How to Use Google Reviews to Improve Restaurant Sales

We live in an unprecedented time where a restaurant's reputation can be made or broken on the internet. With a simple Google search, you can now learn whether your favourite restaurant is a hidden gem or should remain hidden. That being said, never underestimate the power of positive Google reviews when it comes to growing your business.

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Consumers increasingly are turning to online reviews to decide whether to visit a restaurant, in hopes of reducing the risk factor of visiting an unknown establishment by relying on their peers’ opinions. Plus, as we’ve reported before, over 83% of the world carries a smartphone, and 90% of them use it to discover local businesses. If you’re hoping to capture the attention of local customers who are searching for someplace to eat, it’s important that you make online reviews a key component of your restaurant marketing plans. Here are some important guidelines you need to know as you set up your local marketing.

What Are Google Reviews?

Google reviews is a feature that allows users to review businesses, restaurants, and bars and share their experiences with other potential customers. When a customer visits an establishment, they can look up the business’s Google Profile, give a star rating between one and five stars, and leave a review about their experience.

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These reviews are a valuable source of feedback on your business. They allow people to rate your restaurant based on their visit to your restaurant, which means you can easily see what they think of your food, service, and atmosphere. Reviews can cover everything from what the parking was like to how quickly the waiter brought the check.

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Once a customer leaves a review, it appears along with a business’s listing on Google Maps, so that people can read reviews about the business before they decide to visit. These reviews help consumers make decisions about where they want to spend their money and what products or services they want to buy.

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Why Do Google Reviews Matter for My Restaurant?

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Google reviews have become an important part of digital marketing for restaurants, hotels, and other local businesses. The reason is simple: People trust other people's opinions more than they trust advertisements or sales pitches. If a restaurant has five reviews and four of them are positive, customers will be more likely to visit because they know it's probably not going to be a bad experience. Below are some of the reasons Google Reviews are so important for restaurants.

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Reviews increase sales

When customers see positive reviews about your restaurant on Google business listings, it encourages them to try it out for themselves. This means more people walking through your doors every day — which leads directly to increased sales! If a visitor knows that others have enjoyed their meal at your location, they'll be more likely to stop by and give it a try themselves.

Achieve higher organic rankings

Did you know that reviews impact local SEO for restaurants? Having lots of great quality reviews is one of the most important online ranking factors, as they help Google rank your website higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Search Engine Journal reports that a business’s Google review count and review score both factor into local search rankings. In other words, having more reviews and positive ratings from customers help to boost your local ranking. The best part about this is that it’s free — all you need is positive reviews from happy customers.

Get a higher click-through rate

Given that consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, it makes sense that click-through rates (CTRs) are higher for businesses with positive Google reviews. These reviews boost your visibility on Google Search and Maps and increase CTRs because people are more likely to click if they see positive reviews.

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Manage your restaurant’s online reputation

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Google reviews are a critical component of restaurant marketing, one that restaurant owners and managers cannot afford to ignore. Having a review management process in place will help you manage your restaurant’s online reputation and attract more local customers.

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How to Get More Google Reviews

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Now that you know how important Google reviews are, are you ready to get more of them? Check out our ideas below.

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Reply to existing reviews to build trust

Replying to all of your online reviews will build trust and encourage people to leave feedback. When customers see that reviews get prompt, authentic responses, they will be more likely to become loyal customers themselves and leave reviews of their own.

Remind customers to leave reviews

Ask your customers to write a review when they pay the bill. This can help generate more reviews over time and increase the average rating score of your restaurant's Google business listing.

Create a Google review link

With a customised Google review link, you can invite customers to leave reviews from a variety of places: on the menu, on the receipt, in an email or a text thanking guests for visiting, and so on. You can even attach this link to a QR code that people can easily scan to be taken to a review-response page to leave feedback.

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What to Do When Someone Leaves a Bad Review

Negative reviews can be difficult to deal with, but there are a few things you can do that will help you turn the situation around.

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Be professional in your response

‍ It's important to stay positive and polite when responding to negative reviews so that you don't come off as defensive or angry. You should also avoid arguing or blaming the reviewer, even if they're clearly in the wrong. Instead, apologise for the mistake or negative experience, and explain how you plan on fixing it going forward.

Ask them to contact you directly offline

If someone leaves a negative review on Google, they probably won't want to contact the business directly (since they've already aired their grievances publicly). However, if someone leaves an especially bad review — like one that makes false claims — it may be worth reaching out through email or a phone call. If someone makes an untrue statement, you can also try reporting the review to Google in an effort to have the review taken down.

Have a review management system in place

Implementing technology tools like Mobal.io can help to automate your review management. We can help you respond to reviews quickly and professionally, with just the right personal touch. With these tools in place, you won’t let a negative review slip through the cracks, and you’ll have a way to deal with it promptly.

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How to Improve Your Restaurant Sales With Google Reviews

When it comes to boosting your business and increasing profits, Google reviews are one of the most powerful restaurant marketing tools. Google reviews for restaurants can help you boost your sales because you’ll not only attract more customers but also have greater insights into your customers’ needs.

• Increase visibility and drive traffic to your restaurant
• Improve customer service and satisfaction with the dining experience
• Help you improve sales
• Create a loyal customer base that helps you attract new business.

You can earn more sales by improving your Google reviews and responding quickly when someone leaves an unfavourable review. You should also keep an eye on your competition's Google ratings so that you know what they are doing well — or poorly — and learn from them!

The best way to improve your own restaurant's ratings is by monitoring current customers' experiences in addition to working hard at providing excellent customer service each day. This makes it more likely you’ll earn more positive Google reviews and get more customers through your doors.

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Final Thoughts

As a restaurant owner, you know the importance of getting great reviews and managing your Google reviews well. Now that people have started to leave reviews for your business on Google, you need to make sure that these reviews are positive and continue to build trust with potential customers.

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Undoubtedly, Google reviews are an important part of your online reputation and can help potential customers decide whether or not to visit your restaurant. They also make it easier for customers who have visited before to remember their experience and recommend you to other people in the future.

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With our guidelines above, you should have greater insights into how to use Google reviews to boost your restaurant's sales. While it might seem like a daunting task at first glance, with the right tools in place, like Mobal.io, it can be easy and even enjoyable to interact with your customers. So go out there and start collecting more reviews from happy customers — and get ready for an influx of new business.

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