top 10 strategies for getting local reviews on google+ local
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was delivered at PubCon New Orleans in March 2014. Covers why reviews are important to search ranking on Google, what reviews matter most, how do reviews play into your local ranking, what is the first step to getting reviews, and what a step by step guide to getting reviews looks like. This presentation also includes Kris Jones's Top 10 Strategies for Getting Local Reviews.TRANSCRIPT
@krisjonescom
Local Search : Reviews and Rankings
Presented by:Kristopher B. Jones
Chairman, Internet Marketing Ninjas
@krisjonescom
About Kris• Founder of Pepperjam – Sold to eBay• Chairman of Internet Marketing Ninjas• Angel Investor at KBJ Capital (French
Girls App, ReferLocal, Highlighter, VigLink…)
• Best-selling author of SEO Visual Blueprint; Author of digital LSEO Book
@krisjonescom
Why are reviews important?
• Google uses them for purposes of local search ranking
• Integrated into search results• Build trust• Generate more clicks• Grab attention; influence behavior• Reviews get shared within G+ circles by
reviewers
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What Review Sites Matter Most?
(Included on Google Search)• Google+ Local• Yelp• CitySearch• Yahoo Local• Super Pages• Merchant Circle
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How do reviews play into your local search ranking?• Quantity of reviews• Velocity of Reviews (how often you
receive reviews)• Quality (i.e. rating, sentiment) of reviews• Reviews on Google+ Local are likely
more important than reviews on 3rd party sites like Yelp, CitySearch, Yahoo Local, etc.
@krisjonescom
What is the first step to generating lots of reviews?
• Create a Step-By-Step Guide and provide examples for prospective reviewers!!!
• Walk prospective reviewers through process of each platform you want reviews (If I were you I’d focus mainly on Google+ Local).
• Don’t assume prospect has a Google+ account• Provide links and instructions from beginning
to end• Provide one or more examples of well written
reviews
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What does a step-by-step guide look like?
SOURCE: LocalVisibility.com
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What about sample reviews?
Provide desirable ones if you have them; if not, write sample reviews of what you’d like to see.
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Here are examples of reviews that have been written about Patsy’s
See more reviews like this at https://plus.google.com/yourname
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Top 10 Strategies for Getting Local Reviews
@krisjonescom
(1) Ask existing raving fans
• First, identify your most enthusiastic customers and ask them to write a review for you.
• Second, provide your step-by-step “how to” guide on exactly what they need to do.
• Finally, offer a free dessert or something else of value to show your appreciation for being a raving fan (regardless of writing the review).
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(2) Leverage your existing social media followers
• Be honest. For instance – “Hey friends – we are looking to increase our local search rankings on Google. One way to do that is to generate reviews on Google+ from social media followers like YOU. Can you help?”
• If a follower agrees provide them w/ your step-by-step guide and follow-up w/ them until they write the review.
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(3) Run a contest• Thank your followers for being loyal customers
and fans and encourage them to post comments.• Prompt comments by saying “Enter to win a $100
gift card by telling us what you like most about our business and what we can do to improve.”
• Select a winner at random.• However, the gold here is identifying the most
enthusiastic commenter’s – the ones that just can’t find anything wrong with your business and asking them to write a more formal review.
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NOTE - Be creative with the types of contests you
run, but don’t go overboard and get in trouble with Google.
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(4) E-mail• Send a dedicated e-mail to current
customers asking if anyone would be willing to write a review
• Include promotion “Want to help us rank higher on Google?” in all future e-mail communications
• Link to your step-by-step guide
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(5) Direct Mail• Include a post card or note in any
mailers you send (including invoices and marketing materials) to customers or clients
• Personalize your ask – Always be honest.
• Include your step-by-step guide
@krisjonescom
(6) Buy Ads• Buy traffic to your Google+ Local
page (including Google’s internal advertising systems) to drive more followers to your page.
• Once you have more followers you’ll have a much larger pull of people to get to write reviews.
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(7) Promote at your POB• Post a sign or sticker in your place
of business.• Create an advertisement that
directs people to your Google+ Local Page to write a review.
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(8) Promote Reviews on Your Website
• Place reviews on your site from happy customers with a link requesting others to do reviews (link to your Google+ Local profile page).
• Include your step-by-step guide
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(9) Have your friends and family write reviews.
• You certainly don’t only want reviews from friends and family but chances are you’ll get positive sentiment and scores from friends and family, which Google loves
• Give them your guide!
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(10) Leverage social media
• Leverage your friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter.
• Use social media to build relationships and add value – sell nothing just give.
• Also, don’t be afraid to ask your neighbors and friends from church (literally) for reviews on Google.
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Conclusion• Be proactive about getting reviews• The more you get on a regular
basis the higher you are likely to rank on Google
• Don’t forget to offer a step-by-step guide with examples to anyone willing to write a review
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Let’s stay connected• Facebook.com/krisjonescom• Twitter - @krisjonescom• LinkedIn –
linkedin.con/in/internetceo• Google+ - +kristopherjones• Get a FREE Copy of my digital LSEO
book - http://referlocal.com/seobook