How Google Reviews Influence Your SEO?

Liv Butler
Authored by Liv Butler
Posted Monday, September 16, 2024 - 5:46am

Local Google reviews have a direct impact on SEO. Google's complex algorithm determines how local businesses are ranked and factors in positive and negative customer reviews. Unsurprisingly, Google uses reviews to decide which companies to display to its searchers. Google tacitly acknowledged the link between reviews and SEO. 

Followerzoid is well known as a backlinks, & social media services provider, also known as a Seo company, by giving their most precious services of Google reviews. This helps businesses & websites optimize their Seo rating in front of Google. They can easily buy 5-star Google reviews to enhance their business rating. Let’s look at how Google Reviews can more benefit SEO.

Google Local Ranking Basics

Several factors influence Google's ranking of local businesses. When displaying a list of factors select from, Google cl, including business categories, keywords, and incoming links.

Moz reveals that Review Signals are the third most important factor in achieving a higher Local Pack ranking. This component has a share of 15.44% among all factors. 

It is becoming the first place consumer’s visit when looking for local businesses. People use this site to research local businesses because they can quickly glance at the star ratings and read the honest reviews of customers.

Local pack vs. organic rankings & reviews

Reviews are part of local listings, so they impact local rankings more than organic ones. But that doesn't mean they won't help your organic ranking. According to Moz, despite being the third most important factor for local ranking signals, they are ranked 7th in organic ranking factors at 6.47 per cent.

Even though it is lower in the rankings for organic search, it still shouldn't be ignored. It may be time for you to change your focus if your business only cares about organic rankings, not Local Pack rankings.

Check Quantity

The number of Google Business Page reviews is the review quantity. It's no surprise that if two businesses have a rating of 4.9 stars, but only one business has 30 reviews while the other has 200, consumers will likely choose the company with the most reviews. 

Google respectably ranks these businesses higher because of their psychology. Google is not a product. Google wants to give us the information we want. It also connects us with the right business to meet our requirements. It is easy to make yourself the best choice if you have the highest number of positive reviews in your field.

Google Reviews Text

You can provide a rating and a brief description or give the star rating without explanation. Google gives more credit and prefers reviews that include text.

The consumer is no different.

If a customer visits your website and finds a lot of comments but not much explanation, they will be disappointed with your company. Customers want the truth about your customers' opinions to make an accurate picture of you and your company.

Review Velocity

Review velocity is the rate at which reviews consistently come into your business. Google will take you seriously if you actively get reviews for your page.

Review velocity is also critical in terms of attracting consumers. Followerzoid.com conducted a survey where 73% of respondents found reviews older than 3 months no longer helpful. No, the 30 reviews you collected in 2017 will not be enough.

Businesses can undergo a lot of changes in a short period. People want to know what people who have used your business today think about it.

Constantly receiving new reviews will help you improve your ranking locally and attract more clients.

Check out Diversity

If this is the first time you've heard about NAP or Citations, please read on. It means you want to ensure your company is listed as widely as possible.

It makes sense, since Google gives this a lot of attention as a ranking signal (even more so than the review signals), that they also analyze your reviews.

This piece also includes the number and speed of your reviews on these websites, although it's not as critical as Google reviews.

Third-Party Review Sites: Authority

In addition to the authority of other websites, you can also influence local ranking and review diversity. The more authority the website has, the better your company will appear.

Below are a couple of directory websites with high Domain Authority.

  • BBB.org 95 DA
  • Trip Advisor - 95 DA
  • MapQuest - 95 DA
  • Angie's List, 89
  • Tomato - 86
  • Home Advisor - 84

Review Keywords and SEO

Moz ranks the product/service keyword in reviews 12th among their Top fifty local pack Finder factors. Your local search engine rankings will be improved if you are a pest controller and have many 5-star reviews that mention "bedbugs". Google has recently launched the Ask A Question feature. A searcher types in a topic they are interested in, and Google will find reviews with answers while highlighting keywords that match the query.

The importance of keywords in reviews will grow as people search for the needed information. You can't force someone to use your keywords, but the more reviews you receive, the greater the chance of people mentioning them.

Google searches for keywords like "hamburgers", "pizza", and other related terms in the websites of local businesses as well as reviews that they have received through their Google My Business account.

Imagine, for example, that restaurant A had a review which said:

Their hamburgers are the best around! They have the best hamburgers around!”

These three restaurant reviews are from:

  • Delicious food. The cheese steak is delicious. Try it!”
  • I keep going back. You should try a Marguerite Pizza. It's fantastic!"
  • Steak-cut fries rule! Steak cut fries rule!"

When people look up hamburgers, both restaurants get an advantage. Because restaurant B is more popular, more search terms could be matched. You could get an extra boost if people search for pizza, cheese steaks and French fries.

SEO Engagement Signals

Your ranking is affected by how much engagement you get from your Google Business listing. It includes viewing pictures, getting directions, visiting your website, answering questions and reading reviews.

Google uses a user's time on your listing to determine its ranking. A searcher's time on your listing will be increased if you have many reviews.

Positivity in Reviews

It's obvious. Although it may seem scary, Google can detect the tone in your reviews. Google is likely to think that your reviews are positive if they use words such as "best", "great", or "very satisfied".

Based on what past clients have said, Google will reward your business with higher rankings in local packs if they believe you are doing a great job.

The Reviewer's Authority

All of us have heard the phrase "Yelpers". The practice of awarding a "status" to customers who leave reviews is now being used by other review websites. Google's "Local Guides" and websites like Foursquare and Trip Advisor give badges out to contributors. Getting a Google Local Guide review is more important than one from an individual who only left their first Google review.

You'll gain Google's trust after you have done several Google reviews (or other reviews). Your opinion is more important to Google and will likely appear at the top as "most relevant". You should get a better ranking if you have more positive reviews for your rock stars on Google as well as third-party review sites.

Negative factors for SEO and Reviews

Let's quickly discuss how poor review practices can affect your ranking.

Negative Sentiment

If your customers constantly use negative words to describe you, it will affect your position.

Low Scores

Google won't send you business if your overall review rating is low. You will, therefore, see a lower ranking.

It also applies to those who have a poor rating on third-party sites.

Report Fake Reviews

Google is not a fan of fake reviews. You'll get in serious trouble if you try to game their system and put false reviews on your profile page.

Google can suspend your page if you are caught posting fake reviews.

Fake reviews: Are they worth the trouble?

Review Gating Reports

Some companies use a practice known as "Review Gating" to hide negative reviews from the public. They ask the client if they are satisfied with the service before sending them to the reviews page.

They are then sent to Google's public reviews if they have given a thumbs-up. They are then sent to the private form if they don't give the thumbs up. This allows the business to handle the issue without damaging its online reputation.

If caught, your page may be suspended or all of your reviews deleted. Google is looking for reviews that accurately represent your company. They'll take you to task if you try to manipulate it.

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