Blog

Dec 13, 2019

How important are Google Reviews?

As companies submit their year-end reviews we thought we’d take some time to share information about another important review – GOOGLE REVIEWS. Our clients often ask us about Google Reviews. Are they important? Should we solicit for positive Google Reviews? Do prospects trust Google Reviews? The answer to all of these questions is YES!

Are Google Reviews important?

Absolutely! Nearly 90% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as they trust a recommendation from someone they know. Consider your own online shopping habits. When you’re searching for a vacuum cleaner and there are hundreds of brands, makes, models to choose from you’re more likely to read what Susan from Idaho has to say about how her Dyson vacuum cleaner is amazing when it comes to sweeping up dog hair around her house. FIVE STARS from Susan means one step closer to a “click to purchase.”

Should you solicit for positive Google Reviews?

Absolutely! We’ve said it many times to our online audience and even more times to our clients. Your buyers are your greatest marketing! But they need to be told how they can help you share your story. Many won’t think to do it unless they’re asked, especially if your target market is of an older demographic and less familiar with Google Reviews.

When you consider the 10 or more positive reviews you receive and the potential few customers who might want to speak negatively of your organization, the more people you ask the better off you are. It ends up being a numbers game –  with a hypothetical 16 five stars and 3 two stars – a buyer is likely to assume those three dissatisfied customers didn’t have a typical experience with your company (or they’re just that type of person who wants to complain about everything.)

Should you respond to Google Reviews?

Again, absolutely! An unanswered or unacknowledged review appears more negative than if you respond and encourage off-line communication. A simple response like, “Thank you Bob for your review. We understand your frustration but want to do what we can to make this better. Please contact us at 123-4567 so we can move towards rectifying this situation immediately.” In some cases, we understand the situation might not be able to be rectified but it’s imperative you engage and show that you’re willing to act. Responding to negative reviews has positive benefits!

If you need help with online reputation management and SEO, contact us today to learn how Maria Chrissovergis Public Relations & Marketing can help your company. (And afterwards, you can leave us a FIVE STAR review.)

Testimonials

  • Plain and simple, Maria and her team at MCPR Agency will make you look great!  For Glenn Layton Homes, it’s so important for the clean architectural design of our homes to be reflected as our brand and without a doubt that’s what MC PR & Marketing provides for us.  They keep us updated on current trends and ensures that our brand is consistent in all marketing efforts. Everything from our social media content, advertisements, press releases, brochures and of course our beautiful magazine has that same clean and elegant flow.  They’re so easy to work with, quick turnaround and they make your brand look good in the process.

    • Katrina Watkins, Sales and Marketing Broker
    • Glenn Layton Homes
  • MC PR & Marketing did an amazing job getting started on marketing my medical practice!  The staff is incredibly creative, attentive and detail oriented.  Their level of knowledge and customer service is second to none!  I always feel like I’m their most important client!  Their recent marketing campaign proved to be very successful for my practice and we received several leads – proven ROI!

    • Dr. Stratis Lagoutaris
    • Podiatry Associates of Florida
  • Maria Chrissovergis and team has helped Artisan Homes tremendously in all areas of our PR and marketing ventures. Along with aiding in design elements of our website, marketing collateral material and visual branding. MCPR has helped us in spreading the true meaning of Artisan Homes to The Florida Times Union, Amelia Island Chamber, Residentnews.net and more to come in 2018.

    As one of Northeast Florida’s premier local home builders, we greatly appreciate the assistance and expertise from MC Public Relations and Marketing and look forward all future projects together.

    • Scott Dennis, President
    • Artisan Homes
  • I can say, 110% certainty, that Maria, Jennifer, Anastasia and the rest of the MCPR team are patient, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable.  Their guidance helped me take my online and social media marketing to the ‘next level’, and without their help, I can honestly say that I would have been lost.  Highly recommended!

    • Mike
    • Tampa
  • Recently I had a competing builder visit one of our models and he loved our magazine.  He asked how come they didn’t have something like this and I replied, because they don’t have MC PR & Marketing! Being a boutique custom home builder, it’s necessary to have a team that gives you every essential part of public relations and sometimes on a moment’s notice.  I can’t tell you the times I’ve sent a request late one day and find the beautiful results waiting in inbox the following morning.  This is the kind of quality service you can expect with MC PR & Marketing. You couldn’t ask for a better agency to partner with.  

    • Katrina Watkins, Sales and Marketing Broker
    • Glenn Layton Homes
  • …Our experience working with MC Public Relations & Marketing has been nothing short of phenomenal.  From discussing branding and marketing strategy, to sales training and event coordination, every element of our campaign was handled perfectly, so much so that after going “live” in April, we signed our first three clients before the end of the month. Maria and her team are an essential, integral part of our continued success (sometimes we forget she’s not an actual employee of Aria Homes!), and we are grateful for her keen eye, expertise, and unwavering commitment to our growth and success.

    • Irina Johnson, President
    • Aria Homes
  • As someone who has an extensive background in marketing and advertising, I am pretty selective when it comes to hiring an agency to represent my listings. MC Public Relations & Marketing is delivering incredible results. People continue to make references to my real estate listings and a lot of the buzz is being generated from my social media marketing which MC Public Relations & Marketing is handling. They have incredible sense of how to market, where to market and what to market. And the results show, this team is exceptional!

    • Maria Pappas
    • The Legends of Real Estate
  • I want to express my appreciation to you and your staff for the exceptional value you have added to YCC’s efforts to increase the community awareness of our services. Through your focused approach, our social media connections have increased multiple times from the volume they were at when we began working with your agency approximately eighteen months ago. This increase has directly produced donations and visits to our campus by interested members of our community. Thank you for your professionalism and for the commitment you demonstrate to helping YCC.

    • Greg Steele, President/CEO
    • Youth Crisis Center
  • …I’ve known Maria Chrissovergis for a number of years, and consider her to be the best of the best in Public Relations. Maria has worked directly for me as well as in consulting positions. She understands our industry and how to leverage media exposure in a purposeful way…

    • Glenn Layton, Managing Partner
    • Glenn Layton Homes &
      Builder of the HGTV Smart Home 2013
  • It has been a pleasure working with Maria and her marketing team over the past few years. The MC Public Relations & Marketing team of highly motivated and talented staff have created some of the most productive and successful digital and print media for our projects that I have experienced in years. I am most appreciative of the team’s complete understanding of the real estate business including, both the new homes and existing home sales and marketing. Maria and her team’s combined knowledge and experience in real estate public relations, marketing and sales puts them in a unique position as a PR and Marketing agency.

    We are thankful for their creative ideas and most of all for the success we have experienced on our projects. We look forward to a continuing relationship as we bring new projects to the market.

    • Timothy G. Shea, President
    • Shea Properties, Inc.

Let’s tell your story together. Web design, brand development, social & traditional marketing, we live for this stuff!