Online Reviews to Boost Your SEO Strategy

Online reviews have become an integral part of consumers’ decision-making process. For home service businesses, in particular, leveraging the power of online reviews is crucial for enhancing their online visibility, reputation, and ultimately, their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. In this article, we will explore the importance of online reviews for home service companies, how they can positively impact local SEO, and the benefits they bring to businesses. We’ll also delve into the significance of Google My Business and provide valuable insights on how GoMarketing can help you leverage the potential of online reviews to boost your SEO strategy.

Importance of Online Reviews for Home Service SEO

Online reviews play a pivotal role in home service SEO, as search engines increasingly prioritize user-generated content when determining search result rankings. Here’s why online reviews are essential for your home service business:

» Enhanced Local SEO

Online reviews provide search engines with valuable signals of your business’s credibility and authority, which are critical factors for local SEO. Positive reviews act as a vote of confidence, leading search engines to consider your business as reliable and trustworthy. As a result, your website and Google My Business profile are more likely to rank higher in local search results.

» Increased Visibility and Click-through Rates

Reviews also impact click-through rates (CTRs) for home service businesses. Potential customers are more likely to click on listings with positive reviews, leading to increased website traffic and potential conversions. This higher CTR indicates to search engines that your business is relevant to users’ search queries, further boosting your SEO efforts.

» User-Generated Content and Freshness

Search engines value fresh, relevant content, and online reviews contribute to this by continuously generating user-generated content. Each review adds unique keywords, phrases, and long-tail queries, expanding the breadth of your website’s content. Regularly updated content signals search engines that your website is active, leading to improved SEO performance.

Also Read: Top 10 Digital Marketing and SEO Actions to Take for Home Services Companies

Benefits of Online Reviews for Businesses

The benefits of online reviews extend beyond SEO. Here are some key advantages that businesses in the home services industry can gain:

» Social Proof and Trust

Online reviews serve as social proof, influencing potential customers’ trust in your business. Positive reviews highlight your expertise, reliability, and customer satisfaction, fostering trust and encouraging new customers to choose your services over competitors.

» Reputation Management

Monitoring and responding to online reviews allow you to actively manage your business’s reputation. Addressing both positive and negative feedback demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and showcases your responsiveness. This proactive approach builds a positive reputation and fosters customer loyalty.

» Customer Insights and Feedback

Online reviews offer valuable insights into customers’ experiences, preferences, and pain points. Analyzing customer feedback helps you identify areas for improvement and refine your service offerings. By actively responding to reviews, you can show customers that their opinions matter, fostering stronger relationships.

» Competitive Advantage

Having a strong online review presence gives you a competitive edge. When potential customers compare similar home service providers, positive reviews can be the deciding factor in their decision-making process. A stellar review profile sets you apart from competitors and positions your business as a trusted industry leader.

Responding to Positive Reviews

Responding to positive reviews is just as important as addressing negative ones. Here’s how you can effectively respond to positive reviews:

» Show Appreciation

Begin by expressing your gratitude and appreciation for the positive review. Thank the customer for taking the time to share their experience and choosing your services.

» Personalize Your Response

Tailor your response to the specific content of the review. Highlight specific details or aspects mentioned by the customer to show that you have read and acknowledged their feedback.

» Reinforce the Positive Experience

Reiterate the positive aspects highlighted in the review. Emphasize the customer’s satisfaction with your services and the value they received. This reinforces their positive experience and showcases your commitment to delivering exceptional service.

» Encourage Future Business

Take the opportunity to invite the customer to return for future services. Let them know that you look forward to serving them again and maintaining their satisfaction.

Responding to Negative Reviews

While positive reviews are invaluable, negative reviews can also present opportunities for growth and improvement. When facing a negative review, keep the following in mind:

» Stay Calm and Professional

Take a deep breath and approach the situation with a calm and professional demeanor. Responding in a defensive or confrontational manner will only escalate the situation.

» Address the Issue Promptly

Respond to negative reviews promptly to show that you value customer feedback. Acknowledge the customer’s concerns, apologize if necessary, and offer a resolution to rectify the situation. This demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction.

» Take the Conversation Offline

Whenever possible, provide contact information or encourage the reviewer to reach out privately to discuss the issue further. This allows you to address the problem in a more personal and private setting.

How to Get More Online Reviews

To generate more online reviews and strengthen your online presence, consider the following strategies:

1. Request Reviews: Reach out to satisfied customers and politely ask them to leave a review on relevant platforms. Personalize your request and make it easy for them by providing direct links or instructions.
2. Incentivize Reviews: Offer a small incentive, such as a discount or a free service, to customers who leave a review. However, ensure that your approach complies with the policies of the review platforms you use.
3. Streamline the Review Process: Make it as simple as possible for customers to leave a review. Include review links or buttons on your website, in email signatures, and on social media platforms. The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more likely they are to do so.

Business Reviews on Social Media Platforms

To maximize your online review presence, it’s essential to utilize popular social media platforms where customers can leave reviews. Here are some key platforms to consider:

» Google Reviews

Google reviews are highly influential as they appear prominently in search results. Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile to encourage customers to leave reviews on your listing.

