Attracting new customers is hard, but it is an even more difficult process for multi-location businesses. You must present yourself as the top choice in different local markets, and the best way to do this is with solid Google reviews. The vast majority of consumers seek out local companies via the internet, and your online reviews will be some of the first information they see about your business. In this post, we will explain how Google reviews impact your business.
Low Reviews Hurt Your Business
Reviews can actually harm your business. Google reviews are your chance to stand out in all of your local markets, and improper review management will only hurt your multi-location business. Having a low number of reviews or a low overall star rating will turn customers away and to your competitors.
Reviews help customers feel more confident in their purchases, but many consumers are skeptical about the validity of reviews. The fewer reviews you have, the less likely new customers will be to believe that those reviews paint an accurate picture of your business. Instead of taking a risk on your business, those customers will turn to a local competitor with more reviews.
What the reviews say also matters for how consumers view your business. In fact, over 54% of Americans focus on negative reviews. The more negative reviews you have, the worse their perception will be of your business. Negative reviews and a low star rating make people doubt the quality of your business. If a low star rating is one of the first things someone sees about your business, they are not likely to pursue it further.
High Reviews Attract New Customers
On the other hand, having a high number of positive reviews, and an overall high star rating will do wonders for your multi-location business. Having high Google review ratings helps you stand out against other local businesses.
Quantity and quality of reviews both matter for your business. It takes around 40 reviews before customers trust the average star rating, and 73% of customers trust a local business more if they have many positive reviews. To improve your overall reputation and attract new local customers, you must focus on getting more reviews and higher ratings.
Start Leveraging Google Reviews for Your Multi-location Business
Whether or not you realize it, Google reviews are currently impacting your business. If you do not have a dedicated review management strategy, you may be pushing away potential customers and losing out on business for all of your locations. Now is the time to improve your online review management strategy with Attract and Close. We use proven systems and tools to help you get obtain and manage all of your online reviews. Learn more about our review management services or get started today by contacting Attract and Close HERE.