitting your focus.

Get More on Google: 9 Ways to Get Genuine Customer Reviews

Ready to generate more customer reviews to attract new customers? Keep these nine tips in mind. With these tips, you can gather genuine reviews and boost your online reputation.

Need help building better customer experiences? That's what we're here for.

Request a demo from our team today to get started.