Small businesses, particularly those that are a local business, will understand the importance and value of customer reviews. Positive reviews can be just as powerful as word-of-mouth in the world of digital marketing services and SEO for attracting consumers. To put this into context, research has shown that 72% of customers won’t make a purchase with a company until they have read reviews on it.
Google is the main place people go to check the quality of a business’s products or services. A business name that is higher on the “Map” results ranking suggests that it is more trustworthy thanks to a high number of positive customer reviews to back it up.
There is a common misconception that customers need a Gmail account to post and interact with reviews, but this is not the case. By pointing out the simple steps we have put together below, you can encourage customers to leave reviews of your business and boost the credibility of your business page online.
Steps to writing a Google review without a Gmail account
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Step 1: Google search the business name
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Step 2: Rate the business and write a review
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Step 3: Connect a preferred email address
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Step 4: Share any relevant images and publish the review
Step one: Search the business name
Using Google Maps to do a local search is an easy way to find both positive and negative reviews no matter if your users are on a laptop, desktop, or mobile device. On the browser, go to the top right corner, click the squares and select Google Maps from the dropdown of applications.
If you have an Android device, Google Maps will be one of your default apps and easily accessible with one click. Alternatively, you can search for it and download it from the Google Play store or App Store. Next, simply search for the business name and select it.
One of the first things your consumers will see when they search for a business via the map is details of the business name, address, opening times, and other important information. Below the name of the business will be the average rating and the total number of reviews it has. Good reviews stand out and give a better insight into the value of the business, even more so for smaller businesses.
Top tip: Set your business up on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) to boost your visibility on map searches. Keep in mind, online reviews and map searches are connected, one bad review can make your online reputation plummet, while a great review can increase your overall SEO ranking. A specialist search engine optimisation agency can help you with this.
Step two: Rate and write a review
Head to the starred review section where five empty stars will be displayed, ready for you to fill in. Provide a rating that suits the service you received and then you have the option to elaborate on your experience in a text box.
You might have got to this stage without any barriers preventing you from rating and filling in your review. This may be because you already have a non-Gmail address linked to your Maps account. If not, you could get a prompt through a pop-up box to sign in.
This is where the misconception that you need an account to continue comes from. However, if you keep reading the next step, we will debunk this myth and ensure you and your customers know how to write a review without a Gmail account.
Step 3: Connect a preferred email address
If you’re stuck on the intimidating pop-up asking you to sign in, don’t worry. By clicking “create account” you will bring up an alternative option, so you don’t have to actually make an account. Simply select “use my current email address instead” and you’re ready to go. After clicking this option, you will be redirected back to the reviews page and can carry on with your review no matter what email ID you have.
The feature to continue with your current email ID is much less obvious and hidden behind the “create account” option, hence the confusion and many people thinking they can’t write a review without Gmail.
Step 4: Share any relevant images and publish
You have the freedom to add and share any relevant images alongside your review to give it more detail and context. This can help other potential customers looking at online reviews who want to determine whether the star rating is worth the end result that was delivered. Wise consumers will know the risk of fake reviews and might want to look for visual clarification. After uploading the images, you want and checked you’re happy with your review, you’re ready to publish it. In just a few seconds your review will be available online and can be seen by other users, whether you have a Gmail account or not.
Conclusion
Building up positive reviews for your business can completely transform the success of your online marketing. Customers that leave google reviews will take your brand image to a new level and communicate the quality of your business on a global and massively accessible platform.
At Deliver, we provide expert SEO services like helping set up your Google Business Profile to ensure you can grow your organic traffic and get as high up search engine rankings for target keywords as possible. If you want to know how your business is currently performing online, request a free digital marketing audit from us today. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.