Whether your business is an upmarket jewellery store, a local cafe, or even an online training organisation, building a rock-solid reputation online is vital to attracting new clients.
A massive 76% of people trust reviews just as much as personal recommendations. Which is important considering the vast majority of searches being online, and predominantly with Google.
While reviews may feel out of your control, there are certain tactics that will help you build 5 Star Google Reviews, influence sentiment and stand out from the competition.
Tip 1. Claim your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Previously known as the Google My Business, the new Google Business Profile counts for a whopping 33% of your local SEO. As soon as you receive verification, start to optimise your listing. Focus on adding keyword rich phrases to the profile section and posting section. According to Google, businesses with descriptive GBP listings are 2.7x more likely to be considered reputable.
Tip 2. Set a goal and an intention. 
A stellar online reputation won’t happen by accident or overnight. Set the intention of achieving a Google Review milestone. Start at 100 or 50, if you think that it is achievable, then set out to achieve the goal. Start by aiming for just one Google Review a week and build from there. Even 1 a week will give you over 50 Google Reviews in a year.
Did you know? The top three listings in Google’s local search results have an average of 472% more reviews than listings four through six.
If this is going to become one of your marketing strategies, make sure you look at the customer experience. It is important that the experience matches the reputation you want to emulate. A great Google Review is infinitely easier to achieve with an amazing customer experience.
Tip 3. Get buy in from the team
As a business owner, it can sometimes feel like you are the one pushing the agenda. The key to scaling your online reputation is to make sure that you have the team enrolled. That way you can leverage and accelerate your Google Reviews.
Having a lot of reviews is important, consumers pay attention to the quantity of reviews more than anything else when judging a local business.
Have a weekly meeting with your team to make sure your customer experience and Google Reviews are being discussed and improved.
Tip 4. Set boundaries and empower
Empower the team with boundaries on what they can do for your clients. Encourage them to use their own initiative to provide a remarkable experience for your clients.
For example, allow each team member a $20, $50 or $100 allowance to surprise and delight a client, or if need be to intercept a minor problem before it becomes a major one.
Allowing your team to create remarkable experiences will definitely shine through in your Google Reviews. You will even start to notice clients mentioning team members by name in the reviews, which further strengthens the authenticity of your review and reputation.
Tip 5. Be disciplined
Nothing fantastic ever comes from doing something once. Whether you are trying to achieve a financial goal, weight loss goal, or business goal, it takes discipline and positive habits to achieve a long term goal.
Ensure you and your team are asking every client to leave a review. Remember 77% of consumers are willing to leave an online review if asked.
