Reviews impact SEO in many ways. If you run a company of any size, you need to be regularly encouraging customers to leave reviews. It doesn’t matter if yours is a business-to-business company or a business-to-consumer company. Reviews are essential to your company’s bottom line.
Increasing Clicks
One of the ranking factors considered by Google is the number of people who are clicking on your site. Google uses this as an indicator that people like what they are finding there. Then, they start moving your site up through the ranks until you appear on the first search engine result page. They may also choose your business for one of their special features. For example, you may see your business listed in a local pack, or you may see some of your content in a feature snippet. Google is cautious when choosing businesses to promote because they do not want to send people to a bad one.
Creating Legitimacy
Customer reviews on reputable sites improve local SEO, which increases the chances of generating more business. This is especially true when you claim your Google My Business account. Then, when a potential customer searches for your company name, your reviews will show up on the first search engine result page. Additionally, getting positive reviews can influence where your business is listed on Google Maps, which can be an essential factor in how much foot traffic comes into your local store.
You will also want to look at other review sites that your customers might search. Claim your listing and influence customers to leave reviews there. While you should never pay for reviews, you can ask customers to leave them for you at the time that they are likely to be most happy with your company. A relationship of trust is essential.
Building Trust
Encouraging customers to leave a review is a great way to help customers build trust in your organization. The majority of customers see online reviews as a vote of confidence, and they rely on these reviews as they would the advice from a friend. Then, when other sites are looking for content, they’ll feel comfortable sharing your site with their customers. This encourages Google to see your site as even more important, helping you move up through the ranks faster. It also introduces your company to new potential customers who may also leave great reviews.
Reviews are a great tool in your company’s SEO toolbox. If you don’t have a strategy for attracting more of them, it’s time to rethink your current marketing plan. Use reviews to your advantage today, and watch your business thrive.
Affiliate marketing can be another great way to increase clicks to your site. Learn more here.
