As a small business around the Collinsville, IL area, getting online reviews is an important part of promoting your products and services to more people. There are many review platforms available online that are easy for your customers to use. Two of the most prevalent platforms used are Google and Yelp. Many people looking for services and products online are sure to check at least one of these platforms to see whether a business is worth hiring or purchasing from. Having many positive reviews on online platforms will increase the chances of generating leads in the future. In this blog post we would like to discuss both platforms, what their benefits are, and which one you should focus on.
Getting Reviews Through Google
Out of the two, Google is the most prevalent. Google is used more than any other search engine in the world. Small business owners owe it to themselves to set up an online presence on Google called a Google Business Profile. This is a listing that Google will show potential customers upon searching for your business or your types of products or services in your service area. It is also the place where your reviews for your business on Google will be shown. Being able to leave a review is as easy as having a Google account to sign into. You can leave reviews when on find the business in search results and even when you find the place on Google Maps. This ease is also true for claiming your business profile and optimizing your business profile to allow it to be shown more on Google, increasing your chances of generating leads and thus increasing the number of reviews your Collinsville, IL business will receive online. In your Google Business Profile, you will also be able to easily reply to reviews left by your customers. We do suggest that if you are asking for Google reviews that you try not to get too many at one time and make sure they are detailed enough. The best reviews are the ones that tell of an issue that was resolved. Google has policies on spam reviews, and they can delete reviews that they view as illegitimate.
Reviews Received Through Yelp
Yelp is one of the largest review platforms specifically designed for businesses to promote themselves online. It is a highly valued review platform for food, dining and entertainment industries. Users will leave reviews not only about the services and products they received, but also their experience with your team and anything they believe you could improve on. While this platform is often ignored in favor of just having an optimized Google Business Profile, we do suggest that you also work on a Yelp profile. Managing a profile on Yelp is also not terribly difficult and it allows you to respond to your customer’s reviews.
Which Platform Should You Use?
Both platforms have their upsides and downsides. We do recommend that you utilize both platforms rather than just relying on one. By using both, you can ensure you get a steady flow of legitimate reviews without needing to worry about Googles spam policies or Yelps review algorithm. Optimizing both will also increase SEO, letting your business show up more on search results online.
If you are the owner of a small business in the Collinsville, IL area and are looking for a company who can help manage your online presence on Google, Yelp, and more, be sure to give Hometown Marketing Group a call today. Our team of dedicated professionals will be able to get your business optimized online to help bring in more reviews for your business.
