The local search war for construction and construction-related brands is heating up and rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs) are increasingly important.
One element of your local search-ranking factor is the number and quality of reviews your business receives. And for construction service brands this is even more critical, as outside recommendations carry more weight in the consumer’s mind. Reviews can come from a variety of sources. For the construction industry, some of the most relevant and important review sites include Google+ Local, Yelp, BBB, and Angie’s List.
Below we will share why online reviews are so important including how they influence consumer behavior, how they impact search, and tips for getting reviews.
Reviews Influence Consumer Behavior
Online reviews not only carry a lot of weight in search rankings, but in the mind of consumers. Consider the following statistics:
Online Reviews and Search Results
Review sites such as BBB, Yelp, and Angie’s List have a high search authority. Often searches for local services will yield results with sites such as these in top positions (see example below), before the actual websites of companies. Therefore, it is important for your construction company to be listed on these sites and get positive reviews.
Depending on the search, it can trigger these websites and local results. See an example below of a search for a local roofing company:
(click to view full size)
Notice that 3/4 search results are review-based (BBB, Angies List, and Yelp respectively). Also, the top local search result has the most (and great!) Google reviews. While there are other factors involved in Google’s local search results, reviews are a consideration. There is one website that shows up naturally, notice the first part of the title tag is location-based (“Naperville Roofing…”). For natural search results, be sure to “localize” your website. More on that here in our article for Construction Business Owner: Get to Know SEO.
Tips For Getting Reviews
The most important, and perhaps obvious, way to get more positive reviews is to provide great customer service 100 percent of the time. Many people are not motivated to review a company unless they had a bad experience! Don’t give customers anything to complain about. Below are some additional tips for getting more online reviews:
Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback – Many won’t reach out to their customers for feedback. Consider sending a follow-up email after project completion to request feedback.
Make it easy – Add links to your profiles on review sites to your website to encourage customers to write a review. If you are requesting feedback by email, don’t forget to include the links to make it easy! See examples below of buttons you can put on your website:
Timing can make a difference – Customers are most likely to give you feedback right away.
Provide instructions – Maybe a customer wants to leave a review but does not know how to do it. You can create a SIMPLE step-by-step checklist to provide to clients and even include in feedback email.
Steer clear of purchasing/creating fake reviews. Review sites are cracking down on such tactics, and it could tarnish your reputation!
Do you have any tips to share? Please share them in the comment box below. Online reviews, considered an “off-page” SEO technique are a piece of the search engine ranking puzzle. For more SEO advice, including “on-page” techniques, read our article Get to Know SEO.
Great information! With the apprehension of consumers hiring contractors,
consumer review sites are the best way to substantiate your business.and
gain trust for your company. They will also serve as traffic coming back
to your company website which the search engines look at to raise your
website up in the search results. It’s like having free advertising for
your company. Very useful information here.
What is already very common in the B2C world by having a review section, is also a good idea for B2B companies. Considering that a very high percentage of people basing their decision relying on recommendations through friends or people they trust, it should be an easy decision for companies. However, the fear is getting negative reviews. That is understandable but on the other hand easier to deal with if it is on someone’s own website than somewhere else on the internet without your knowledge. At least you can react to it and in a lot of cases turn the bad situation into a good outcome.
Thank you for the post! Its always important to review anything before you hire or buy. Its good to know what others have said to see if they are the fit for you. Make sure that you compare a couple before making your decision.
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Is the data listed in the “influence of online reviews” conducted by the Wall Street Journal specific to the construction industry? Regardless, I think its a great indicator that in this digital age managing your brands reputation both online and offline is more crucial than ever. I think as this realization really starts to spread through the construction market specifically we’ll see more companies begin to invest and staff up against digital brand reputation management. A strong online reputation is no longer a nice to have, but a must have. Great Post!
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We have been working on getting more reviews for our sites and this article is perfect. Thanks for posting this and please keep writing great tips like this one.