How To Improve Local SEO in 2023?

Local SEO is crucial for businesses to attract potential customers who are searching for products and services in their area. With Google processing approximately 3.8 million searches every minute globally, and 46% of these searches being for local information, it’s important for your business to show up in these searches and stand out from competitors.

To achieve this, you need to focus on optimizing your business’s local SEO, which involves various tactics to increase your visibility in search results for local queries. Without local SEO, your business may struggle to stay relevant and grow, so it’s essential to prioritize this aspect of your digital marketing strategy.

If you’re not familiar with local SEO or where to start, don’t worry. This guide will provide you with the necessary information and tips to implement effective local SEO strategies for your business’s growth. Let’s get started

What is local SEO?

Local SEO (search engine optimization) refers to the process of optimizing a business’s online presence to appear more prominently in local search results. This means improving a business’s visibility when potential customers search for products or services in their specific geographic location.

The aim of local SEO is to make it easier for local customers to find and connect with a business. This is achieved by optimizing a range of factors such as the business’s website, Google My Business profile, local directories, reviews, and social media.

Effective local SEO involves understanding the unique characteristics of the local market and using this knowledge to tailor strategies and tactics to improve a business’s local search visibility. By optimizing for local search, businesses can increase their chances of appearing in the top search results for relevant queries, which can lead to more website traffic, foot traffic, and ultimately, more customers.

If a flower shop is located in Chicago, it’s not useful for them to show up in search results for New York. To attract more customers in their local area, the flower shop needs to focus on optimizing its local SEO specifically for Chicago.

How exactly can local SEO help your business?

Local SEO can help businesses in several ways. By optimizing for local search, businesses can increase their visibility to potential customers searching for products or services in their area. This can lead to more website traffic, phone calls, and foot traffic to their physical location. Local SEO can also help businesses stand out from competitors, build trust and credibility with customers, and improve their overall online presence. Ultimately, effective local SEO can help businesses attract more customers, generate more revenue, and grow their brand.

In Summary:

  • Boost your online visibility
  • Attract more customers and increase sales
  • Build trust and brand awareness
  • Stand out from competitors 

Local SEO Tips to help businesses improve their visibility in local search results:

  1. Optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile by providing accurate and complete information, including your business name, address, phone number, and website. Also, add photos, videos, and customer reviews to your GMB profile.
  2. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and optimized for local search by including your business’s name, address, and phone number on every page. Also, use local keywords in your content and meta descriptions to help Google understand what your website is about and where you’re located.
  3. Build local citations by listing your business in online directories and local business listings. Make sure your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all listings.
  4. Encourage customer reviews by asking happy customers to leave a review on your GMB profile, social media, or other review platforms. Positive reviews can help boost your local search rankings and attract more customers.
  5. Use location-based keywords in your content, meta descriptions, and title tags to help Google understand where your business is located and what products or services you offer.
  6. Build backlinks from local websites and directories to your website. This can help improve your local search rankings and increase your visibility to potential customers in your area.
  7. Use social media to engage with local customers and promote your business. Share updates, events, and special promotions to encourage more foot traffic and online engagement.

By implementing these local SEO tips, businesses can improve their visibility in local search results and attract more customers in their area.

Claim your Google My Business listing

Google My Business is a free listing that local businesses use to manage their online presence on Google search and Google Maps. GMB is a core part of local SEO, and claiming your Business profile here means ranking it higher in local search. 

Firstly, create your business listing on Google My Business. How to optimize GMB after verification?

  1. Complete every section of the Google My Business account
  2. Add your products or services
  3. Upload photos of your business
  4. Provide your business hours
  5. Select primary and secondary categories
  6. Respond to reviews 
  7. Share fresh content and business updates 

Gain customer reviews 

In the world of local SEO, review signals are a critical factor that can greatly impact a business’s local ranking. Having a large number of reviews, particularly positive ones, can significantly boost a business’s visibility in local search results. It’s important for businesses to continually collect customer reviews, as fresh reviews hold more weight than old ones. To encourage customers to leave reviews, businesses should make the process as easy as possible by providing links to review platforms in follow-up emails or on their websites.

However, asking each customer for a review individually can be time-consuming. To streamline the process and improve their review collection efforts, businesses may want to consider using a review management platform such as Amazeful, which can help automate and optimize the process of collecting and managing customer reviews. By collecting more reviews and effectively managing their online reputation, businesses can improve their local search rankings, attract more customers, and ultimately grow their business.

What are the advantages of using a reputation management platform?

  • Automated process: A reputation management platform can automatically send messages or emails to customers, asking them to review your business, which saves you time and effort.
  • Improved online reputation: The platform can capture and send negative reviews to you privately, allowing you to address the issues offline and improve your online reputation.
  • Boost in local SEO: Using a reputation management platform can increase the number of reviews for your business, which can help improve your local search ranking. On average, users of the platform gain 20 reviews per month.
  • Increased revenue: According to research, having more reviews can lead to a 6% increase in revenue. By using a reputation management platform to increase the number of positive reviews for your business, you can potentially boost your revenue.

Add location pages to your website.

Provide as much detailed information as possible. Make sure you clearly show “NAP” on your site:

  1. Name
  2. Address
  3. Phone

Create a local “About Us” page for a better local listing and add a Google Map to your location page. 

Create local content 

Creating content is essential for SEO. If you don’t have a blog on your site yet, it’s time to do one. To improve your local SEO:

  • Create a blog: If you don’t already have a blog on your website, it’s time to create one. A blog can help improve your local SEO by providing fresh, relevant, and useful content that attracts and engages your local audience.
  • Write about local news: Writing about news and events in your city can help attract more local audiences to your site and improve your local search ranking.
  • Provide value to your readers: Write posts that provide value to your readers in some way, such as offering tips, advice, or insights relevant to your industry or niche. This can help establish you as a trusted source in your industry and build trust with your customers.
  • Use local keywords: Use keywords and phrases that are relevant to your local area throughout your content. This can help improve your local search ranking and make it easier for your target audience to find your business online.
  • Share your content: Share your blog posts and other content on social media and other relevant platforms to increase visibility and attract more traffic to your site. This can also help improve your local search ranking and build your online presence.

In conclusion, creating local content is an important part of local SEO strategy. By creating a blog and writing about news in your city, providing value to your readers, and using local keywords, you can attract more local audiences to your site, establish yourself as a trusted source in your industry, and improve your local search ranking. Sharing your content on social media and other relevant platforms can also help increase visibility and attract more traffic to your site. By focusing on creating quality, relevant, and useful content for your local audience, you can enhance your online presence and grow your business.

Make your site mobile-friendly

It’s crucial to ensure that your website is optimized for mobile searches, especially considering that “near me” searches from mobile phones have increased by 250% since 2017. To improve your mobile-friendliness and make your site more accessible for mobile users, you can:

  • Optimize for mobile devices: Make sure your site is optimized for mobile devices and that it loads quickly and smoothly on smartphones and tablets. This can help improve user experience and increase engagement.
  • Provide necessary information: Ensure that all necessary information about your business, such as your address, phone number, and hours of operation, are easy to find on mobile devices. This can help improve your local search ranking and make it easier for customers to find and contact you.
  • Use clickable phone numbers: Make sure your phone number is clickable on mobile devices, so users can easily call you with a single tap. This can help improve user experience and make it more convenient for customers to contact you.

By making your site mobile-friendly and optimizing for mobile searches, you can improve user experience, increase engagement, and enhance your local SEO strategy.

12 Tricks to Increase Google Reviews in 2023

So, how to increase Google reviews?

