How to Get 5-Star Google Reviews Organically

When you want a glowing 5 star Google review rating for your business, you might experience a strong urge to buy positive reviews.

Let me tell you: it’s a bad idea!

Why not invest all that money toward something that will create long-lasting results and benefits for your business?

I have a solution that gets you great Google business reviews organically and automatically ♻️

The secret behind getting 5-star reviews on Google can be summarized in the following points:

1. Provide stellar products and services
2. Make asking for Google reviews a priority
3. Use best practices in asking for Google reviews

Let’s dig into this actionable guide on how to do it in practice. 

Quick Guide to Collecting Google Reviews

1. Connect your Google location to Trustmary
2. Create a survey that asks for customer feedback
3. Add a redirection to Google on the thank you page
4. Send it to your customers

It seems counterintuitive to add step of asking for customer feedback, but it’s the secret sauce to ensuring good customer experience and response rates.

When was the last time YOU left a Google review?

Mine was in October 2023, so 12 months ago.

Not everyone has a Google account, so redirecting them straight to Google will result to this:

Getting more Google reviews is possible, but not as straightforward as you might initially think. One of the most common pain points in business has to do with getting more reviews.

Remember to read the rest of the guide to learn how to ensure customers’ willingness to write Google reviews. And check out Trustmary Method if you want to make getting customer feedback and reviews a part of your strategy.

The Impact of 5-Star Google Reviews

5-star Google reviews have an immense impact on your business. As well as all online reviews, for that matter.

In this article, I’ll focus only on Google business reviews.

Enhancing Credibility

Trust is a fundamental element in any business transaction.

Actually, a business’s online reputation influences decisions long before one even gets to the purchasing part.

Having social proof and adding a Google review widget to one’s website are no-brainers.

The testimonials on our website are a game changer for brand credibility.
It’s much more credible when we can showcase client’s comments compared to just client logos.

Mikko Rindell, CEO & Founder @Balanced Growth Boutique

When potential customers see a high average rating and a multitude of 5-star reviews, it significantly enhances the credibility of your business. 

Consumers often equate high ratings with high-quality service or products, making them more willing to engage with your brand.

In fact, 58% of consumers would be ready to pay more or travel further to visit companies with good reviews.

Influencing Decision-Making

Approximately 90% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase decision.

Most individuals trust these reviews as much as personal recommendations. It’s crazy to think that reviews on Google services, such as Google Maps, have such a significant impact on us.

Having many 5-star Google business reviews from satisfied customers influences consumer behavior by providing social proof, which can be instrumental in converting potential customers into buying customers.

Online reviews in general make a difference.

Boosting SEO Rankings

Google reviews are a significant search engine ranking factor.

A high number of positive reviews improves your visibility on Google’s search results, thereby increasing the chances of local customers discovering your business.

This elevated visibility can drive more organic traffic to your website, consequently boosting sales.

Optimizing User Experience

By monitoring and responding to Google reviews, you can obtain invaluable insights into what your customers value most. 

This feedback loop is critical for ongoing service improvements and can lead to a better overall customer experience. 

When you constantly adapt and improve, you not only attract more 5-star reviews but also create a customer-centric culture that differentiates your brand.

Increasing Customer Retention

Five-star reviews often result from exceptional customer service and a high-quality product or service offering. 

When you meet or exceed customer expectations, you’re not just encouraging them to leave positive reviews; you’re also increasing the likelihood of repeat business. 

Customer retention is often more cost-effective than customer acquisition, adding another layer of financial incentive to aim for those 5-star ratings.

Enhancing Your Online Reputation Management

Responding to both positive and negative Google reviews shows that your business values customer feedback and is committed to resolving issues. 

This proactive approach to online reputation management can neutralize negative reviews and amplify the impact of positive ones, thereby sustaining a favorable business image.

💡Pro tip: Don’t forget to monitor your social media accounts and respond to comments there!

A great way to motivate people to write reviews for you is to share each Google business review on your social media stories!

Just provide a direct link to leave a Google review to make it easy for customers.

Improving Revenue

Studies have shown that a one-star increase in a Yelp rating can lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue, and Google Reviews likely have a similar impact. 

We already observe some correlation between the number of Google reviews and revenue: businesses that have 200 reviews or more generate twice as much revenue as businesses that have fewer reviews.

When you combine the benefits of increased visibility, customer trust, and improved service, it’s clear that 5-star Google reviews can significantly enhance your bottom line.

Three Levels to Earning Glowing Google Reviews

How can you tap into the above benefits and start getting more 5-star reviews?

This guide divides deep into the required steps and strategies.

I have divided the guide into three levels:

1. Perfect your customer experience.
2. Make Google reviews a priority in your company.
3. Follow the best practices when asking for Google reviews.

