Reviews at Facebook are a good thing, good ones anyway. Same at Yelp!, WeddingWire, and The Knot.
But I could argue that reviews at Google are even better.
If you have 50+ reviews at WeddingWire, or The Knot, I recommend shifting your focus to get more reviews elsewhere, including Facebook, Yelp!, and especially Google.
Sure, WW and TK reviews have a lot of clout, but so do Google reviews. Everyone loves Google and everyone “trusts” Google.
I also believe Google reviews are an important part of your overall online visibility strategy (OVS). The more Google knows about your company the better.
Google Reviews have a positive impact on your search engine optimization strategy. Even if they don’t impact your actual rankings directly, they sure have a positive impact when a user sees them with your Google My Business listing.
So the question is: “How do you get more Google reviews?”
The answer is two-part: (1) Ask for them from your clients and (2) send them a DIRECT LINK to Google specifically where they can leave a review for your business.
Don’t just ask them: “Could you leave me a review at Google?”
If you make it easier for people to leave you a Google review it won’t be such a chore for someone and you’ll get more reviews!
This is where a helpful DIRECT LINK to leave a Google review comes in handy.
The problem is, there isn’t an easy-to-find DIRECT LINK that you can send someone to leave a Google review for your business.
Where do you get a direct “cut-and-paste” link?
Here’s how.
First, a couple things…
[1] The person leaving you a Google Review must have a Google account (i.e. Gmail), and they must be logged into it in order to create a review. Pretty much everyone has a Gmail account, so this isn’t really an issue.
[2] You should have already REGISTERED or claimed your Google My Business listing. If you haven’t done this already, or are not sure, visit https://www.google.com/business/
[3] You must have a physical address for this to work. If there is no address associated with your business you will not have a “PLACEID.” It is about “places,” right?
[4] Verify the information contained in your Google My Business listing to make sure everything is correct. Edit anything that needs updating.
Now it’s time to figure out your “PLACEID.”
Go to the following link at Google and enter your company name. If you have properly claimed and configured your Google My Places listing you should see it come up as an option in the drop-down suggestions box provided. See screen-capture below.
https://support.google.com/business/answer/7035772?hl=en
[6] Click on the appropriate listing to confirm and generate the PLACEID.
The screen will now show your PLACEID.
[7] Write down your PLACEID. Better still copy it into a digital notepad like Evernote. You’ll need this in the next step and PLACEID identifiers ARE CASE-SENSITIVE.
[8] Next, you are going to create your DIRECT LINK using your PLACEID. Again, a digital notepad like Evernote comes in handy (http://evernote.com)
The first part of the link is ALWAYS:
https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=
[9] After the equal symbol add your PLACEID.
Again, the PLACEID is case-sensitive.
Now that you have combined the two elements – test your link.
If everything is correct you should see a Google Review dialog box open in your browser window. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to load. See screen-capture below.
In the example below I’m creating a direct link for Google reviews at the Beauport Hotel in Gloucester Massachusetts.
Sample Link: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJMUzI7x4l44kRPlQEXpqsqf8
Place Ids *ARE* case-sensitive.
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Greetings! My name is Chris Jaeger and I produce the Book More Weddings website. I am also the Founder of the International Association of Wedding Industry Professionals and coach at Build Your Wedding Business.
I am a published Amazon author and my book "100+ Things You Can Do to Book More Weddings: Reach More Engaged Couples, Drive More Traffic to Your Website, Get More Inquiries, and Book More Weddings" has helped thousands of wedding professionals reach more engaged couples and book more weddings.
I have been an educational speaker at the WeddingMBA, Association of Wedding Gown Specialists, Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC), Association for Wedding Professionals International, and many local groups such as the Charlottesville Wedding and Event Professionals and the Bellingham Business Association.
I am a wedding industry marketing veteran with more than 25+ years of experience marketing to engaged couples.
If you are not getting the results you expect from your website and internet marketing, or you are getting good results but would like BETTER results, follow this link.
I offer anyone in the wedding industry a complimentary no-obligation Discovery Session.
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