To fully comprehend the advantages of enhancing our Google reviews, it’s important to first understand why it’s essential to increase them. Therefore, before delving into strategies to increase Google reviews, let’s take a look at the benefits that come with improving them.

The benefits of increasing your Google Reviews

Increase Google Reviews

Increasing Google reviews can have numerous benefits for businesses. Firstly, it can enhance their online reputation and credibility, making them more attractive to potential customers. Positive reviews can also improve search engine rankings, as Google sees them as an indication of trust and relevance.

Moreover, higher review volumes can lead to increased visibility, as more reviews generate more user-generated content, which can improve organic search rankings.

Additionally, customer reviews can provide valuable feedback to businesses, helping them identify areas for improvement and tailor their services to meet customer needs. Overall, increasing Google reviews can be a powerful tool for businesses looking to grow their online presence and attract new customers.

Some of the benefits of increasing your Google reviews:

  1. Improved visibility: Google reviews can help improve your business’s visibility in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find your website. Google often shows businesses with high ratings and more reviews first, making it a great way to boost your online presence.

  2. Increased trust and credibility: Positive reviews can help establish trust and credibility with potential customers, as they provide social proof that your business is reputable and reliable.

  3. Increased click-through rates: Positive Google reviews can increase click-through rates to your website. When potential customers see high ratings and positive reviews, they are more likely to click through to your website, increasing the chances of conversion.

  4. Higher conversion rates: Positive reviews can increase the likelihood of website visitors converting into customers. When potential customers see positive reviews, it helps establish trust and credibility, which can lead to increased conversion rates.

  5. Increased engagement: Google reviews can increase user engagement on your website. Customers who leave reviews are more likely to visit your website again and engage with your brand.

  6. Customer feedback: Reviews provide valuable feedback on your business’s products or services, helping you identify areas of improvement and address customer concerns.

  7. Competitive advantage: Having more positive reviews than your competitors can give you a competitive advantage and help you stand out in a crowded market.

  8. Social signals: Google considers social signals, including reviews, when ranking websites in search results. Positive reviews and high ratings can send a strong signal to Google that your website is relevant and authoritative in your industry.

  9. Setup Google My Business: Setting up a Google My Business account is a crucial step for any business looking to increase its Google reviews. By taking the time to set up and optimize your Google My Business page, you can boost your online presence and increase your chances of attracting new customers.
  10. Optimize your Google My Business listing: Optimizing your Google My Business listing is an effective way to increase your Google reviews.

Overall, increasing your Google reviews can significantly impact website SEO and ranking. In addition, encouraging customers to leave reviews and providing excellent customer service can help improve your online reputation, increase visibility, and ultimately drive more traffic and revenue to your website.

 

How to get more reviews

But how to get more reviews?

Let’s discuss this in the following article.

1. Make Sure You Have a Google My Business Account

You first need to ensure you have a valid Google My Business (GMB) page setup for your business. GMB is an essential marketing tool for any company. With Google My Business, you can set up your business profile, so clients can call you, make reservations, find your address, and, most important – leave Google reviews. In addition, business Profiles appear in Google Maps and the local results of Google Search.

To create a Google My Business account, you need to provide some basic information about your business, such as:

  1. Business name: The name of your business as you want it to appear in Google Maps and other Google products.

  2. Business category: The category or categories that best describe your business.

  3. Business address: Your physical address, where customers can visit your business.

  4. Service area: The geographic area where you offer your services.

  5. Business phone number: A phone number that customers can use to contact your business.

  6. Business website: Your business’s website URL.

  7. Business hours: The hours during which your business is open.

Your listing will still show up if it doesn’t contain all these items. However, if you have a fully optimized listing, this will increase your ranking abilities. Check our optimization guide.

Please see our guide to learn how to setup your Google My Business page for the first time.

2. Ask Your Customers for Reviews

Asking for reviews is one of the most straightforward and effective ways to receive a Google review from satisfied customers.

You can simply ask your customers in person or over the phone to leave a review for your business.

It is a good practice to train your staff to request all customers to leave a rating for your business on your Google reviews page, which can help generate more reviews.

It’s that easy!

Asking for reviews may seem uncomfortable at first, but it’s important to remember that most people enjoy sharing their opinions, and they may not be aware that they have the opportunity to do so.

The importance of asking customers for reviews

You are probably already familiar with the influence of Google customer reviews, based on your own shopping experiences. When considering a purchase, you may have checked reviews to compare products or services and followed through only after reading positive Google reviews from other customers.

 

This highlights the significance of reviews as 84% of consumers trust online reviews, and the opinions of others can heavily influence their decision-making.

Your next question might be: How to ask customers for reviews?

To help, we’ve compiled a list of 12 actionable ways to ask for Google reviews. Follow this link. 

3. Make it Easy to Leave a Review

Customers are more likely to leave a review if it’s easy and convenient for them to do so.

Nonetheless, many people are busy and leaving a review can be time-consuming. You can make it easier for your customers by creating a simple template that they can quickly fill out, which can help streamline the process.

Here are some tips for building an effective review request:

  1. Personalize your request: Use the customer’s name, and be specific about their experience with your business.

  2. Keep it brief: Make your request short and to the point. Customers are more likely to leave a review if the request is not too long.

  3. Be timely: Ask for a review soon after the customer has had an experience with your business, while it is still fresh in their mind.

  4. Provide a link: Make it easy for customers to leave a review by providing a direct link to your Google My Business page or the platform where you want them to leave a review.

  5. Use a clear call-to-action: Encourage customers to leave a review by using a clear call-to-action, such as “We would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a review for us.”

  6. Show gratitude: After a customer leaves a review, make sure to thank them. It’s important to show your customers that you appreciate their feedback and value their opinion.

You can experiment with various email and message templates to identify the most effective ones for your business. One way to do this is by using a template creator available on platforms like Amazeful. It is a review automation platform that enables you to customize your message and email review requests to match your brand’s style and voice. With Amazeful, you can tailor your invitations to suit your preferences and branding.

Amazeful has a variety of features that can boost your Google reviews and online reputation. Check this article to know how can Amazeful help you get more reviews. 

4. Automate the Google Reviews Follow Ups

Automating Google reviews follow-ups can be a time-saving and effective way to engage with customers and encourage them to leave feedback. Here are some steps you can take to automate the process:

  1. Set up an automated email campaign: Use an email marketing tool to set up a series of automated emails to follow up with customers who have made a purchase or used your services. Include a link to your Google My Business page and encourage customers to leave a review.

  2. Use a chatbot: You can also use a chatbot on your website or social media platforms to ask customers if they would like to leave a review. The chatbot can provide a direct link to your Google My Business page and make the process easy for customers.

  3. Use a review management tool: Amazeful is a review management tool available to help you automate the process of following up with customers and managing your online reputation. Amazeful can help you track your reviews, respond to feedback, and automate review requests.

By automating your Google reviews follow-ups, you can save time and improve your online reputation. Remember to be responsive to customer feedback and use it to improve your business.

5. Address Negative Reviews ASAP

Addressing negative reviews is an important part of reputation management. Responding to negative reviews shows that you care about your customers and are willing to address any issues they may have had.

HOW DO YOU ADDRESS BAD REVIEWS? SHOULD YOU ADDRESS THEM?

In short, YES, you absolutely should address them.

Do not let a bad review linger on your Google My Business profile for everyone to see.

The standard way.

It is hard not to get emotional when you receive a negative review.

  1. Respond promptly: Respond to negative reviews as soon as possible, preferably within 24-48 hours. This shows that you are attentive to your customers and value their feedback.

  2. Stay calm and professional: When responding to negative reviews, it’s important to remain calm and professional. Avoid getting defensive or angry, as this can escalate the situation.

