SEO and ranking high on Google can give small business owners the push they need to get more customers and generate more profits. But did you know that reviews are a key ingredient to better SEO and higher search rankings?
Receiving reviews is an absolute MUST, not just for online retailers, but also for local businesses regardless of whether they sell online or not.
According to Graham Charlton, editor in chief at ClickZ Global, user or customer reviews show the power of social proof. “People need reassurance and confirmation that their actions are the right ones,” he said. “So, when people are thinking about buying a particular camera, seeing an average review rating of four stars, or reading positive reviews may provide the extra push they need.”
User reviews are not just for increasing the credibility of your business.
As mentioned earlier, they also help with SEO as they are featured prominently in local search results. If you want to get better search rankings, you need user reviews and if you want to get more conversions, you need good reviews.
Graham explained that the sources of your reviews are important for local SEO. The suggestions below are among the review sources considered to play an important part in local search visibility.
Google Reviews
According to Graham, Google is the most important review source because it is a key ranking signal for the search giant. To get more Google reviews, you will need a Google My Business listing, which is free to set up and can significantly help you with local SEO visibility.
To get a My Google Business page, you will need a long and unique description of your business, choose the right categories, key information on your operating hours, contact details, and lots of pictures of your business. You will also need to update the page regularly. And for Google to show reviews from your customers, you will need to get at least five reviews. Having more reviews than your direct competitors can also be a huge boost.
Other review sources
While Google reviews may be the most important, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you should completely disregard those coming from other sites and sources. Graham explains that reviews from other sites create signals and links that tell Google how relevant your business is by backing up the information shown on your Google reviews. In addition, they also help improve your online visibility.
Would you like help increasing your search ranking? Contact us today to schedule a call and see how we can help you boost your reviews!