» Facebook Reviews

Facebook provides a platform for customers to review your business, recommend your services, and share their experiences. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your Facebook Page.

» Yelp Reviews

Yelp is a popular platform for customers to discover and review businesses. Claim your Yelp Business Page and actively engage with customers who leave reviews.

» Industry-Specific Platforms Reviews

Depending on your home service niche, there may be industry-specific platforms or directories where customers can leave reviews. Examples include Houzz for home improvement services or Angie’s List for contractors. Identify relevant platforms in your industry and optimize your presence there.

The Importance of Google My Business

When it comes to online reviews and local SEO, Google My Business (GMB) is an invaluable platform for home service businesses. Here’s why GMB should be a key focus for your online review strategy:

» Local Search Visibility

A well-optimized Google My Business profile increases your chances of appearing in local search results, especially on Google Maps. Positive online reviews on Google My Business act as social proof, attracting more clicks and driving traffic to your website.

» Customer Engagement

Google My Business allows customers to leave reviews, ask questions, and interact with your business directly. Engaging with customers on this platform demonstrates your commitment to customer service and boosts your online reputation.

» Business Information and Insights

Google My Business enables you to provide essential information about your home service business, such as contact details, business hours, and service areas. Keeping this information up to date ensures that potential customers can easily reach you and have accurate expectations. Additionally, Google My Business offers valuable insights into customer behavior, such as the number of views and actions taken on your profile, allowing you to analyze customer engagement and make informed marketing decisions.

» Google Knowledge Panel

A well-optimized GMB profile can lead to your business being featured in the Google Knowledge Panel, a prominent display that appears alongside search results. The Knowledge Panel showcases key information about your business, including reviews, contact details, website link, and even photos. This increased visibility enhances your online presence and further boosts your credibility in the eyes of potential customers.

Summing Up

In the dynamic world of online marketing, leveraging the power of online reviews is a game-changer for home service businesses. At GoMarketing, we understand the significance of online reviews in boosting your SEO and helping your business stand out from the competition. Our home services digital marketing expert team is well-versed in creating effective digital marketing strategies that harness the potential of online reviews to drive more leads and conversions for your business. Don’t miss out on the tremendous benefits of online reviews. Contact us today at (805) 413-7893 to embark on a journey towards enhanced visibility, a stellar reputation, and long-term success in the home services industry. Let’s make your business shine!

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Google Places offers just seven top spots on any given search results page. You want your business to have one of the seven letters in front of it, otherwise your competitors (those with the letters) could very well get your business.

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Here’s how to help your Google Places listing get “letter worthy.”

As you fill out your Places listing, fill it out completely. Upload photos. Upload videos to YouTube and be sure your Places listing has links to those videos. Fill out the form Places gives you to describe your business as thoroughly as you can.

You’ll want to be sure you use a street address for your business that Google can verify and place on Google Maps.

Use the phone number as listed in your phone directory for your Google Places phone number.

Be sure the directory information you place in Google Places is the same information you placed in any other online directory. Google’s going to check and Google does not like inconsistency.

No keyword stuffing. Just Do. Not. Do. It.. Do not! Yes, you can put keywords in your Places description, but don’t try to stuff it with keywords. If Google catches the stuffed keywords — and it will! — it will remove your listing.

Google is going to call your business line to verify your phone number. Make sure someone is there who knows you’re filling out your Google Places listing to answer the phone.

Work to get other websites to link to your Places listing. Called “citations” in Google-speak, these help Google believe your site is “popular.” Popularity results in a higher ranking. You’ll want to create other listings in other local online directories and also at other review sites such as Four Square, Yelp, YellowPages.com, Citysearch.com, etc. Write and send news releases to your local newspapers and hope for coverage (and that the paper has a link from its online story about your business to your site).

Ask people to review your business at your Places listing.

Offer special offers at your Places listing. In other words, give your customers a good reason to visit your Places listing. The tried and true discount coupon can work wonders here.

Finally, if you don’t already have one, get a well-optimized website for your business. Update it often (Google “likes” websites that change/update often more than static, “brochure-type” sites).

Interested in learning more about how your Google Places listing can help your business shoot to the top of the search engines? Call GoiMarketing.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Google Places and Your Business’ Online Success, Part 2: Optimizing Your Places Listing appeared first on GoMarketing.

Google Places is Google’s free business listing service. Started by Google in 2009, it’s taken Google Maps up a notch. Google Places allows you to create a business profile and place as much information about your business within it. You can upload pictures, videos, your business hours, and information about your products/services, etc. What’s more, you don’t even need a website to rank well with Google Places (although if you do have a website, Google Places will help it get more traffic, as well).

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To put together your Google Places listing, go to places.Google.com/business. If you don’t have a Google account, sign up for it here. You then follow Google’s instructions to set up your Places listing. Google also will give you some tips you can follow to help your Places listing rank even higher (and we’ll do so, as well, in our next post).

But wait, there’s more!