  3. Acknowledge the issue: Start your response by acknowledging the issue the customer has raised. Let them know that you take their feedback seriously and that you are sorry for any inconvenience they may have experienced.

  4. Offer a solution: After acknowledging the issue, offer a solution to the customer’s problem. This could be a refund, a discount, or any other action that would help to resolve the issue.

  5. Follow up: After offering a solution, be sure to follow up with the customer to make sure they are satisfied with the outcome. This can go a long way in restoring the customer’s trust and confidence in your business.

Negative reviews can actually be an opportunity to show your commitment to customer satisfaction. By responding promptly, remaining calm and professional, and offering a solution, you can turn a negative experience into a positive one.

Remember, the client can change the rating of a review if his issue has been solved. We have seen our clients turn a 1-star review into a 5-star review just by keeping their cool and making things right.

The Amazeful way.

When it comes to responding to negative reviews, it can be difficult to remain objective and unemotional. However, using a platform like Amazeful can help to take the emotional factor out of the equation.

With Amazeful, you can create 5-6 templates for negative review replies, so you have pre-written responses that can be easily customized for specific situations. You can then turn on the auto-reply feature, which will automatically select the most appropriate response for the review in question.

Once the auto-reply is sent, you will receive an email notification with the review and the reply that was sent. This can help you stay up-to-date with your reviews and ensure that each negative review is addressed in a timely and appropriate manner.

By automating the review response process, you can save time and reduce the stress of having to respond to negative reviews on your own. Additionally, having pre-written templates for responses can help ensure that your replies are professional, objective, and consistent across all reviews.

6. Use QR Codes to Boost Google Reviews

QR codes can be a powerful tool to boost Google reviews for your business. Here are the steps you can take to use QR codes to encourage customers to leave reviews:

The easiest option is not always the best as using free QR code generators has a few drawbacks.

  1. Google My Business: Create a Google My Business account if you haven’t already done so.
  2. Generate a QR code: Use a free online QR code generator to create a QR code that links directly to your Google My Business page. You can also use a URL shortener to make the URL link code shorter and more user-friendly.
  3. Print the QR code: Print the QR code on your business cards, brochures, flyers, and any other marketing materials that you distribute to customers.
  4. Display the QR code: Display the QR code in a prominent location in your store or office. You can also add it to your website or email signature.

  5. Encourage customers to leave a review: Train your staff to ask customers to leave a review by scanning the QR code. You can also include a call-to-action on your marketing materials, such as “Scan this code to leave a review and let us know how we’re doing!”

  6. Respond to reviews: When customers leave reviews, make sure to respond to them promptly and thank them for their feedback. This shows that you value their opinion and can help encourage more reviews in the future.

 

While free QR code generators can be a convenient and cost-effective way to create QR codes, they also have some potential disadvantages:

  1. Limited functionality: Free QR code generators may have limited features compared to paid options. This could include restrictions on the number of QR codes you can create or a lack of customization options.

  2. Watermark or branding: Some free QR code generators may include watermarks or branding on the generated QR code, which can make your marketing materials look unprofessional.

  3. Security risks: Free QR code generators may not have the same level of security measures as paid options, which could potentially put your business and customers at risk of data breaches.

  4. Lack of customer support: Free QR code generators may not offer customer support or have limited support options, which can be frustrating if you encounter any issues or have questions.

  5. No tracking or analytics: Free QR code generators do not provide a tracking option, which means you cannot track the performance of your QR code and determine if anyone has scanned it. As a result, you may not have any insights into whether your QR code strategy is effective or not.

  6. Inability to update the link: If you need to change or update the review link, you will often have to generate a new QR code. This can be problematic if you have already distributed the original QR code on all of your marketing materials.

It’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of using a free QR code generator and consider your business needs before deciding whether to use one or opt for an alternative solution.

Alternatives to free QR code generators with tracking and analytics for boosting your Google Reviews

If you’re looking for an alternative to free QR code generators that offers tracking and analytics, here are some options to consider:

  1. Marketing & Reputation Management Platforms: Some reputation management platforms like Amazeful offer advanced QR code features like customization, tracking, and analytics. These platforms offer more than just QR code generation, and can be used for other marketing purposes such as SMS and email marketing.
  2. QR Code Management Platforms: There are several QR code management platforms available that offer advanced features, including analytics, tracking, and customization. These platforms typically require a subscription fee but offer more features and security.

By using these alternative solutions, you can generate QR codes with advanced features and tracking capabilities, giving you insights into the performance of your Google Reviews campaigns. It’s important to consider your business needs and budget before choosing a solution that works best for you.

7. Link Out to Your Google Reviews Page From Your Website

Linking your Google Reviews page to your website is a simple process that can encourage customers to leave reviews and help improve your online reputation.

First, navigate to your Google My Business page and copy the URL for your Reviews section. Then, open the HTML code of your website and insert an anchor text link in a prominent location, such as the header or footer. The anchor text should be something like “Leave a review” or “Check out our reviews.”

Finally, test the link to ensure it works properly and update your website as needed. By making it easy for customers to access your Google Reviews page, you can increase the likelihood of receiving more positive reviews and improving your overall online presence.

Linking your Google Reviews page to your website can have several benefits for your business, such as:

  • Improving your online reputation: Having positive reviews on your Google My Business page can help build trust with potential customers, and by linking to it from your website, you are making it easier for them to find and read those reviews.
  • Increasing customer engagement: By providing a direct link to your reviews page, you are encouraging customers to leave feedback about their experiences with your business. This can help you better understand your customers’ needs and preferences, and can also help you identify areas where you need to improve.
  • Boosting search engine rankings: Google considers the quantity and quality of reviews when determining search rankings, so having more positive reviews can help improve your website’s visibility in search results.

When adding a link to your Google Reviews page on your website, keep in mind the following tips:

  • Use an anchor text that clearly communicates the purpose of the link, such as “Leave us a review” or “Read our customer reviews.”
  • Place the link in a prominent location on your website, such as the header or footer.
  • Test the link to ensure it works properly and update it as needed.
  • Encourage customers to click on the link by including a call-to-action that invites them to share their feedback.
  • Monitor your reviews regularly and respond promptly to any feedback, positive or negative. This can show customers that you value their opinions and are committed to providing excellent service.

8. Invest in a Reputation Management Platform

Investing in a reputation management platform is an effective way to boost your Google reviews. Reputation management platforms are specifically designed to help businesses monitor and manage their online reputation, including their Google Reviews. These platforms use advanced algorithms and analytics to monitor reviews, track performance, and provide insights into how to improve your reputation.

Some key benefits of investing in a reputation management platform include:

  1. Automated monitoring: Reputation management platforms automatically monitor your Google Reviews, alerting you to new reviews, and providing you with an overview of your online reputation.

  2. Advanced analytics: Reputation management platforms use advanced analytics to track the performance of your Google Reviews, giving you insights into what’s working and what’s not.

  3. Review management tools: Reputation management platforms often include review management tools that make it easier to respond to reviews, manage negative feedback, and encourage customers to leave positive reviews.

  4. Customized reporting: Reputation management platforms provide customized reporting, allowing you to track key performance metrics over time and gain insights into how to improve your online reputation.

  5. Integration with other platforms: Many reputation management platforms integrate with other platforms, such as social media and email marketing tools, making it easier to manage your online presence across multiple channels.

By investing in a reputation management platform, you can take a proactive approach to managing your online reputation and improve your Google Reviews. It’s important to research different platforms and choose one that meets your business needs and budget.

You may want to check out the Amazeful reputation management platform.

