Why Google Reviews Are So Important For Australian Businesses in 2024

Why you need to make Google reviews a priority for your business to give you a competitive edge.

John Doe

Co-founder | CEO | Senior Marketing Manager
22 June, 2023 • 2 min

28 December, 2023

Google Reviews need to be viewed as a marketing tool for business.

Have you ever searched for a product or service online but were hesitant to buy from a business because they had no online reviews? You might not realise it, but a staggering 97% of Internet shoppers get influenced by online reviews and most trust what they say.

Google Reviews Are Easily Accessible

Around 94% of people who search for things online do so using Google, so it makes sense to encourage customers to leave reviews for your business on the platform.

Google reviews are easily accessible because they can appear in results pages or the “3-Pack” (the trio of search results that show up at the top of local search results).

Most people know that Google is a trustworthy brand, and so they will use Google reviews to influence their online shopping behaviour.

They Help You Rank For Local Search Results

Another reason to put serious thought into boosting your Google business reviews is that they can help you rank well for local searches.

For example, if you have a retail shop or trade premises somewhere, you want to attract customers in your area looking for the things you sell. Have you ever noticed how local searches show three results at the top of the first page of search results?

That’s known as the “Google 3-Pack.” Those three results highlighted at the top of the page are the highest-ranking results, and your business needs to be in that box for all relevant searches. Google doesn’t release the algorithm used to select the top three results. However, it is a widely held view that Google Reviews influence your ranking.

People Trust Google Reviews

Google is an established brand and is the go-to platform for web searches, email, and many online tools and resources. It should come as no surprise that Internet users trust Google reviews, and you should use that fact to your advantage.

For instance, you should encourage your customers to leave reviews about your business on Google instead of another review platform. This is easier said than done – we know.

When you have mostly positive reviews, potential customers are more likely to buy from you than a similar business with no reviews or mostly negative ones.

Consumers Prefer Businesses With Several Reviews

One final point to bear in mind is how online consumers prefer businesses with several reviews instead of just one or two.

An absolute minimum of ten to fifteen Google reviews is what your company should aim for to inspire consumer confidence in your brand and help you rank better in Google searches.

You also need to benchmark yourself against your competition and look to be competitive in displaying authentic reviews to prospective customers.

This goes for Google Reviews as well as other review sites and your own digital assets, such as your own business website.

Google reviews are a simple yet powerful tool that can help any business appear more credible to its target market, and they’re a valuable way of boosting your website’s SEO (search engine optimisation).

If you don’t already have a process for attracting Google Reviews, you need one! The sooner you do the better too.

For information on how the interact.social platform can help your business attract more Google Reviews, and other high-quality reviews from your customers, get in touch with our team today.