User reviews

Local SEO makes inroads in 2021. Google prioritizes regional companies over large companies operating at the national level. With the rise in mobile usage, more and more people are searching Google when they are on the go. How do user reviews boost a website’s SEO? We explain it in this article.

User reviews definition

User reviews are reviews given by customers that show up on your website or in Google. Reviews paint a good picture for Google as to what extent products or services are quality.

Google gets an insight into what you do, how you do it and how well you do it through user reviews.

The importance of user reviews for SEO

Why are user reviews important? There are several reasons:

  • Google trusts reviews. Google’s algorithms link positive reviews to high quality Web sites.
  • Interact with real customers: through Google My Business, a website owner is encouraged to interact with his/her customers.
  • Customer reviews affect the bounce rate. When a searcher performs a search, a company’s user reviews are the first to be seen. It is, in fact, what ensures whether a searcher clicks on a Web result.

How do you deal with user reviews?

User reviews can be divided into positive and negative reviews. A positive review results from a good experience with a company. For example, a negative review indicates a less positive experience with the company.

It is important to see criticism as feedback. Handle critical reviews tactfully. Respond respectfully and offer a possible solution. Move the complaint directly to another means of communication such as a phone call. That way the experience is more personal and the customer feels helped.

In the case of a positive review, it is important to thank the client in question for his/her time. Make it personal and make leaving reviews appealing.

Read more about local SEO

I have written many articles on local SEO. You’ll find the most relevant ones below. Feel free to read further on this topic.

My advice

SEO is always changing, and so are the ranking factors of Google’s algorithm. What we know is that the searcher’s user experience takes precedence. When a searcher reads all the positive reviews about a company at a glance, it encourages them to click through to the website. (1)

Good and sincere feedback is therefore crucial for search engine optimization. The only cause of good feedback is an optimized user experience. When someone has a complaint, don’t ignore it. Engage in conversation and think in solutions rather than problems.

Especially invite positive customers to write a review. That way, the reviews remain sincere. Make writing a review attractive and easy.

Resources

  1. Review Snippet (Review, AggregateRating) Structured Data | Google Search Central | Documentation | Google for Developers. (s.d.). Google For Developers. https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/review-snippet
Senior SEO-specialist

Ralf van Veen

Senior SEO-specialist
Five stars
My clients give me a 5.0 on Google out of 78 reviews

I have been working for 12 years as an independent SEO specialist for companies (in the Netherlands and abroad) that want to rank higher in Google in a sustainable manner. During this period I have consulted A-brands, set up large-scale international SEO campaigns and coached global development teams in the field of search engine optimization.

With this broad experience within SEO, I have developed the SEO course and helped hundreds of companies with improved findability in Google in a sustainable and transparent way. For this you can consult my portfolio, references and collaborations.

This article was originally published on 3 April 2024. The last update of this article was on 3 April 2024. The content of this page was written and approved by Ralf van Veen. Learn more about the creation of my articles in my editorial guidelines.