9. Provide Service Worthy of Reviews

Providing a high-quality service or product is one of the most effective ways to encourage customers to leave positive reviews on Google. When customers are happy with their experience, they are more likely to take the time to write a review and share their positive experience with others.

Here are some tips to provide a service worthy of reviews:

  1. Offer exceptional customer service: Make sure that your staff is well-trained and provides excellent customer service. Respond promptly and professionally to all customer inquiries and complaints.

  2. Provide excellent customer service: Train your staff to provide excellent customer service, including being friendly, helpful, and responsive to customer needs.

  3. Offer high-quality products or services: Ensure that the products or services you offer are of high quality and meet or exceed customer expectations.Use high-quality materials, test your products regularly, and seek customer feedback to improve your products.

  4. Simplify the customer experience: Make the customer experience as simple and easy as possible. Streamline your checkout process, provide clear instructions and guidelines, and offer support and assistance when needed.

  5. Personalize the customer experience: Try to personalize the customer experience as much as possible, by addressing customers by name, remembering their preferences, and providing personalized recommendations.

  6. Go the extra mile: Go above and beyond for your customers. Offer small tokens of appreciation, such as a discount on their next purchase or a personalized note of thanks. Small gestures can make a big difference in the customer experience.

  7. Listen to your customers: Make sure you listen to your customers and address any concerns or issues they have in a timely manner. Showing that you care about your customers’ satisfaction can go a long way in earning positive reviews.

By providing a high-quality service or product, you can create a positive experience that encourages customers to leave positive reviews on Google. Remember to monitor and respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, as this demonstrates that you value and appreciate customer feedback.

10. How to Setup Google My Business?

To get started with Google Reviews you will need to setup Google My Business. Setting up a Google My Business (GMB) account is a crucial step in managing your online presence and improving your Google Reviews.

To learn how to optimize your Google My Business listing please check this link.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up a GMB account:

  1. Sign in to Google: Sign in to your Google account, or create one if you don’t already have one.

  2. Go to Google My Business: Go to the Google My Business website (www.google.com/business) and click “Manage now” to get started.

  3. Add your business: Enter your business name, address, and phone number. If your business has multiple locations, you can add them here as well. If you want to run a service-based business and don’t want to display your physical address please read the section below on how to achieve that.

  4. Select a category: Choose a category that best represents your business. This will help customers find you when searching for businesses in your industry.

  5. Verify your business: Google will need to verify that you are the owner of the business. To get your business listing on Google My Business (GMB) verified and live, you will need to complete the verification process. This can either be a quick phone call or by receiving a postcard in the mail. It’s important to follow the verification method provided to ensure your listing is fully verified and visible to potential customers.

  6. Optimize your profile: Once your business is verified, you can optimize your GMB profile by adding photos, a description of your business, hours of operation, and other relevant information.

  7. Monitor and respond to reviews: Regularly monitor and respond to reviews on your GMB profile, both positive and negative. This shows that you value customer feedback and are committed to providing excellent service.

By setting up a Google My Business account, you can increase your visibility on Google, improve your online reputation, and encourage customers to leave positive reviews. It’s important to regularly update and optimize your profile, as well as actively manage and respond to reviews.

Hiding your physical address.

If you run a service-based business and don’t want to display your physical address on Google My Business (GMB) but still want to appear on Google Maps in the relevant area, you can hide your address by following these steps:

  1. Sign in to Google My Business and go to the “Info” tab.

  2. Click on the address field and select “Clear address.”

  3. Next, click on the option that says “Yes” when asked if you deliver goods and services to your customers.

  4. Enter the service area or areas that you serve, such as specific zip codes, cities, or regions.

  5. Choose the radius of your service area, if desired.

  6. Click “Apply” to save your changes.

By hiding your address, your business will still appear on Google Maps and search results, but the exact address won’t be visible to the public. This can be useful for businesses that operate from home, or for those that offer services at the customer’s location, such as a plumber or electrician. Remember to keep your service areas updated and accurate, as this will help customers find you more easily.

11. How to optimize your Google My Business listing?

Optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing is essential for improving your online presence and attracting more customers. Here are some steps you can take to optimize your GMB listing:

  1. Claim and verify your listing: If you haven’t already done so, claim your GMB listing and verify your business information. This will ensure that your business information is accurate and up-to-date.

  2. Complete your profile: Fill out your GMB profile with accurate and detailed information about your business, including your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and a description of your business. Also, add high-quality photos and videos to showcase your products or services.

  3. Get more reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews on your GMB listing by providing excellent customer service and asking for feedback. Respond to all reviews, positive or negative, to show customers that you care about their opinions. Alternatively you can use a reputation monitoring platform like Amazeful to automate Google reviews requests.

  4. Use Google Posts: Google Posts allow you to publish updates, promotions, or events directly on your GMB listing. This can help attract more customers and keep your profile up-to-date.

  5. Use keywords: Use relevant keywords in your business description, posts, and reviews to help your GMB listing appear in search results for those terms.

  6. Monitor your insights: Use the insights provided by GMB to track how customers are finding and interacting with your business on Google. This can help you make informed decisions about how to optimize your listing and improve your online presence.

By following these tips, you can optimize your GMB listing and attract more customers to your business.

12. How to Google Reviews FAQ

If you’re looking to increase the number of Google reviews for your business, there are a few effective strategies you can implement. One of the best ways is to encourage customers to leave reviews by following up with them after their visit and asking for their feedback.

This can be done through email or SMS with a link to your Google My Business page to make the process easy for customers, or you can automate the process with a platform like Amazeful. You can also display review requests on your website and social media pages to prompt customers to share their experiences. Offering excellent customer service and a positive experience can also increase the likelihood of receiving positive reviews.

Remember to monitor your reviews regularly and respond promptly to any negative feedback to show your commitment to providing the best experience possible. By implementing these strategies, you can increase your Google reviews and attract more customers to your business.

If you want to boost reviews on Google and increase your online reputation, there are several strategies you can implement.

First and foremost, it’s important to encourage customers to leave reviews by following up with them after their visit and asking for feedback. You can do this through email or SMS and provide a link to your Google My Business page, making it easy for customers to leave a review, or you can automate the process with a platform like Amazeful. Displaying a review request on your website or social media pages can also encourage customers to share their experiences.

To boost reviews, you should also provide excellent customer service and a positive experience, which increases the likelihood of receiving positive reviews.

Finally, monitoring your reviews regularly and responding promptly to any negative feedback is important to show your commitment to providing the best experience possible. By implementing these strategies, you can boost your reviews on Google and attract more customers to your business.

Improving reviews on Google is an important strategy for businesses looking to enhance their online reputation. One effective way to achieve this is by providing excellent customer service and ensuring a positive experience for customers.

Encouraging customers to leave reviews by following up with them after their visit and providing a direct link to your Google reviews page can also help to improve reviews on Google. Displaying a clear and compelling review request on your website or social media pages can also encourage customers to share their experiences. It’s essential to make the process as easy as possible for customers, ensuring they can leave a review with minimal effort.

Monitoring reviews regularly and responding promptly to negative feedback can also show customers that you value their opinions and are committed to providing the best possible experience. By implementing these strategies, you can improve your reviews on Google and build a strong online presence for your business.

If you’re looking to increase your reviews on Google, there are several strategies you can implement. First, ensure you have a complete and accurate Google My Business profile, including updated contact information and business hours. This makes it easy for customers to find and review your business.

Encouraging customers to leave reviews is also crucial. You can do this by following up with customers after their visit and asking them to leave a review via email or SMS with a link to your Google My Business page, or you can automate the process with a platform like Amazeful.

