Too Many Reviews, Too Fast
The internet has evolved to be so much more than a place to view websites. It’s now an interactive platform where consumers evaluate products and services based on the opinions and feedback from other consumers.
This brings us to customer reviews. Over 90% of people who read positive online reviews say it’s the reviews that help convince them to make a purchase. In fact, the average consumer trusts third-party, online reviews just as much as a recommendation from a friend. Knowing how to increase online reviews is critical when it comes to establishing a strong online presence. However, it’s important to remember not to generate too many reviews too quickly.
Think of gathering online reviews as a marathon, rather than a sprint. Consistency over time is how you’re going to move up the ranks on Google, establish a strong online reputation and get more inbound calls. There are 3 main reasons why getting too many Google reviews too quickly is a dangerous idea… check them out below.
1. You’ll run out of prime customers to ask for a review from.
Your happy customers are a precious resource for your business. If they all review you at once, you’ll enter into a feedback famine. Yes, you’ll always have new customers in your pipeline that can leave you a review… but these customers haven’t had the chance to really get to know you or your business yet. They might not be as ready to leave you a good review as those that have been with you for some time.
2. Google’s algorithm will mark the activity as suspicious.
Google’s algorithm is basically how Google finds, ranks and delivers relevant search results. It relies on ranking signals to know what listings to show to a searcher. Some of these ranking signals include your Google My Business listing, social media activity and of course, customer reviews. Since Google monitors these signals, they can tell when something isn’t right. For example, if your business gets a huge batch of reviews all at once, Google will notice the abnormal pattern and might even remove some of your reviews. Here’s Google’s official criteria when it comes to online reviews:
Reviews are only valuable when they are honest and unbiased. (For example, business owners shouldn’t offer incentives to customers in exchange for reviews.)
Stay on Google’s good side and keep the online reviews marathon approach in mind rather than trying to sprint to the finish line.
3. Consumers value consistent and recent reviews.
Recent statistics show the average consumer reads 10 reviews before starting to trust a business. That means your potential customers will pick up on any odd review patterns and notice reviews that seem artificially generated or forced.
In addition, 84% of consumers believe reviews older than 3 months aren’t relevant. Again, this is why it’s so important to space out your reviews over time. One of the most exciting things about generating online reviews is that they can seriously boost your conversion. Studies show that when a business has at least five recent reviews on Google, they see conversion rates as high as 58%. Great conversion rates come from consistent, recent reviews.
Try these review generation ideas:
Here are a few ideas on how to improve your online reviews strategy:
- Always respond to positive online reviews with gratitude. People are more likely to leave reviews for your business if they know their efforts will be acknowledged with a thank you.
- After a conversation or interaction with your customers, follow up and see if they are happy with the way everything was handled. If they are, ask them to leave a positive review for your business.
- If clients leave a positive review, send them a handwritten thank you card.
- On your website, set up a page dedicated to displaying reviews and testimonials to highlight your customer satisfaction.
What about negative reviews?
No one likes to get a negative review, but even the best businesses have a few. It’s not the end of the world. It may seem counter intuitive, but having a negative or two can actually make your business appear more authentic in the searcher’s eye. Make sure to always respond thoughtfully and informatively.
Here’s how we help…
We help hundreds of our clients get the right amount of reviews, at the right time, in all the right places. Rather than giving you instant results that fade over night, we’ll give you a lasting foundation and online presence for your business. Feel free to feel out this form to learn more about how we can help you stand out from your competition.