How To Use Customer Reviews To Boost Your Local SEO Efforts This Holiday Season

There’s nothing more satisfying than a customer telling you they love your business or your product.

If you can capture that delight online in a customer review, it’s even better. Customer reviews amplify even the best Search Engine Optimization work, driving local traffic to your store and increasing your profits.

Here’s what you need to know about customer reviews, and how you can use them to boost local SEO efforts, in particular during this holiday season.

Why Customer Reviews Matter

First off, why should you care about customer reviews? Because they matter! 

Consider these facts:

• 89% of people read reviews prior to making a purchase decision

• 62% of consumers say reviews play a “big” or “moderate” role in finding out more about a business

If your competition is out-ranking you in search results, it could be because they have more reviews that are bumping their business ahead of your business. It’s time you harnessed the power of customer feedback.

Even Google Says It’s Good

Customers consider Google to be the most trusted review platform across all industries. It’s another reason to make sure you have a Google My Business profile—your business can capture reviews and organically improve your local SEO. Google’s Business Profile Help page even encourages you to ask for and reply to reviews, as it shows you value your customers and their feedback. Having reviews will promote your search results.

Here’s the deal.

“High-quality, positive reviews from your customers can improve your business visibility and increase the likelihood that a shopper will visit your location.”

Here are Google’s steps to create and share a link for customers to leave reviews:

1. Go to your Business Profile.

2. Find your review link by using Google Search and choose Ask for reviews.

3. Or with Google Maps choose Customers >  Reviews > Get more reviews.

Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews

Once you establish a link allowing customers to provide reviews, you can then share the link directly:

• send a thank you email with the link after a purchase

• include the link at the end of a chat interaction with customer support

• add the link on your receipts

• add a call to action to your website asking customers to leave a review

Don’t Censor the Negative Reviews

It appears customers trust businesses that have a few negative reviews sprinkled in with the good ones. That’s because buyers sense something is wrong if everything is too rosy: As many as 62% of consumers say they will not support brands that engage in review censorship; the same is true for fake reviews. 

So don’t manipulate or censor any bad reviews. Instead, respond to negative reviews in the right way, which can build customer loyalty and improve your online reputation. Here’s why: 70% of consumers are more likely to use a business that responds to negative reviews. 

You should actually respond to all reviews left on your site: 52% of customers expect a response to a review that they left on your page.

Harness the Power of Customer Reviews

Need help with customer reviews and other steps to attract customers to your business? Searchlight Digital can optimize your website so customers will find your business and leave positive reviews when they buy from your store. We provide comprehensive search engine marketing services, including search engine optimization, copywriting, content strategy, blog writing, and consulting—all delivered with transparency and integrity.

Contact us today to book your free 30 minute consultation, and take your business to the next level!