Additionally, you can display a review request on your website or social media pages to encourage customers to share their experiences. Providing excellent customer service and a positive experience can also increase the likelihood of receiving positive reviews.

Finally, respond promptly to any negative feedback to show that you value your customers and are committed to providing the best experience possible. By implementing these strategies, you can increase your reviews on Google and build a strong online presence for your business.

Improving your Google ratings can be achieved through several effective strategies. First and foremost, providing excellent customer service and creating positive customer experiences can increase the likelihood of receiving high ratings.

Encouraging customers to leave reviews by following up with them after their visit and providing a simple and seamless process for leaving reviews can also improve your Google ratings. Responding promptly to negative feedback and addressing any issues can demonstrate your commitment to providing the best experience possible and improving your overall ratings.

Additionally, optimizing your Google My Business profile with accurate and updated information and using relevant keywords can also improve your visibility and increase your ratings. By implementing these strategies and monitoring your online presence regularly, you can improve your Google ratings and attract more customers to your business.

If you’re looking to increase Google Business reviews, several effective strategies should be considered. One approach is to follow up with your customers after their visit and encourage them to leave a review on your Google My Business page. You can do this by sending a link to your page through email or SMS, making it easy for customers to provide feedback, or you can automate the process with a platform like Amazeful.

Another tactic is to provide exceptional customer service and create a positive experience that motivates customers to leave positive reviews. Displaying a short and compelling review request on your website and social media pages can also help you receive more reviews.

Monitoring your reviews regularly and promptly responding to negative feedback demonstrates to customers that you value their experiences and are dedicated to providing excellent service. By implementing these strategies, you can increase your Google Business reviews and attract new customers to your business.

To get better Google reviews, providing excellent customer service and a positive experience to your customers is essential. Happy customers are more likely to leave positive reviews about their experiences.

Another effective strategy is encouraging customers to leave reviews by following up with them after their visit. You can do this through an email or SMS with a link to your Google My Business page, making it easy for customers to leave feedback, or you can automate the process with a platform like Amazeful. Additionally, displaying a short and compelling review request on your website or social media pages can also increase the number of reviews you receive.

Responding promptly to any negative feedback is also crucial, as it shows that you take customer feedback seriously and are committed to addressing any issues. By implementing these tactics, you can get better Google reviews and improve your online reputation, attracting new customers to your business.

The easy way to increase Google reviews

Leverage the power of consumer trust by encouraging your customers to leave reviews on your Google Business listing. It’s a known fact that potential customers trust reviews from strangers just as much as personal recommendations. Make the process of leaving a review as effortless as possible for your customers, and you’ll see an increase in the number of Google business reviews for your business. With more reviews on your listing, you’ll enjoy improved ranking, enhanced reputation, and increased revenue potential. So, don’t hesitate to ask your satisfied customers to leave a review and help attract new business.

To sum it all up, here are the 12 best ways to get more Google reviews:

  1. Make Sure You Have a Google My Business Account
  2. Ask Your Customers for Reviews
  3. Make it Easy to Leave a Review
  4. Automate the Google Reviews Follow-Ups
  5. Address Negative Reviews ASAP
  6. Use QR Codes to Boost Google Reviews
  7. Link Out to Your Google Reviews Page From Your Website
  8. Invest in a Reputation Management Platform
  9. Provide Service Worthy of Reviews
  10. Setup Google My Business
  11. Optimize your Google My Business listing
  12. Google Reviews FAQ

Conclusion

Improving your Google Business reviews can be a straightforward process if the right steps are taken. Customer reviews are crucial for businesses as they have the potential to make or break a customer’s decision to choose you over a competitor. In fact, a difference of even half a star can be the deciding factor.

Additionally, Google reviews are one of the top local SEO ranking factors, making them essential for businesses to improve their online visibility.

In 2023, having positive reviews on Google has become a necessity for businesses, as customers often search for companies on Google or Google Maps. Fresh and positive reviews on Google can significantly help in attracting new customers and promoting your brand. It’s important to note that negative reviews can also have an impact on your business, so it’s essential to address any negative feedback and resolve issues to maintain a positive reputation.

The Importance Of Facebook Reviews For Local Business in 2022

Facebook reviews

Facebook reviews are essential for any local business since the majority of potential customers visit business pages to read reviews and check if other customers recommend them. Depending on the character of published reviews, potential customers decide whether to choose your business or go with your competitor. 

It means that local business owners should pay more attention to their Facebook reviews and recommendations. Just imagine how powerful the positive reviews can be. It is a great opportunity to start selling to new customers with the help of existing, satisfied customers. 

In this article, we will discuss how you can start collecting Facebook reviews and grow your business. 

All you need to know about Facebook reviews

With roughly 2.93 billion monthly active users as of the first quarter of 2022, Facebook is the most used online social network worldwide. It is the second-largest review site on the Internet after Google which makes it a great platform to engage with potential customers. They can like, comment, and share genuine reviews. 

Facebook had used the star rating for many years but in 2018 they switched to the binary system. Now customers have 2 options to rate a business: Recommend or Not Recommend.

Where to find the Facebook review link?

When sending review requests to your customers it is important to send them directly to the review page. Where to find your Facebook review link?

  • Go to your Facebook page
  • Go to the reviews tab
  • Copy the page URL from the address bar

How to gain more Facebook reviews?

  • Send review requests on the regular basis. The best practice is to send a review request on the same day or the next day after a customer’s purchase. If a customer receives a review request a month after their purchase the chance they will leave a review is reduced. 
  • Ask all of your customers for reviews. The more reviews you get published the better it is for your business’s growth. Customers can share their valuable feedback about your business on Facebook or Google and you will get more visibility online. 
  • Send review reminders. Sometimes customers can miss your review request or simply forget to leave a review. In this case, we recommend you send a review reminder to customers. It ensures a greater conversion rate and a higher chance to receive a Facebook review.
  • Respond to Facebook Reviews. Customers expect answers to their reviews. Show that you are ready to listen to them. If there is a positive review – thank a customer for sharing their experience. If there is a negative review – apologize for the unpleasant experience and try to resolve complaints.
  •  Use a reputation management platform. With a reputation management platform, you can easily automate all the processes of generating reviews. 

Try the Amazeful reputation management platform.

Amazeful makes all the processes of collecting reviews on any review website much easier and faster. With Amazeful you can automatically send review requests, set up automatic review replies, send review reminders and get insightful analytics on your reviews. 

Grow your Facebook reviews effortlessly with Amazeful. Learn more how Amazeful can help you collect more reviews and grow your revenue faster https://amazeful.com/reviews/

Start 7-day free trial.

Amazeful a Digital Marketing Platform

grow business

Amazeful Marketing Software

Looking for ways to grow your business revenue? Then you need to invest in digital marketing. 60% of the global population uses the Internet. The current number of smartphone users in the world is 6.3 billion. It is massive market size and the biggest reason your business needs to cooperate with a digital marketing company. 

Amazeful is an online marketing agency behind the Amazeful marketing software, which covers all your marketing needs. An all-in-one solution for B2B and B2C businesses seeking to increase revenue and build strong customer relationships.

Create powerful SMS Marketing & Email Marketing Campaigns. Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events. Quickly create quizzes to measure student knowledge, evaluate class progress, and focus on topics that need improvement. Build referrals to incentivize previous customers to recommend your products to their family, friends, and much more.

Let’s talk about each feature and see what benefits you get for your business.

SMS Marketing Campaigns

Messages have the highest engagement rate of any marketing medium. Users read them almost immediately after they’re sent. SMS marketing campaigns are an opportunity to deepen relationships with your customers and increase revenue. With Amazeful, you can use the power of text messages and build high-converting SMS marketing campaigns. 

