How Can Reviews Impact My Google Business Profile Rankings?
Reviews are the most impactful part of your Google Business Profile because they are the one aspect you really can’t control. Having consistent reviews that are high quality and high volume is the best thing for your business to keep growing and keep getting more and more leads. Not only do potential customers who search for your business read those reviews, but Google actually reads them as well. Google can read the reviews on your Google Business Profile and uses your rating to determine how high your business should rank in searches. Google will show businesses with poor ratings much lower than businesses with higher ones, which means that reviews have a major impact on your Google Business Profile rankings.
Knowing how your Google Business Profile’s rankings can be helped or hurt by reviews can be a significant advantage as you work on getting your business to show up more in search. Find out more about the relationship between Google Business Profile rankings and customer reviews and how they each impact your business.
Does Having Only 5-Star Reviews In Google Hurt My Business?
The short answer is no. It is always better to have all 5-star reviews. But the reason you are asking this question for your business is probably because you have yourself thought, “Are they really that good?” or, “How could they never get a negative review?”
While this is understandable, it is important to understand how reviews actually impact your local rankings and how your business shows up in Google. Google reads reviews differently than people do. When the algorithm reviews your profile and reads the different reviews on it, there are a few key factors that it is looking at. We’ll break down the factors behind your Google Reviews that impact the ranking of your Google Business Profile.
How Reviews Impact Your Google Business Profile Rankings
Below are the primary factors on how a good or bad review impacts your local rankings:
1. Most Recent Reviews Carry The Most Weight
If your business is getting a lot of negative reviews back-to-back, then that tells Google your business is having some major internal problems. Google values providing searches with up-to-date information, so if they detect that there might be issues with your business based on a few negative recent reviews, it can quickly hurt your rankings. However, the same can be said for the opposite. If you receive multiple positive 5-star reviews within a short time frame, it will give your Google Business profile an immediate boost. These rankings quickly build trust between Google and your businesses, and they tell customers that your business is a great choice for them.
2. Negative Reviews Hurt But Your Response Is Important
Perhaps nothing is more infuriating than a negative Google Business Profile review that paints your business in a bad light, especially if the review was exaggerated or completely false. In these cases it can be extremely tempting to reply to that review and fight back at the customer. However, responding to negative Google Business Reviews this way can be a significant detriment both to your rankings and to your customer reputation. GBP reviews are not the place to get into a fight with a disgruntled customer.
When responding to negative Google Business reviews, think of your response as if you were speaking to your future customers. By responding to reviews with understanding and professionalism (but also not admitting fault to mistakes or incidents that weren’t your fault), you reflect those qualities to future customers determining whether or not to choose your business.
3. The Volume Of Reviews Impacts Your Google Business Profile
I always tell clients who just started their business or who have neglected their Google Business Profile that they need to push hard to get at least 10 reviews. Having under 10 reviews is like putting ankle weights on your Google Business Profile. It will sink to the bottom of the rankings no matter how many pretty pictures you upload.
If you only have a few Google Business Profile reviews, getting that number up to 10 should be your first priority to improve your rankings. Keep asking customers for 5-star reviews until you cross that 10-review mark…and then keep getting more. The more positive reviews you have, the less impact that an oddball negative review would have on your rankings. When it comes to reviews on your Google Business Profile, the more the merrier.
4. The Quality Of A Google Business Review Matters The Most
The most important factor behind a Google Business Review is the quality of the review. Just like a human reader would assume, reviews that accuratly describe the customer’s interaction with the business and the quality of services/products have much more value to Google than just a star rating and short comment like “don’t go here”. But there is more to a Google Business review than just the written content. Things like pictures, replies, the rating of the person reviewing (what level of a Local Guide they are), and a few other factors go a long way in telling the story of how accurate and valuable a review is and how much it will impact your business’s rankings.
5. The Consistency Of Google Reviews Plays a Major Role In Your Rankings
Earlier we mentioned how recent reviews will have the most impact. But while newer reviews are valuable, reviews must also be consistent to keep your business ranking high. Even if you have lots of positive reviews, but they come in batches and don’t seem to be very consistent, this can knock your ranking down a bit. Always be encouraging customers to leave reviews to show Google consistent quality and service from your business.
6. The Location Of The Reviewer Is Important For Google Business Profile Reviews
Google pays attention to where your reviews are from. Reviews from people in your business’s local area have much more influence on your profile’s ranking than reviews from outside customers. Google sees reviews from local customers as more legitimate and authentic, which tells the algorithm that it is much less likely to be spam. Additionally, local reviews build trust and relevance within the local area, meaning that they can help or hurt rankings specifically for your area even more. Reviews from people further away from your location still have value but are seen as less important than local ones.
Learn More About How Reviews Impact Your Google Business Profile Rankings
Your business’s Google Business Profile can be a huge asset for your business, helping you show up higher and more often in searches and making more potential customers aware of your business. If you want to make the most of your Google Business Profile and turn it into a tool that creates revenue for your business, Wes Web can help. We are experts at helping businesses optimize their web presence to show up more and drive new leads with Google Business Profile optimization, local search engine optimization, or full-scale SEO services.
Turn your web presence into a revenue-making resource for your business with Wes Web. Contact us today to see how we can help grow your business.