You have to excel in the first level before you can experience success in the second and third levels.

By following these guidelines, you will be able to grow your Google rating.

19 New Google Reviews in Three Months with Trustmary

In just three months, Jeda Logistics got:

• 171 responses to their customer survey, and 
• 69 of them have been public reviews
• 40% of respondents leave a public review
• 19 new Google reviews

Jeda Logistics first asks for Trustmary reviews and after that people can also leave a Google review, if they want.

Before, they asked only for Google reviews, and the results were slim. That’s because there are many reasons people don’t want to give Google reviews.

One of them has to do with the lack of anonymity of Google reviews, and other factors have more to do with how tech-savvy respondents are.

Now our reviews are loading automatically on our website and our Google reviews are climbing.  I couldn’t be more pleased with the results!

Laura Andersson, Managing Director @Jeda Logistics

Level 1: Perfect the Customer Experience

The first step to a 5-star review is to make sure your customer service is top-notch.

Why would anyone leave a great Google review for a company whose service isn’t worth five stars?

….

As a business owner, you should take a long hard look into the mirror and go through any customer feedback you’ve ever got.

No one will leave positive reviews for a company that doesn’t fulfill expectations – and exceed them.

Here’s how you can ensure that you are on the right track.

7 Steps to Perfecting Customer Experience

1. Measure Customer Experience
2. Ask For Constructive Feedback
3. Listen to What People Have to Say
4. Learn from The Feedback
5. Improve the Customer Experience
6. Provide Stellar Customer Service
7. Be Genuine

Measure Customer Experience

Understanding customer experience is the foundation of generating more 5-star Google reviews.

Don’t be one of the businesses that only think they know what their customers think. Be one of the companies that have cold hard data on it.

Use various methods to gauge customer satisfaction, such as surveys, direct feedback, and analytics. 

Tools like the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) can provide quantitative data on customer satisfaction, while open-ended surveys can offer qualitative insights.

The more you know about what your customers think and feel, the better you’ll be able to meet their needs.

And at the end of the day, increase NPS with systematic measuring and improvements.

Ask For Constructive Feedback

Don’t be afraid to ask your customers for their honest opinions. 

The objective here is to receive constructive feedback that highlights both the strengths and weaknesses of your business. 

Make it easy for customers to share their thoughts—whether it’s through a follow-up email, a review prompt on your website, or an in-person request. 

The key is to make this process as simple and straightforward as possible, thereby increasing the likelihood that people will actually take the time to provide their insights.

Request reviews whenever you can!

Listen to What People Have to Say

Simply asking for feedback is not enough; you have to actively listen to what your customers are saying. 

This means reading each review carefully, acknowledging suggestions, and thanking customers for their input—even when it’s critical. 

When you actively listen, you not only show that you value the opinions of your customers but also gain valuable insights that can drive strategic decisions for your business.

Learn from The Feedback

Once you’ve gathered feedback, the next step is to analyze the data and learn from it. 

Are there recurring issues that need to be addressed? 

What are the strong points that can be highlighted even more? 

The goal is to identify trends and patterns that can help you understand what’s working well and what needs improvement. 

Taking action based on customer feedback can turn a mediocre experience into an exceptional one, and it greatly increases the chances of earning 5-star reviews.

Improve the Customer Experience

Your business should be in a constant state of evolution when it comes to customer experience.

Utilize the feedback and insights you’ve gained to make calculated improvements. 

This can range from quick fixes like improving website navigation or longer-term projects like enhancing product features.

When customers see that their suggestions are being implemented, they are more likely to feel a sense of loyalty and satisfaction with your business, leading to more positive reviews.

Provide Stellar Customer Service

Good customer service can often turn a negative situation into a positive review.

If a customer experiences a problem, they will remember how you resolved the issue more than the problem itself, thanks to a psychological phenomenon called peak-end rule.

Train your team to handle complaints professionally and courteously, always aiming to exceed customer expectations. 

Remember, customer service doesn’t end with the sale; it encompasses the entire customer journey, including after-sales support. 

Providing top-notch customer service can significantly increase your chances of getting 5-star reviews.

Be Genuine

Authenticity goes a long way in any business interaction. 

Customers can easily sense when interactions are forced or disingenuous. 

Whether you’re asking for feedback, responding to a review, or solving a customer issue, ensure that you are genuine in your communications and actions. 

People are more inclined to leave a positive review when they feel they’ve connected with a business on a human level. 

Being genuine can turn one-time customers into loyal patrons, who are not only more likely to leave 5-star reviews but also to recommend your business to others.

Level 2: Make Google Reviews a Priority

After you have ensured that your business is worthy of positive reviews, it’s all about internalizing why reviews are important and getting the whole company behind the objective.

