It won't be news to me that restaurant reviews are super important for the success of your business.
If you think that implementing all the necessary steps to boost your online reviews and your Google profile is complicated, let me give you a hand.
As you well know, many potential customers check restaurant reviews on Google before deciding where to dine or eat.
So, let’s go over the basics of how online reviews affect purchasing decisions once again, so we have a good understanding of the mechanisms.
First of all I want to show you positive reviews of restaurants, examples.
Positive reviews restaurants examples
You've probably seen plenty of customer reviews already, but jordan phone number list what makes positive restaurant reviews examples really useful?
Quality over quantity : A review that is too long to read but does not cover the key points that interest a potential customer is of no use.
Like a customer who comments on how much fun they had on their birthday but doesn't say how the restaurant achieved that effect.
Be specific: what dishes did you like the most, how long did you wait for service, how was the treatment from the waiters, what did you like most about the experience in general.
Would they come back?: If a current customer shows that they come back again and again, it means that the restaurant maintains its quality . There is no point in a restaurant that was once good, had good reviews, and now is not really that way anymore.
Below are some positive restaurant reviews examples:
Maria.
Thanks to Javier for serving us so well, we felt very well treated. The food was great, everything very fresh. I especially loved the cod, which melted in your mouth. I will definitely come back.
Xavier.
We always go for my birthday and it never fails. This year we ordered the suckling pig and it was 10/10, one of the best I have ever eaten.
It's true, we can't always control what a customer writes, but with tools like Trustmary we can ask specific questions and then get specific answers.
And once we have the client's response, we can automatically invite them to share the review on Google.
We move on to the practical guide on how to improve your restaurant's local SEO.
Checklist to improve your restaurant's local SEO
Before performing any optimization, make sure you have completed the following:
Have you claimed your business on Google Maps?
Is the address correct?
Are your opening hours correctly recorded?
Have you added the phone number?
Are the links working and correct? (Website and link to reservations)
Are there any unanswered questions?
Have you responded to all the reviews on Google?
Have you added your social networks?
Are the photos up to date?
Can your letter be read clearly?
Are you an accessible business? Remember to add this information to your Google Maps profile!
These are the most basic things you need to consider. Don't do anything else until you've made sure all of those points are covered.
And now we can move on to understanding how potential customers find restaurants online and how they read reviews.
How can I improve my restaurant reviews?
If we take into account that most users in the research process base their research on the chosen restaurant having the following :
We have come to the conclusion that this is the way to go specifically in relation to our restaurant reviews on Google.
Building trust with Google restaurant reviews
People use search engines like Google to discover new places.
By having a good review for a restaurant, you can ensure that you are being considered even in the eyes of new people.
Google restaurant reviews play a vital role in establishing trust and improving the reputation of restaurants.
By responding to both positive and negative customer comments , a restaurant shows that it values customer opinions.
To build even more trust, it's crucial to provide accurate and complete information about the restaurant, such as its menu, opening hours, and how to get in touch. But you've already taken care of this if you've followed the checklist above.
Influencing potential customers' choice of restaurant
How do Google restaurant reviews influence customer choices?
Because they offer valuable information on:
The quality of the food
The effectiveness of the service
The overall experience of dining at this restaurant
The data suggests that a good Google rating can substantially influence a potential customer’s choice. Positive reviews detailing delicious dishes and friendly service can entice people to try a new local restaurant, while negative reviews highlighting slow service or poor hygiene could cause people to avoid entering.
Google reviews provide customers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
Disadvantages of over-relying on Google Restaurant Reviews
Information has its limitations
Although Google has a large number of restaurant reviews, it only serves as one source of information and cannot include everything.
Since individual preferences vary greatly, as one person may like spicy food while another likes a milder flavor, it is crucial to look at multiple sources and consider a variety of opinions when selecting a restaurant.
Additionally, Google's algorithm tends to favor places with a high number of Google reviews and a high overall rating.
Some featured locations may not be found in Google Maps search simply because they do not have enough reviews on Google.
Lack of specific information for personalized recommendations
Restaurant reviews on Google are not sorted or displayed based on your specific needs, such as whether you are vegan.
Without that personalization, users may be forced to sift through a multitude of irrelevant posts, struggling to find what they need.
For example, vegetarians might have to browse through countless reviews of meat dishes before finding vegetarian options.
Reviews are sometimes manipulated
Susceptibility to manipulation exists on all online review platforms, including restaurant reviews on Google.
Instances of unjustified positive or negative comments can distort the overall impression of a restaurant.
For example, a competitor or dissatisfied employee might unfairly disparage a restaurant's reputation. On the other hand, restaurant owners might persuade friends or family members to write overly favorable reviews.
It's even easy to buy fake reviews on Google these days or create them with AI review generators.
I would recommend staying away from these practices as they damage your reputation when you are discovered and can also result in you disappearing completely from the Google environment.
And the saying goes that a liar is always caught sooner than a cripple!