Email Marketing Campaigns

Send professional and personalized email campaigns to be in front of your audience. With email marketing, you can follow and guide your audience through each step of the customer journey. Starting from welcome emails to abandoned checkout emails. Turn a one-time visitor into a loyal customer with well-structured email campaigns. 

Automate Marketing Campaigns

You don’t have time to run a business and email every single customer. Instead, you can use the automated solution from Amazeful and save loads of hours. Automated marketing campaigns help you run email and SMS campaigns much more effectively and faster. For example, you can build an automated email funnel and turn your contacts from leads to paid customers. Or get in touch with contacts right away using autoresponders. 

Online Surveys

An internet marketing company can also help you gather customers’ feedback and opinions. It helps understand your clients’ needs better to drive innovations and improve customer experience. With the Amazeful platform, you can easily create surveys and collect feedback via email, mobile chat, social media, and more. You can run different types of surveys like customer feedback surveys, market research surveys, employee satisfaction surveys, and more. All of them are aimed to grow and transform your business. 

Online Referrals

You don’t have to be as big as Amazon to use referral marketing. A small or medium business can benefit from a referral program too. It’s an effective way to convert leads, increase the clients base and get loyal customers. Create your own online referral program for your customers, employees, or influencers, and let them be your brand advocates. 

2-Way Messaging

Increase engagement with your customers using text messages. 2-way messaging is a must-have feature to maintain contact with your clients. 2-way messaging allows you to receive messages from your contacts and reply to them most conveniently. It’s a powerful way to build relationships with your current client base and to interact with prospective clients. 

Mass Text Messages

Reach audiences of any size with mass text messaging. You can send messages to a specific group of customers or the whole list at once. Mass teхting services are used to notify a large group of clients about new promotions, coupons, send reminders, and more. For your convenience, you can schedule your mass texting campaign in advance.

Unified Box

Get a powerful and easy-to-use inbox to manage all communications between you and your clients. It’s convenient to control all chats and messages and optimize your day-to-day customer support. 

Conclusion

If you’re not attracting enough customers or you’re just tired of doing the marketing yourself – you might find it helpful to hire an online digital marketing company.

Online marketing services company can provide the right tools to grow your business at a fraction of the cost that it would take a person doing everything from scratch. It lets you focus on areas of business where you’re an expert, while the agency can do all work related to digital marketing. Here in Amazeful we’re up to date with the latest trends that will help you scale your business, attract more potential customers and build strong communication with the existing clients. 

Click here to check our latest specials. 

How To Ask For Referrals From Happy Customers?

How to ask for referrals

A referred customer usually costs less to attract and has more potential to retain. This is because of word-of-mouth marketing. It is one of the most powerful forms of advertising as 92% of consumers trust their friends over traditional media. 

Let’s see the stats. Companies found that referred customers are 18% more loyal, have a 16% higher lifetime value rate, and spend 13% more than their non-referred counterparts.

But how to ask for referrals without feeling awkward or uncomfortable? In this article, we will give you some tips that you can use to get referrals from your happiest customers. 

Set your goals 

What do you hope to get out when asking for referrals? Are your goals tied more to growth and revenue? Or do you want to build brand awareness? Depending on the goal you can think about how to communicate with your customer when asking to refer your business. 

Create value first before asking 

You can ask for referrals right after a successful purchase, but most likely it won’t work. Wait till you have given your customers unmatched service, then they’ll be much more likely to refer your business to others. Let them know when you launch a new product or a promotion that can benefit them. Once you build a trustworthy relationship and show them the value they will start actively spreading the word about your business. This is how you continue to build brand loyalty after the sale and turn happy customers into loyal promoters.

Make the process easy for customers 

People don’t want to spend time figuring out how to refer your business. Make sure the process is fast, simple, and clear for everyone. The easiest it is, the higher the chances customers will follow through. With the right software in place, you can make it easy for customers to refer their friends and colleagues via email, text, and social media platforms. 

Offer incentives 

You can serve high-quality products and provide the best customer service, but sometimes it is not enough to get referrals. The incentive referral program is a good motivation for a customer because he gets benefits too. Offer a discount, a promotion, or a gift card to your customer to ensure higher chances to get new referrals. 

Automate the process 

A referral program is a great way to grow your business and get more leads but if you don’t automate this process you won’t feel any tangible results. With the Amazeful platform, you can automate the entire process and send review requests on autopilot. It is a convenient and faster way to grow your customer base and increase leads. 

Conclusion

Referrals grew by 425% during the first wave of lockdown as companies looked for ways to grow their business and sales. And these programs work — 86% of companies with robust referral programs have seen revenue growth over two years.

Asking for referrals can be your new revenue stream if you build an automated referral program with good benefits to your customers. With Amazeful you can build a reliable referral program in a few hours and start collecting new  leads. 

What exactly you can do with Amazeful

  • Send automated referral requests. 
  • Choose different referral types (non-incentivized, referral-based incentivized, conversion based incentivized).
  • Customize the referral program to your needs (limit number of redemptions, limit to new customers, expire offers on a date).
  • Get a simple interface for sharing a referral via email, SMS, and social media.
  • Monitor results in one convenient dashboard.

5 Easy Tricks for Google Maps Optimization in 2022

google maps

Google Maps optimization should be a top priority in your marketing strategy if you want to be discovered by new local customers. It is a free tool that can help you stand out from competitors and become the #1 business in your area. But, it is not that easy. Creating a listing on Google Maps is not enough to start receiving bookings and calls from new customers. These benefits are achievable if your listing has strong visibility.

In this article, we’re going to discuss how to create your Google Maps listing and cover the most effective and easy steps to optimize it.

How to get your business listing to rank higher on Google Maps?

Add your business to Google Maps

If you don’t have a business listing on Google Maps follow these steps:

  1. Go to Google Maps and search for your business name.
  2. If your business name does not appear, click ‘Add a missing place to Google Maps’.
  1. Provide information about your business such as place name, category, address, and more. Click ‘Claim this business’.
  1. After that, you will be redirected to Google My Business (GMB) where you can create a Google Business Profile and claim your Google Maps listing. Learn how to create a Google Business Profile here.

Claim your business listing

When your Google Maps listing is ready, it is important to claim it. When you claim your listing, you can provide many more details about your business such as hours of operation, description, pictures, pricing information, and more.

Claiming a Google Maps listing is easy. Once you provide all the information for your Google My Business profile, choose a way to verify your business listing.

Add information about your business

The more information you provide about the business, the higher your Google Maps listing will rank. Try to complete every section in your Google My Business profile to show Google algorithms that your business is active, open, and ready to take on new customers.

The following sections you must complete on your profile:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Phone
  • Website
  • Hours

Also, it is highly recommended to complete these sections to rank higher:

  • Category and attributes
  • Products and services
  • Questions and answers

Add photos

Such simple actions as adding photos can help your Google Maps listing rank higher for 3 reasons:

  1. Adding photos demonstrates to Google that your business is active which positively impacts your ranking.
  2. Google displays photos in local searches, so posting quality photos regularly can increase engagement and attract new customers.
  3. By adding new, beautiful images you show potential customers what exactly you offer and increase trust in your business.

Get Google reviews for Google Maps optimization

It is not a secret that Google loves customer reviews. For that reason, it is important to generate as many positive reviews as possible if you want to rank higher in search results.

Some of your customers may leave reviews on their own, but simply waiting for new reviews without asking for them is not the most effective plan. You need to be proactive and ask for reviews yourself. You will be surprised how many of your satisfied customers will be happy to share their positive experiences. You just need to ask.

