Do you find yourself on Google, searching for ways your business can generate more natural traffic? More qualified leads? Something more automated? Then look no further than Customer Reviews!
Online customer reviews have consistently been shown to have the most impact on search rankings, especially for local search. A recent study, in collaboration with the University Of California Irvine, found that online customer reviews, or rather the keywords used in them, were the most important factor in local search, particularly with the Google Local Pack and Google Maps.
That means a better click-through-rate, more conversions, and more sales for your business.
Below we've outlined 5 ways online reviews help your Google SEO, or SEO on any search engine, but let's be honest, who uses anything else but Google.
5 Ways Online Reviews Help Your Google SEO
#1 - Reviews Are Fresh Content
Customer reviews are an amazing source of fresh and relevant content. One of the main things a search engines consider is how often you put new content on your site and how relevant it is to your brand's subject matter.
But if you’re not always adding new products or have the time or budget to post regular blog articles, what should you do? The answer is obviously Customer Reviews! You can feed online customer reviews to your website, social media sites, and review platforms to generate the fresh and relevant content you need, and you can automate the process, showing that your sites are active and valuable to your customers.
Part of accomplishing this is making sure that you build a cadence of receiving reviews. One of the best and easiest ways to do this is by using an email drip. After a customer finishes using your product or service, program an auto-responder to send out an email asking for a reviews. Automate the process. Make it easy on yourself.
#2 - Reviews Generate SEO Attributions
Customer reviews generate SEO attributes for your business. You use all the usual tools to boost your search ranking including keywords, internal links, and backlinks. But online reviews put your customers to work building links and writing keywords to enhance your SEO so you don’t have to.
Certain keywords and text will be more beneficial to industries than others. So be sure to keep an eye on any key terms that might be constantly used in reviews. This can actually help you learn more about your business. About how people are finding and interacting wit your brand.
#3 - Reviews Help Identify Long-Tail Keywords
Customer reviews help you identify long-tail keywords. Most of your keywords are general search terms that are very competitive. Long-tail keywords are more specific and much less competitive and easier to rank for.
Determining which long-tail keywords are effective can be a problem though. Analyzing your online reviews allows you to determine the phrases your customers actually use when talking about you to create better long-tail keywords.
#4 - Reviews Improve Both Auto & Manual SEO
Customer reviews are good for both auto and manual SEO. Search algorithms and spiders aren’t the only things scrutinizing your site and your online reviews. Google uses real people called search quality evaluators, judging things like reputation, expertise, popularity, and honesty, among other things. Positive customer reviews are effective for both rating methods.
#5 - Reviews Increase Click-Through Rates
Customer reviews increase click-through rates, conversions, and ultimately sales too! Surveys have consistently shown that the star rating displayed in search results is the first and most important factor that consumers consider when evaluating a business.
One study has shown that a good star rating can boost your click-through rates by as much as 35%. And another found that positive reviews can increase conversion rates by 270% on average.
Online customer reviews are a powerful tool to enhance your SEO efforts and increase click-through rates and conversions, but only if you employ the resources to make effective use of them.