Google reviews play a significant role in Map Pack and local search as they aid in converting searchers, and just as importantly, help boost your site’s rankings.
Curating positive reviews needs to be an ongoing strategy that will have a positive effect on your firm’s ability to rank, be visible and drive traffic.
Why Reviews Matter
Most consumers in the legal sphere will only engage with you once in their lifetime. So, you have ONE opportunity to make a positive impression, and that will likely begin when the consumer uses search to locate an attorney.
98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses in 2021. – Recent BrightLocal Survey
Consumers want to read about others’ experience with your business before reaching out. It’s no different than when you are looking for a service or product.
How To Get Reviews
The best way for you to get reviews is to ask. Don’t hesitate: most clients will be happy to post a review if they have received quality service and representation from your firm. The best reviews are genuine and authentic. Google wants to see that a business has both quality and quantity of reviews.
You want reviews to be posted to your Google Business Profile (GBP) at a reasonable cadence. Too many too quickly could be identified by Google as spam. Be wary of anyone telling you that they can get you numerous reviews in a short period of time. They are likely using techniques that do not abide by Google’s terms of service – and that will get you penalized. Remember, there are no shortcuts in search.
ALWAYS Respond to Reviews
But it doesn’t end there: your business needs to show you’re listening. Consumers (and Google) want to see your business is responding to reviews, whether positive or negative. Here’s what you need to do:
- Show appreciation for those who leave favorable reviews
- Respond to negative reviews so consumers can gain an understanding of the situation from your point of view.
It’s important to note that Google will not take down negative reviews simply because you request them to be removed. Google does not get involved when a business disagrees with a statement made by a reviewer because there is no way they could discern who is right about a particular situation. They only remove reviews that clearly violate their policies (e.g., spam or conflicts of interest).
We’ve been sounding the Google review siren for years, and it’s getting louder. Google reviews are key to organic search and conversion. Acquiring and responding to reviews needs to be part of your business strategy.
If you have any questions about reviews or would like to discuss more ways to build your firm’s reviews, feel free to reach out.