Google Reviews
Why Google Reviews Matter More Than You Think
Reviews quietly decide who gets chosen before you ever meet the customer. Here is why, and how to start collecting them comfortably.
When someone compares two local businesses, they rarely phone for references. They read reviews.
Reviews do the trust-building before you ever speak to the customer, which means they quietly influence who gets chosen and who gets skipped.
What people are actually checking
A potential customer reading your reviews is not just counting stars. They are asking:
- Does this business turn up when promised?
- Do they communicate clearly?
- Was the price fair?
- How do they handle problems?
Your reviews answer all of those questions in other people's words, which is far more convincing than saying it yourself.
Why good businesses have few reviews
Almost every local business earns happy customers. Very few have a system for asking those customers to write anything down. The result: brilliant businesses with three reviews from 2019, sitting quietly next to average businesses with sixty recent ones.
Making asking comfortable
A simple review system might be:
- Ask when the job is finished and the customer is happy
- Send a direct link to your Google review page
- One polite reminder if they forget
- Say thank you, and reply to every review you receive
Most happy customers are glad to help. They just need the ask to be easy.
Reviews can work twice as hard
Your best reviews should not stay locked on Google. Quoting them on your website and social media means the same kind words build trust everywhere someone might find you.
Google review support is part of the Local Business Visibility Package, including request wording you can actually feel comfortable using.