The best approach is to automate review generation with the right tool. With Amazeful, you can automate this process and send review requests to all your customers to ensure a higher review conversion. By automating review requests, you can collect and display more positive reviews on Google Maps and increase your rank.

Click here to learn more about review automation with Amazeful or start a 7-days free trial.

Last but not least – don’t just ask for reviews, remember to reply to them. When you reply to reviews, you mitigate the damage of negative reviews and show your prospects that you are attentive to your customers and ready to solve their problems.

Collect Video Reviews With The Amazeful Platform

video reviews

Competent marketers know that the most valuable asset for any business are satisfied customers. 

Even if you create the most qualitative product on the market, it doesn’t mean you have enough credibility from potential clients. However, when your satisfied clients share authentic reviews about your product it attracts more clients and makes your business reliable.

What is better than regular clients’ reviews? Only video reviews. Videos are the most entertaining and engaging content type that exists. They are preferred by 79% of the people to find about the company or product. 

Unlike video reviews, text reviews are easier to collect and display. Text reviews with no details about the customer or anonymous reviews may not seem real, even if they are written by real people. Video reviews are harder to fake and add a feeling of authenticity, much more than audio or text reviews. Besides, video reviews perform better on websites and show higher conversion rates, than any other review type. 

The Amazeful platform handles the capturing and sharing of your video reviews so you can build trust and transparency with your prospects. In minutes you can collect video reviews from your customers without any technical knowledge.

Why should you be using video reviews? 

  • Video reviews get a 35% higher conversion rate than standard reviews.
  • 2 out of 3 people would like to make a purchase after watching a review video.
  • 59% of users prefer watching videos over reading text.
  • Video triggers emotions. When a customer is thankful and enjoys using a product, a potential client will feel it through the video too.

With Amazeful, you can automatically request video reviews from your happiest clients and get notified when a new review comes in. 

How does it work?

  1. The customer will be sent an automated email or message with a request to review your business.
  2. The email or SMS request will include a link that a customer can use to record a video directly in their browser on their phone, laptop, or computer which is sent to your dashboard.
  3. You can use collected video reviews in advertisements, share them on social media, showcase them on your website through Amazeful’s widgets, and more.

Collecting video reviews is tiring and time-consuming if you do it yourself. However, with a tailor-made platform like Amazeful, you can collect and publish video reviews with ease. 

Video review requests are mobile-friendly and responsive. Your customers can easily record a video review from any camera-enabled device. 

To ensure a higher conversion rate, we created friendly automated video review reminders that are sent to your customers who didn’t interact with an earlier request.

Once you’ve got video reviews, they will be one of the most valuable pieces of content you’ll have.

Video reviews will become a big advantage over your competitors and attract more potential customers to your business. Your audience will be able to see the value you offer to your clients through authentic video reviews. 

Start gathering powerful video reviews with Amazeful today! Check our latest specials here. 

Grow Your Business With Amazeful Referrals

referrals

Launching referral marketing is one of the best things you can do for your business. It has always been a profitable and cost-effective strategy. All the biggest companies have their own referral programs – Amazon, Airbnb, Tesla, and more. With referrals, businesses can empower the strongest marketing engine that they have: their own customers. 

Use Amazeful Referrals to let your happy customers do the marketing for you and spread the word about your business. What better way to earn credibility than to let your existing customers advertise for you? 

What is a customer referral program?

A referral program is a marketing tactic that incentivizes your existing customers to refer your business to their friends and family. It’s a win-win situation for everyone in the chain. Your business gets a free promotion, your customer gets a reward for referring a friend, and the friend gets a trusted recommendation. 

Why referrals will work for your business? 

  1. Customer referrals are cost-effective. Unlike with paid online advertising, with referrals, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to attract a new customer. 
  2. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. 
  3. Referred customers are more loyal and bring 25% higher profits compared to other marketing channels.
  4. When done correctly, your business referrals will spread like a virus. Your customers will refer their friends, who will refer their friends, who will refer their friends…leading to compounding new sales. 

Why do you need a third-party platform like Amazeful to do referrals?

  1. Word-of-mouth marketing works by itself. People will always recommend good products to their friends and family if they had a great experience. But what is the percentage of your customers who will really recommend your product to others and share your business contacts? Totally not 100%. Amazeful’s interface lets you send referral forms to all your customer base, which increases the number of recommendations and potential clients. 
  1. If the process of sharing a referral is too complicated, even the most motivated customer won’t do it. Amazeful makes this process easy. A customer receives a share form that he can use to introduce your product to his friends. He can share it through a text message or an email. 
amazeful referrals

How do Amazeful referrals work? 

There are 3 referral type options that you can use:

Referral based. Non-incentivized.

When using non-incentivized referrals, customers are not rewarded for referring their friends. Some businesses may not feel the need to offer any rewards to customers. Instead of this, they may focus on improving their customer experience and providing a simple way for their customers to refer friends.  Besides, even without any incentive, some customers like sharing good and qualitative products with their friends if made easy to do so.

Referral based. Incentivized.

Even though you may have tons of happy customers, not all of them will refer your business to their friends proactively. Incentivized referrals are their to give your customers that extra push. 

This referral type is two-sided. All recipients will get the same promo code – your existing customer and their referred friends. Friends are rewarded with a promo code for just sharing your promotion with their friends, regardless of if they convert into a sale or not. With this referral type, you give a reason for both parties to join which can lead to a higher number of successful referrals and sales. 

Conversion based. Incentivized.

This referral type is also incentivized, but the customer only rewarded after their referred friend makes a purchase. Each customer receives a unique promo code generated through the Amazeful site. A customer is rewarded for each friend that uses their unique promo code and converts into a sale.

It is also two-sided and all recipients get unique promo codes that they can use to invite their friends. Amazeful’s interface allows you to track all referrals and understand what works best for you. 

Start getting referrals today!

Referrals can be a great component of your marketing strategy. Don’t wait for it to happen organically. With a powerful platform like Amazeful, you can automate your referral programs and grow your customer base faster. 

Let your customers do the marketing for you with Amazeful referrals.

Why Are Yelp Reviews Important For A Business?

yelp for business

When it comes to customers, more and more people are turning to online reviews (instead of asking a friend) to decide which product or service to purchase. Reviews are important to customers because they can learn about the experience of others with your business. It is the same word-of-mouth referrals but in the online space. Google, Yelp, and Facebook are the most popular places when you decide where to direct your customers to leave a review. Today we will be talking about Yelp reviews and their positive impact on your revenue and online presence. 

What businesses use Yelp? 

The Yelp platform is a perfect place for local businesses.

It has an extensive list of business categories that you can check here. It includes hotels & travel, restaurants, shopping, home services, financial services, and more. 

This review site fits almost any business. 

Yelp Statistics

Yelp has 73 million unique monthly users on the mobile app and over 100 million unique monthly users on their desktop site. 

  • 69% of users are millennials and Gen X.
  • 45% of customers visit Yelp before making a purchase.
  •  What benefits can your business get from Yelp reviews?

What benefits can your business get from Yelp reviews?

1.Listing on Yelp, it is excellent for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Lots of positive reviews can increase your online visibility and local SEO rankings. As a result, your business will show up higher in the search results, and more potential customers will choose you over competitors. 

2. Improves customer trust

Having a large number of positive reviews helps earn customer trust and loyalty. For example, people will visit a new restaurant if others say positive things about it. Conversely, if there is no feedback on a place or negative feedback like “the food wasn’t great” or “the service was unprofessional” customers will avoid it. Besides, only 48% of consumers would consider using a business with fewer than 4 stars – which means businesses with ratings lower than 4 are risking losing around half of the potential customers searching online. 

