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Should you care?
In the time it took to read this sentence, Google received over 63,000 searches. That’s makes it the most visited site in the world and responsible for over 90% of all search engine market share. A search represents someone asking a question- and people have lots of questions including who to do business with. The Google algorithm has been built to deliver the most accurate and fastest answers possible.
The individuals and companies that position themselves with answers to these frequently asked questions will be served up ahead of their competitors. They are the industry experts because Google says they are, and perception is the reality. Clever marketers post regular content that is designed to be discovered by search engines. This puts themselves in a position of trust with the reader and are more likely to earn a paying client.
One common objection we hear is “I don’t want to give away my knowledge for free.” That’s a valid point, but also severely outdated. Your prospects are going to ask questions online anyway. You might as well help them take a step forward to answering them. Earn their respect. If you don’t, your competitors will.
Part of the Google algorithm is Google Reviews. It looks something like this and its a big deal.
Heres why
There are hundreds of signals Google uses to index sites, and it’s well known that having multiple positive reviews has a positive effect on your search engine position. It can be so powerful, some businesses use it centrally in their marketing message.
In the example of the Autoline dealership, they have this image in a prominent position on their website and make a big, bold claim that they are the “highest-rated” dealer in Florida. Being perceived as being more trustworthy than the competitors is powerful stuff if you are in the car sales business! Google recognizes Autoline’s credibility and ranks them ahead of some larger competitors.
So is Google important to your business? For most businesses, the answer is a resounding YES. It’s because the best validation comes from our peers and that’s why Google reviews are so powerful. Multiple good reviews help ease the anxiety of others researching your business.
So how do you get these great reviews?
That’s the topic of our next blog post. We’ll show you how to tactfully ask clients for the information that helps you build online value for years to come. As a bonus, we’ll give you an online tool that gets them to your review site in one click.