If you skip this step, no one in your company will strive to get more reviews on Google. And without that proactive mindset, you can’t win.

Make It a Key Result

A good way to motivate yourself and your team to actually collect Google reviews is to make it an important objective.

When our customer Eezy Personnel made their NPS a key metric for measuring success, they managed to increase its NPS from 46 to 70.

In fact, this is how we at Trustmary started getting more and more Google reviews. We decided to make a certain amount of weekly new reviews a key result and follow our progression on a regular basis.

It ensured that everyone in the company (or at least those people who were able to affect the outcome) was focused on the task. And it paid off!

We went from having a handful of Google reviews to having 56 positive reviews on Google.

After developing the processes, we have now established a Google review flow that requires no specific attention. We just get reviews regularly without too much effort.

20 Google Reviews with One Survey

Here’s another great example of how anyone can boost their business online by requesting reviews with Trustmary.

During our two-week trial we got a total of 350 customer feedback, 50 testimonials, and 20 Google reviews.
Our survey response rate was 20% and our NPS was a staggering 80.

Mikko Hosiokoski, Founder & CEO @Glass Factory

Process for Getting New Google Reviews

1. Focus on delivering excellent customer service
2. Embed a Google review link to our website and all review requests (= make it easy to review you!)
3. Send review requests via email after each appropriate customer touch point
4. Send reminders after a few days of the initial review request

Forget about buying Google reviews or generating reviews with AI.

Trustmary helps to make the process of getting authentic reviews simple.

Trust me, getting many excellent customer reviews will help your business in the long run.

Educate Your Staff

It’s important that everyone in the organization understands the importance of reviews. Otherwise, people won’t find it important enough and will rather focus on other tasks.

You can educate your staff by showing them proof such as review statistics or using examples from their personal life to illustrate your point.

Incentivize Your Staff

To further motivate your staff to prioritize reviews, you can offer incentives for collecting reviews and attaining a high rating.

For example, you can offer bonuses for those who collect the most reviews and for those who attain the highest rating.

This will also play into the customer experience: if the staff is motivated to earn a 5-star rating, they will provide excellent customer service.

Prepare Your Google Business Profile

Finally, make sure that your Google Business profile builds trust. 

Update your information on your page and make sure clients recognize your profile immediately.

This way the clients can feel confident about leaving reviews for your business, and your profile will overall attract new customers.

Look at your Google Business profile as you would any other local business. Check at least the following on your Google Business Profile listings:

• Opening hours up-to-date
• Address and contact information can be found
• How many reviews you have now
• Average star rating currently
• Answer to positive and negative reviews, especially the negative ones!
• Connect your social media handles to GMB

Level 3: Getting a 5-Star Google Review the Right Way

Okay, now we have covered the first two levels, so it’s time to dive into the practicalities.

Ask at the Right Time

Timing can be everything when it comes to asking for Google reviews. 

Try to pinpoint the moment when a customer is most likely to be satisfied with your product or service.

This could be immediately after a purchase, at the end of a successful service call, or after they’ve experienced some measurable benefit from your product or service. 

The “happy moment” can vary depending on your industry, but it’s typically when the value you provide is most evident. 

For e-commerce, this would be right after someone placed an order or when their package gets delivered.

Identify your key moments!

Make It Easy

The easier you make the review process, the more likely customers are to participate.

Complicated or time-consuming processes will deter people, no matter how satisfied they are with your product or service. 

Provide clear and concise instructions on how to leave a Google review. 

You can send an email with a direct link to your Google review page or use QR code surveys in physical locations to guide customers to the review site. 

Simplifying the review process removes obstacles, making customers more willing to leave a positive review.

Send Reminders

People lead busy lives, and even if they have the best intentions to leave a review, they might forget. 

Sending a gentle reminder can nudge those who meant to leave a review but didn’t get around to it. 

Make sure your reminders are polite and not overly frequent to avoid annoying your customers.

You can use email or text message reminders, and it’s often effective to combine this with a “thank you” message, letting them know how much you appreciate their business and feedback.

Recent research has shown that sending reminders has a positive effect on response rates:

Be Persuasive

Being persuasive doesn’t mean being pushy; it’s about conveying why leaving a review is a win-win for both the customer and your business. 

Explain how their feedback not only helps other customers make informed decisions but also helps you provide a better service. 

People are more likely to take action when they understand the impact they can make. Craft your message in a way that highlights these benefits, offering compelling reasons for customers to take a few minutes to leave a review.

Distribute Requests in the Right Channels

Not all communication channels are equally effective for every audience. 

For some businesses, email might be the most direct and efficient way to reach customers. For others, social media or even a printed card accompanying a purchase could be more effective.

Most of us leave a Google review on a mobile device, so make that ✨ effortless ✨

Know where your customers are most active and engaged, and leverage those channels to ask for reviews. 

