How to easily get five-star Google reviews

We’ve told you before about how important Google reviews are for your online business, but what if you’re having trouble getting customers or clients to leave a review, even if they’re happy with their transaction? You need at least five reviews before your business will show Google reviews, so getting those initial reviews is crucial.

The best way to increase your review count is to make it brainlessly easy for your customers to do it. Turn the process into a two- or three-click action and the percentage of people who’ll leave a review will go up. Here’s a foolproof way to get them to do that.

Log into your Google account and do a search for your brand name. Look on the right side of the page to find the Google Knowledge Panel about your business. Near the centre of this panel is a box marked “Leave a Review”. Click on this box and you’ll get a pop-up. Grab the URL to this pop-up and add a ‘5’ to the end of it. You’ll now see the pop-up with the five stars already filled in.

Grab the new URL and save it. Every time you finish a transaction with a customer or client, email them and ask them to give you a review. Include that URL in the email. Ask them for a quick four- or five-word review, one that takes no time out of your day. The five stars will already be filled in, and that’s what Google will use to rate your site.

This trick works on Chrome and Firefox, but not on Safari. No clue if it works on Internet Explorer or any other browser. If you try this, drop me a line to let me know how it works, and include what browser you’re using.

For more information, visit the StewArt website.

Jim Stewart is a leading expert in search engine optimisation. His business StewArt Media has worked with clients including Mars, M2 and the City of Melbourne.