Google Places also is interactive. Your customers can leave reviews about your product/service that other people can read. Naturally, you’ll want positive reviews, so you may want to ask a few loyal customers if they would leave a review for you. You can send them an e-mail with a link to your Places listing asking them to write a testimonial. Use your autoresponder program to automatically send an e-mail to new customers.

As you put your Google Places listing together, you’ll want to be sure that your business’ information on other online directories is accurate since Google Places looks at that information as it ranks your listing. If you have different information at different directories, Google may not “trust” the information.

Finally, and this is important, you’ll want to choose the right keywords to describe your business in your Google Places listing. Good keywords will help your listing rank even higher in search results.

We’ll talk more in our next post about how you can optimize your Google Places listing.

If you’d like more information about how to best use your Google Places listing, contact GoiMarketing.com. We can list your business for you, using all the best SEO techniques to help ensure your Places “place” comes up first in search results. Contact us today!

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In fact, Google Places can be quite powerful for one important reason: Google Places results often are listed above Google’s organic rankings!

Many of the techniques you use to get at the top of Google Places are similar to organic SEO: making sure your site has frequent updates. For Google Places, this could include — but is not limited to — customer reviews, information on discount offerings, DIY tips, notification of sales, contests, and so on. You even can upload videos and photos of your business to your listing.

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You’ll also want to be sure to ask your happy clients to submit positive reviews and praise to sites such as Kudzo or Best of the Web. Offer to write their review for them — be sure to show it to them before posting, of course — and then post it to these review sites yourself. Be sure you have a link to your site, of course.

Backlinks, as usual, are imperative. In fact, getting backlinks from locally authoritative sites will go a long way to promoting your Google Places listing. What are “locally authoritative sites?” These are directories from local trade associations, your local chamber of commerce and other review sites.

If you’re in an area where there are plenty of, using the example above, divorce lawyers, those seven top Google Places slots could be filled quickly. This is where it will pay you handsomely to pay attention to details. Fill out your Google Places form completely (Google gives preference to those who do). The service allows you to place up to 10 images, so be sure to get 10 images. Post videos of yourself on YouTube talking about your business, showing off your staff, talking about your product or business. Be sure to place links from your video to your Google Places profile.

Getting a good slot on Google Places is a terrific free way to help new customers find you. GoMarketing.com can create a listing for you, and shoot video, etc. to help your listing rank high. Contact us today; we look forward to hearing how we can help you grow your business and your revenue.

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You also could be wasting money because a local SEO focus helps ensure that you’re actually reaching your prospective customers, thus bringing you a much higher return on your investment.

In addition to the usual good SEO tactics (keyword optimized pages, tags and titles), you may want to consider using getting your company listed on Google Places.

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This service lets people in your area search for goods and services near them. You can take advantage of this service by creating a profile for your business.

Google Places works when someone types in “Santa Monica divorce lawyer.” Listings of divorce lawyers located in or near Santa Monica then appear first in the results pages.

You can enhance your listing by adding phone numbers, videos, links to your website, driving directions, even coupons. In addition, Google Places will give you a ton of information about how your listing is faring, offering you such information as how many times your listing appears in searches as well as the number of people clicking on your link.

Another benefit is the fact that your Google Places listing also will be displayed in Google Maps. You’ve no doubt seen these in action already — search for that “Santa Monica divorce lawyer” and you’ll see the top seven listings displayed on the first page of results with tiny bubble icons appearing on a map of your area, showing the firms’ locations.

This is great for small and medium-sized businesses for several reasons, not the least of which is that it can get your listing on the first page of Google results without using Pay-per-Click or even traditional SEO.

We’ll talk about how you can get your Google Places listing among the top seven in our next blog post.

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Yes!

First, why and how to get on the first page of Google Places.

You’ll want to get on Google Places because Places’ listings show up on Google Maps. Maps shows the location of your business on a map of your local area, as well as the top seven listings (your competitors). If your potential clients search locally, getting on Google Maps and Places is imperative.

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To get there, go to Google’s Places site and register your business. Don’t stop there, though. Get customer reviews, videos and photos of your business, advertise special offers, etc.

Yet you can’t just get your business listed on Google Places and call it a day. Why?

Control.

Google Places can be deleted or even stopped by Google if it ever decides to. Your top seven listing can be bumped.

In addition, the “rules” Google uses to decide which listings get listed first can change — at any time

You want to build an optimized website you own and control. You’ll need to seriously consider Google Places, Twitter, YouTube videos, Facebook, etc. but you should start with a well-optimized, engaging website.

Twitter and Facebook could go away, as could YouTube, a Squidoo lens or even a HubPage.

The chances of your website “disappearing overnight”? Small to middling.

2) If you have no website, people don’t take you seriously. Some people will get your company name from a referral. Do you want them to search for you business and come up only with a Google Places listing?

You’re not seen as serious today unless you have a website.

Plus, prospects will want more information about your products and services. Your Google Places listing won’t give them much.

So don’t concentrate on social media and other forms of online marketing at the expense of your website. Website first, social media second.

Always.

If you’ve been putting off optimizing your site the way you know it should be done, contact GoiMarketing.com. We have several different levels of website optimization, one that’s guaranteed to meet your budget. Contact us today!

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