If you own a business, whether brick and mortar or online, then there is this thing called Search Engine Optimization that you need to consider.
As we all know, SEO helps your site rank higher in specific keywords related to your business which drives more traffic and more leads. It can boost sales and help grow your brand awareness within the targeted niche.
And regarding SEO, you need to know that customer reviews also play a big role in it.
There are sites like Google and Yelp where you can post your business and people will provide feedbacks about your service. Reviews either make or break the reputation of your brand so be sure that they’re positive and honest.
To give you a heads up, here are the things you need to do in order for your online reviews to benefit your SEO.
1. Get more reviews
This is one of the most important strategies you need to remember because this boosts your site’s ranking. As mentioned above, positive reviews make a big difference so don’t let it go unnoticed. No matter how small your business is right now, as long as you provide excellent service to your customers, they will surely make time to submit their feedback.
2. Encourage people to talk about your brand
Although it’s easier said than done, the truth remains that you need to identify and win over influencers of your industry who can voluntarily promote your business.
By doing so, you are not only encouraging people to talk about your brand but also allowing them to be part of something bigger which is being associated with your company. As a result, these influencers are leaving reviews for you on sites like Google Maps or Yelp that will have a great impact on your website’s search engine optimization efforts.
3. Use social media
You can also take advantage of your company’s social media pages because you can easily ask people to leave their valuable feedbacks about your brand through them. Twitter and Facebook are the best platforms where you can spread the word about your new business and even promote special offers during holidays or on specific dates when people shop more.
As for the message, always be honest. Don’t ask them to leave positive reviews because that will not benefit you in any way if your brand isn’t deserving of those good comments. Instead, tell them what you have been doing lately and why they should take part in it.
Again, make sure that your business is worth raving about.
4. Post your reviews on other websites
Aside from your website, you also need to focus your efforts on other sites that are popular in the internet today. You must be active on Google+, Yelp, Facebook and Linkedin so that you can collect all the positive remarks about your brand. These feedbacks will not only boost your SEO but also help you become more visible to people searching for your service.
5. Optimize your online reviews
When you register with Google Places, make sure that the information of your business is 100% accurate including your real name, physical address and telephone number listed on it. This is very important when it comes to Local SEO. Make sure your address is local to the city or state you are trying to rank in. We go for terms like New York SEO because our headquarters address is NYC based. This allows potential customers to contact you right away just in case they have questions or suggestion about your service.
As for the feedbacks you have received, be sure that they are fulfilling your company’s information on these sites including your business name, position and other relevant data which you can find under the ‘User Content’ section.
While you’re at it, make sure to get rid of all the duplicated content because this can mislead people. You also need to monitor your reviews on a daily basis so that you can take down any unverified ones and even ask customers who left negative remarks to get in touch with you directly.
6. Utilize social media again
If ever you get the chance to work with another business, don’t forget to use social media sites to promote it. For example, if you are an SEO consultant, you can connect with other businesses in the same industry and ask them to take advantage of your service as well.
You can go an extra mile by offering special discounts or freebies to those who will leave reviews for you because this is one way of letting people know that you care about their opinions.
Include a link on your website where people can leave any feedback about your brand as well as encouraging them to follow you on social media sites. When they do, feel free to contact them and ask for some recommendations that might be useful for both of you in the future.
7. Keep track of your reviews
It is best that you set up a spreadsheet and document each customer’s review after they have done so. This will help you manage your clients well and become more efficient in delivering what they need from your business.
Aside from saving their email address, it is also important to note the URL of the website where they left such commendation as well as their IP address to determine the location of your possible customers.
This is what you call staying ahead in the game so that you can always deliver quality services and products to people who need them most. Don’t be afraid to take risks and even spend a little more than usual because this will build your reputation one review at a time!
