Review sites like Google My Business, Facebook (reviews), TripAdvisor, and many others aim to match the right product/service with the right person at the right time.
Each of these sites has a specific way of doing this, making ranking a complex and scientific approach, with the aim of offering the best result for the user.
There are many different factors and elements that influence the ranking of these review platforms, ranging from your customer's search behavior to your competitor's behavior.
However, all review sites and apps basically work the same way, using 4 main metrics as a basis, responsible for positioning each establishment in the most impartial way possible.
How can you improve your ranking on these sites? What variables influence your score? How can you make your business climb in the rankings of review sites? That's what we're going to talk about in this post.
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Below you will find the text of the infographic along with other supplementary content
Key metrics that influence the ranking of review sites
Review sites and apps like Google, TripAdvisor, Booking, and iFood operate using algorithms. Essentially, they all function similarly, relying on four main metrics as a foundation:
- Quality – having good grades
- Quantity – having a significant volume of reviews
- Current status – how recent are the reviews?
- Response rate – the more reviews answered, the higher the score.
How do these metrics impact your establishment's ranking?
Quality and quantity: these factors provide insight into the consistency and quality of an establishment's performance. An establishment that receives positive reviews more frequently will rank higher than one that receives the same average number of reviews but with a mix of good and bad. The quality of the review classifies the experience at each establishment, which helps your business rise in the rankings of review sites.
Current relevance: reviews lose importance as time passes. Recent reviews carry more weight than a large number of older reviews because the more recent the review, the more likely it is to accurately reflect the current experience at an establishment.
Number of reviews: According to research by Brightlocal.com, people read an average of 7 reviews of an establishment to form an opinion and make a more informed purchase decision. But note, we are talking about a RELEVANT number, not the highest number of reviews. In other words, the establishment simply needs a sufficient number of reviews to provide statistical data and allow for an effective comparison with the competition regarding the experience it delivers.
Response rate: companies that respond to customer reviews have greater relevance in search results because, theoretically, they demonstrate a greater concern for providing excellent service, attesting to their commitment to total customer satisfaction. This is why the response rate influences the score; the more responses a company receives, the greater its commitment and the more relevant it is at the time of the search.
👉Check it out: 7 simple steps to never make mistakes again when responding to negative online customer reviews.
How to improve your business's ranking on online review sites
Having a steady stream of positive, high-quality reviews—which reflect the level of customer satisfaction—requires investment in two things:
- Customer experience and
- Encourage your customers to rate you.
How to offer the best experience:
- Use the compliments that appear in the reviews and discover how to please them even more.
- What can you do differently from the competition? Also look to companies in other sectors for inspiration and innovative solutions.
- Define your customer journey: use empathy to understand how they find you. Why do they choose you? What do they expect you to deliver?
- Use negative reviews to your advantage: this feedback points to the need for operational improvements. And an appropriate response increases confidence in your business.
How to encourage your customers to review you:
- Ask for reviews: it's simple, painless, and inoffensive. In one fell swoop, you can send multiple emails with a personalized message, asking your customers to rate you.
- Make the evaluation process as easy as possible: the fewer clicks required to rate your establishment, the greater your chances of being rated.
- Establish a presence on major review platforms. Google My Business, Facebook, TripAdvisor, and Yelp are some examples. Remember to manage the reviews you receive on each of these platforms.
- Make your presence on these websites clear to your customers and let them know you expect to be reviewed by them. Distributing printed materials throughout the venue is an excellent way to do this.
- Emphasize the importance of reviews to your team: train them to request reviews, thus enhancing the customer experience.
Warning: Do not offer incentives such as discounts, bonuses, or anything of the sort in exchange for positive reviews. Besides being unethical and a disservice to consumers, it can seriously damage your reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
I received a negative review. Will my ranking be significantly affected?
A single review (positive or negative) doesn't have the power to affect your establishment's ranking, but a combination of them can. Furthermore, your ranking can also be affected by the actions of other local businesses.
I receive many positive reviews, why am I ranked lower than my competitor?
Your competitor likely has a statistically superior set of reviews in terms of quantity, recency, quality, and response rate. Remember, these aren't the only metrics considered by review sites. For example, reviews with comments are worth more than reviews with just a rating (stars). The length of the commented reviews is also taken into account. And of course, whether or not they've been answered.
The more reviews you have, the easier it will be for your business to climb the rankings on review sites, and the higher your position will be compared to your competitors
If a place has 1,000 reviews, it does NOT necessarily mean that it will have a higher rating than another with 500 reviews received in a similar period. The place's rating does not increase according to the number of reviews, but according to the experience delivered. Therefore, it is not necessary to have a huge number of reviews; it is enough for the establishment to have a significant number of reviews that provide a reliable picture of the experience offered, allowing it to be rated more accurately.
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