Boost your search ranking as a local business

The number of reviews your local business has on Google matters a lot. A high number of reviews helps boost your ranking on Google Search and Maps, increases traffic, and, ultimately, boosts sales and profits.

Here's everything you need to know about search ranking and why it's important for your business.

Why your business' ranking on Google matters

1. Improved visibility

One of the top reasons why search ranking matters is because it affects your business' visibility on Google. The higher your business ranks, the higher the likelihood of being seen by potential clients.

According to Brightlocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2020, 93% of online consumers use the internet to find a local business. From these, 34% search daily, meaning a top ranking exposes your business to more clients.

2. Increased traffic

If your business appears at the top of the results page, it would mean more authenticity and trust among clients, which are good elements for increased leads and traffic.

3. Increased sales

Being on the first page of Google means customers are likely to see your business first before that of the competitors, and if they like your services, they'll get them. The higher a business ranks, the more likely it is that customers will pick it. More sales translate into more profits.

What determines your ranking on Google Search & Google Maps

1. Use of local keywords

To rank high on Google Search and Google Maps, be sure to incorporate local keywords. Add location-based keywords to the main pages of your business website, such as the homepage, about us page, contact us page, products and services page, and blog posts.

An example would be adding the sentence:The number one plumber in Milton Keynes!

2. Reviews

According to Moz's research, customer reviews make up about 13% of how Google ranks companies in their search results. Google Maps give ranking in favour of local businesses with a high number of positive reviews.

Here are a few tips on how to 5x your online customer reviews.

3. Photos

Ensure you add quality photos of your business to your Google Maps business listing. Adding photos shows that you are an active listing, and it's a good rule of thumb in local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), meaning that it will help your business rank higher in search results.

4. Post regularly

Similarly to adding photos, posting regularly on your Google Maps business listing tells Google that you're actively managing your listing, which is good for ranking.

How you can boost your online reviews

1. Create a good relationship with your clients

Talk to your clients and let them know that you value an online review from them. Tell them how important and impactful their review is, and thank them in advance.

Doing this lets the customers know they are an integral part of your business and its success.

2. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews

Follow up with your customers and remind them to leave a review by sending an SMS or email. However, don't pressure your clients with endless reminders. You can include a link that the customers can click on and leave a review to make the process simple and swift.

You can also add a noticeable banner or button on your site where customers can leave a review without being prompted.

3. Optimise the process of requesting reviews

Consider creating a template for requesting reviews and only send the reminders after the client has paid for the product or service. Look for tools like Fuzey that will help automate or optimise this process.

Now you know how important reviews are in determining your search ranking, and how much that impacts the likelihood of acquiring new customers... It's time to optimise the process of requesting reviews, and get as many of them as possible!

Check out how our customer Now EV 5x their reviews using Fuzey, and if you're keen to follow their lead, get in touch with us at hello@getfuzey.com or book a demo with our friendly team!