Create a Review Strategy for Local Optimization
Posted by:
Lawgical Staff
Category:
Marketing
Online reviews are an important part of local optimization that are often overlooked and for that reason they can provide an advantage over competitors. Soliciting reviews from clients is a part of local optimization that businesses can do for themselves. Setting up a strategy to solicit reviews can provide a strategic advantage. We will lay out one strategy idea.
It doesn’t have to be complicated to work.
The Strategy
- Once a week, pull a list of clients you completed jobs for last week.
- Reach out to those clients in an email that asks them about their experience. As part of this email, ask them to review your business (include a link to your Google Places listing and to your Yelp listing).
- Rinse and repeat each week.
It is important to remain diligent in completing this process. Like a weight loss plan, you won’t reach your goals if you’re only sticking to the plan every once in awhile.
What is the importance of Google Places reviews?
As mentioned above, reviews are a part of the local ranking formula. When you design a review strategy, your minimum goal should be to reach 5 reviews on your Google Places listing because that can significantly help your ranking. You may receive negative or not-so-great reviews, but that shouldn’t scare or deter you from asking for reviews. Such reviews can offer the opportunity to rectify customer service issues and give an online example of how you want to satisfy clients and provide quality service to them.
What is the importance of Yelp reviews?
In a test performed by search marketer Clickz, it appears Yelp reviews “directly affect position on Apple’s iPhone 4S results. In terms of update cycle, it would appear that the Siri database is updated on a 30-day cycle.” With these results, Yelp reviews seem to be affecting Siri’s search results within a month. It also appears Yelp has positive residual effects on Google Places listings. The two-fold benefit should illuminate why Yelp reviews are important.
Conclusion
Local optimization isn’t many things . . . instant or easy are a couple things that come to mind, but it can be a very worthwhile longtime marketing investment. It takes some time and commitment from the business to reach optimal results. A review strategy is one of those things that help to get to those optimal results.
Share:
Posted by:
Lawgical Staff
The Lawgical team includes MBAs, business professionals with extensive backgrounds in technology, management, traditional media and search engine marketing, educators, and highly creative professionals who understand application development and usability.