Tailoring your approach based on the channel can also allow you to adjust your tone and language to better match the platform and the audience.

Incentivize Feedback

While it’s against Google’s policy to offer financial incentives for reviews, there are other ethical ways to encourage feedback. 

For example, you can offer entry into a giveaway or a discount on a future purchase as a “thank you” for leaving a review. 

Make sure the incentive is offered for all reviews, not just positive ones, to stay in line with best practices. 

The aim is to show appreciation for the time and effort it takes to leave a review.

Ask Face-to-Face

As we learned earlier, genuine human connections result in more willingness to leave reviews.

If you or your staff meet customers personally, make sure to mention how much you would appreciate a review.

This will encourage customers to use a moment of their day to reward someone they connected with.

Give an Outlet for Negative Feelings

You are going to have customers who are less than perfectly content about their experience.

You have to listen to these customers, too.

Give them a possibility to voice their opinion somehow else than by writing a negative review. Send regular feedback surveys, so that these customers can share their insights with you directly.

This way you minimize the customer’s need to write a negative review, leading to a better overall rating.

Automate the Collection Process

All of this can sound very daunting. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be.

There are tools that let you automate the whole process, such as Trustmary. From sending the surveys to the right customers at the right time, to the process of using the reviews on your website.

By implementing such processes, you have no excuses for not making reviews a priority.

Display Reviews

Showcasing 5-star Google reviews on your website can already set the tone for the whole experience.

Humans are more likely to think positively of things that they hear good things about. That’s called confirmation bias.

Let’s say you are researching which phone to buy. If you keep hearing good things about a certain model and decide to buy it. You’ll likely notice those positive remarks in your own experience later on.

The same goes for negative reviews. If you end up buying a phone, you will likely notice the same negative aspects that the critical reviews pointed out.

Respond to Negative and Positive Reviews

Finally, responding to reviews is crucial for building a good relationship with your customers and getting more positive reviews.

Responding to positive Google reviews is simply a sign of good manners and appreciating the customer’s effort.

But the real challenge is responding to negative reviews in a manner that earns you a positive reputation.

You might not be able to affect how the critic sees your business, but remember that potential customers are also reading your reply.

The Ultimate Solution to Getting 5 Star Google Reviews

After learning how to get more Google reviews and earn a good rating, all you have to do is get down to business.

For a successful process, you need the best tool.

With Trustmary, you get to utilize a powerful Collect Flow that gets you constructive feedback and positive Google reviews.

With this smart flow, you can get real customer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews and keep your online reputation clean while collecting valuable feedback.

When you integrate Trustmary with your other daily tools like CRM, you can even trigger review requests to be sent at the best possible time.

Getting more Google reviews is easy like a walk in the park.

Create your first Google review campaign today:

Add Reviews to Website

Once you get awesome reviews, it’s time to put them to use.

Add them to your website!

Good news to WordPress users: We have the best plugin for WordPress, which we use ourselves as well.

You can use your existing Google reviews and import them to Trustmary. Then you can create a branded review widget and add it to your website to boost credibility with social proof.

Examples of Great 5-Star Reviews

Here are some imaginary example reviews one can get, if they just ask for reviews in the right way, at the right time, and from the right people.

5-Star Google Reviews for Restaurants

Did you know that getting Google reviews for restaurants can be made easier when using dedicated software?

The Perfect Date Night Spot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I had the most incredible experience at [Restaurant Name]. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was simply enchanting. Soft jazz music played in the background, and the dimly lit setting created the perfect atmosphere for a romantic dinner. The service was impeccable; our server was knowledgeable and made fantastic recommendations.

Examples of Awesome 5-Star Reviews for Doctors

A Compassionate and Knowledgeable Doctor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I recently had the privilege of being under the care of Dr. [Doctor’s Name], and I couldn’t be more pleased with the experience. Dr. [Doctor’s Name] is not only incredibly knowledgeable but also remarkably compassionate. They took the time to explain my condition and treatment options in a way I could easily understand, putting my mind at ease. Their dedication to patient well-being is evident, and I’m grateful to have such a caring doctor in my corner.

A Lifesaver in Every Sense ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Dr. [Doctor’s Name] is nothing short of a lifesaver. Their quick and accurate diagnosis of my condition, along with their immediate actions, made all the difference. They not only saved my life but also ensured that my recovery was smooth and well-monitored. Dr. [Doctor’s Name] is not just a doctor; they are a guardian angel in a white coat. I’m forever grateful for their expertise and compassion.

These reviews highlight various qualities that patients often value in doctors, including their medical expertise, compassion, ability to communicate effectively, and professionalism. Positive doctor reviews often underscore the positive impact the doctor has had on the patient’s health and well-being.

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