3. It helps you improve your business 

You won’t know what you need to improve in your business unless your customers tell you. Сlients feedback is an essential tool that helps you make your business better and grow faster.

In this case, negative reviews might even be helpful for you because they show what exactly you need to change:

  • whether it’s the quality of goods
  • performance of staff, or food delivery.

Besides, if you answer negative reviews as quickly as possible and find the solution for the unhappy client – it won’t ruin your online reputation. On the contrary, it might even improve your credibility in the eyes of potential clients because they will see how fast and professional you are in problem-solving. 

How to generate more positive Yelp reviews? 

Except for managing Yelp reviews (responding to each review, managing negative reviews, and following up with customers), you need to generate new reviews regularly. 

Why is it important? 

Because 73% of consumers only pay attention to reviews written in the past month. It sounds like bad news, but there is always a solution. The secret is straightforward: You have to ask for reviews! 

The recent survey shows that 72% of customers that were asked to write a review went on to do so. This number looks much more optimistic, right? 

Few ways of asking for reviews:

  • Via email
  • On a receipt
  • In-person
  • Over the phone
  • On the business card
  • Thought the social media
  • On marketing material

 These methods are all working and worth trying, but if you’re looking for the most effective and time-saving way, you should try a reputation management platform. 

 It has a few features that make it the best solution for review generation:

  1. It integrates with your current CRM or website systems and sends automated review requests (via email or SMS) to your customers. You only need to set up this process once, and you’ll get a regular review flow. 
  2. It sends friendly review reminders to your clients for higher chances to get 5-star reviews.
  3. Once you receive a negative review, it sends it to you privately, so you can solve the client’s problem before it escalates. This way, you can have better control over your online reputation.

Take advantage of Amazeful today – check our latest specials here.

20 Review Requests Text Examples To Build Online Reputation

review request

To build a solid online reputation, you should work on your business reviews. They provide valuable insights from current customers and greatly influence potential customers’ purchase decisions. 

Even Google encourages businesses to invite their clients to leave reviews:

You can also find instructions on how to share a link to leave reviews and where to include it:

​​Google wants to convey that review requests are highly important. That’s what encourages customers to review your business. A well-written review request can significantly increase the number of published reviews and help you grow your online reputation much faster. It is one of the essential parts of an online reputation strategy. 

If you don’t have time to send a personal review request to every customer, text message templates are a convenient way to save your time. 

Plus, text messages have a 98% open rate. It is the highest percentage in all outreach forms. 

To make the process easy and seamless, use Amazeful – a reputation management platform that automates your review requests. It allows you to do everything in one place: send review requests, collect all reviews in the dashboard, monitor and analyze your online reputation. If you’re worried about negative feedback, Amazeful sends it to you privately, so you can resolve it before it goes live. 

Want to learn more about Amazeful? Check the pricing and features here.

Not sure how and what to ask in your review request? We got you covered. Use these 20 review request text examples to achieve the best results and higher review response.

Leave us a review

These templates are perfect to increase reviews on specific review sites that matter for your business. 

“Hey, [customer name], thanks for being our customer! Would you please take a moment to share your experience with us? Just go here: {link to review website}. Thank you for your help!”

“Hi, [customer name], thanks for doing business with us! Would you kindly consider leaving us a review? {link to review website}. Appreciate your help!”

“Hi, [customer name]! How do you like your experience with us? Give us your feedback at: {link to review website}. Thank you!”

“Hi, [customer name]! Thanks for choosing us! How did we do today? Please leave us your honest review at: {link to review website}. It helps us get better!”

Rate us on Google

Google is the most popular search engine in the world. These templates will help you gather more reviews on Google and boost your SEO. 

Thanks for being our loyal customer! Your feedback is valuable for us, and we’d really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to submit a Google review about your experience with [company name] {link to Google}.”

“It was great seeing you today, [customer name]! If we met your expectations, it would mean a lot for us if you could share your feedback. Click here [link to Google] to submit a Google review. Appreciate your help.”

“Hi, [customer name]! Thank you for choosing [company name]. It’s our priority to provide top-notch service to customers like you. We would appreciate it if you share your feedback with [company name]. Just go here: {link to review website}.

“Hi, [customer name]! Thank you for doing business with us. We really hope you enjoyed your experience with [company name], but we’d like to know for sure. Share your review about us on Google. Just go here: {link to review website}.”

Review a location

Send these templates after a customer visits your store or clinic. You can use it to thank your customers for a visit while also asking them to leave a review.

“Hello, [customer name]! Thanks for your recent visit to our store. If we provided top-notch service for you today, kindly take a few seconds to leave us a review {link to review website}. See you next time!”

“Thanks for your visit to [company name]! How did we do today? To help us, please take a moment to leave your review. Click here {link to review website} to share your feedback. Thank you!”

“Thank you for your recent visit to [company name]. We hope you loved it! Would you consider posting an online review? This helps us to continue providing great service. You can click this link to share your feedback {link to review website}. Appreciate your help!”

“Hello, [customer name]! We were happy to see you today in [company name]. Reviews help others to learn about us. Would you mind to take a few minutes to leave us a review? Please use this link to share your experience with our company {link to review website}. Thank you for your time!”

Review a product

To attract more product reviews and improve online presence, use these feedback request messages:

Thank you for your purchase! If you’re happy with your shopping experience, please share it with others. Your feedback helps us to provide the best service possible. To leave a review, click on this link {link to review website}. Thank you for your support!”

“Hope your recent purchase with [company name] was successful. We would appreciate it if you leave your thoughts about your recent experience with us. Just click on this link, and it will direct you to the review site {link to review website}. Thank you for your help!”

“Dear [customer name]! We are happy you chose [product name] from us. We are working hard to make our products the best quality possible. We would love to hear your valuable feedback about your purchase. Please click on this link {link to review website} to leave your review.”

“Hi, [customer name]! Thank you for your purchase in our online store! If you’re happy with your [product name] please take a minute to review it here {link to review website}. Thank you for your help and support!”

“Hey, [customer name]! Thanks for your recent purchase. If you don’t mind taking one minute to share your thoughts with others, it would be a big help. Click here to leave your review: {link to review website}.”

Facebook reviews

Facebook continues to be one of the most popular social media platforms. People use it to communicate with friends, but also businesses use it to show advertising and communicate with customers. One of the most popular features that a Facebook Business page offers is the option to showcase customer reviews. Plenty of fresh and positive reviews on Facebook is a great tool to grow your online reputation and attract more prospects. Use the following review requests examples to collect more Facebook reviews:

Hi [customer name]! Thank you for choosing our company. We hope you had a great experience with us! Would you mind reviewing us on our Facebook business page? Here is a link {link}. Your feedback is valuable for us because it helps us to improve our products and services.”

“We enjoyed having you as our client, [customer name]! Please take a moment to share your feedback on our Facebook page. Just click here to leave a review {link}. Thank you.”

“Hi, [customer name]! Were you satisfied with your purchase in [company name]? If so, please consider sharing your review with others. Please use this link to review our business on Facebook: {link}.”

“Thanks for shopping with us, [customer name]! Did you enjoy your visit? If you liked it, please leave us your honest review on our Facebook page: {link}. See you next time!”

Experiment with different review requests

There are no standards about how to ask for a review correctly. Use examples from this article and check what’s working the best for your business. 

The most important thing is to ask for customers’ feedback and work on your online reputation. It is the right way to grow your business and attract new customers. 

Make this process effortless with Amazeful reputation management platform. Automation on the platform allows you to collect online reviews faster and save your time for other business processes. Check the details here.