How Google Reviews Can Benefit Your Business
Google is the world’s most popular internet search engine, with its global reach covering the entire globe. Its proprietary algorithm is designed to retrieve and order search results according to relevance, allowing users to easily find what they’re looking for online. It is so dominant that its name has entered the English language as a verb, with people often saying they “Googled” something in reference to searching for it online.
Google was founded in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California. The company is now one of the most recognizable brands in the world and its products are used by billions of people every day. Google’s diversified portfolio of products includes search, email, cloud computing, smartphones, tablets, notebook computers, smart speakers, virtual reality headsets, maps and navigation services, as well as artificial intelligence and software development tools.
While the majority of Google’s revenue comes from advertising, the company also generates significant revenues from other sources. These include cloud computing, Android operating system software and smartphone apps. In addition, the company has a growing number of hardware and service offerings such as the Google Nest home automation product line, Google News, Google Ngram Viewer, Google Photos, Google Maps, and Google Drive. The company’s initial public offering in 2004 made the founders instant millionaires and placed it on the Standard and Poor’s 500 stock index.
Having positive reviews on Google can boost the visibility of a business, especially when it appears near the top of a local search or when it shows up on Maps. Reviews can also help potential customers make a decision whether or not to visit a business. However, it is important that businesses do not try to manipulate or control reviews. Attempting to discourage negative or positive reviews is against Google’s terms of service.
When a user leaves a review for a business, they are required to provide both a star rating and an overall assessment of their experience. Reviews can be seen on the business’s Google My Business page, which is accessible through a direct link from a business’s website or through a search in Google.
If you are a business owner and see a review for your establishment that is inappropriate or fake, there are ways to get it removed. You can flag a review by navigating to the page where it is located and clicking on the three dots in the upper right corner. From there, you can select either “Flag as inappropriate” or “Report a policy violation” and follow the prompts to submit your report.
A Google review is an essential component of any marketing campaign for any small business. Reviews not only help with SEO and Maps visibility, but they also serve as a key element of any local marketing strategy. We can help you create a compelling review campaign that will drive traffic and sales. Our team of experts can provide you with everything from strategic content to paid media strategies that deliver results.
