Get More Reviews with Perch

Published by Kristen McCormick at July 23, 2019

Why Our New Review Feature?

Businesses that ask for reviews get more reviews, and reviews are a free marketing tool. Yet many businesses fail to collect them. Why is this?

You forget to do so (you’re running a business, after all).
The link to your review section is hard to find.
The link is long (and unattractive).
You don’t know how to ask.

This Perch feature reminds you to get reviews, makes the link short and automatically accessible, and comes up with the messaging for you.

How it Works

The Perch review solicitation feature appears as a reminder through the Guided Inbox but is also accessible through the account tab. Here is how it may appear in the Perch Guided Inbox:

perch google review tool remind

Once you tap “Ask for a Review”, Perch will generate a review request message along with a link. Then just copy or share the message with customers via email or text message. The link takes them directly to the section of your Google business listing where they can write the review.

You can access this review link at any time by going to your account in Perch and selecting “Your Google Review Link”.

And there you have it. You’re making it easy for customers to leave reviews, and we’re making it easy for you to ask for them.

Benefits of Customer Reviews

So what’s the big deal with review solicitation? Businesses that get more Google reviews get more customers. Here’s how:

Reviews Build Trust

Consumers trust what existing customers have to say about a business. The more information a potential customer can gather about your business from other customers, the more likely they are to trust that information. Not to mention the fact that Google is the highest trusted search engine out there. Positive reviews on Google afford your business instant credibility.

Reviews are a Free Marketing Opportunity

Sure, Google Ads are an effective marketing tactic, but they cost money. Yes, SEO is the tried and true marketing strategy, but it takes time to build up your content. Reviews are both free and fast. It costs nothing for you to ask for reviews, they take minutes for customers to write, and they get posted to your Google My Business listing instantly.

Reviews Improve Your Google Visibility

Google gives preference to business listings that have a higher number of positive reviews. In fact, according to this Whitespark study, reviews have a direct impact on local business rankings.

Recent Reviews Attract New Customers

Keeping a steady stream of reviews for your business is important, as they indicate to customers that your business is doing well now. Recent reviews give potential customers the real-time representation of a business they’re looking for and increase their confidence in choosing you over competitors.

Reviews Are Permanent

Not only do customer reviews add value to your Google My Business profile, but they also aren’t going anywhere. Unlike posts that expire or get lost in the shuffle, reviews are permanent components to your profile.

Reviews Are Easy

Most of the review “work” is done by the customers. Even still, leaving a review is really not much work. The hardest part is usually just figuring out how to leave one. Which is why we’re releasing this new feature! This shortcut link takes customers directly to the section in your Google My Business listing where they can leave a review.

Happy customers are usually more than willing to leave a review for your business—as long as it’s easy to do. The same goes for business owners. We’ve made it as easy as possible to ask for reviews so you can do it more often and with more confidence.

Kristen McCormick

Kristen is the Content Marketing Manager for ThriveHive, where she geeks out daily over SEO, organic traffic, and A/B testing. When she's not equipping business owners and marketers to get their name out there through effective content, she's out pedaling the streets of Boston on her beloved bike.