Google, your trusted search engine, has dominated the Internet and it also dominates the reviews department along with Yelp and Facebook.

In fact, it is safe to say that Google is likely the first place where you can interact with people who have gone to your place of business or those who are planning to pay your shop a visit.

Google is now a part of our lives. It helps us find products and gives us directions on how to get to a shop we’d like to go to. With Google’s influence online, it is only natural for the search engine to roll out a reviews feature allowing consumers to tell the world about their experiences in certain stores or with certain products. And since Google is one of the most dominant search engines, consumer reviews are highlighted and can reach thousands of people.This is why Google reviews matter and why you should respond to them.

To illustrate its importance, do a Google search of your business and take a look at what appears on the first page. You will likely see your business’ details such as your address, a map on how to get there, your telephone number, and a few reviews submitted by your customers. These reviews enjoy prominence over other review sites so be sure to claim your business page and start responding to Google reviews right away.

To further illustrate its dominance in the reviews department, do a quick search for a place where you can go have brunch at. Google will give you a list of restaurants in your area that serve brunch. You will also see user ratings and reviews of local places displayed in the search results. It also comes with maps and other information. And just like that, you’d already know which restaurant to go to and how to get there in just a few clicks.

This is very important for small businesses because it gives them the benefit of social proof that they exist and that they are trustworthy. If you’re a small business owner, you definitely need to pay attention to your Google My Business page.

A 2014 study shows that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as the opinion of friends and family. This number has gone up since.

If you saw that your business already has several reviews, ensure that you respond to them immediately as mentioned above. However, if there are too many and you happen to find other reviews from other sites, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our portal will allow to manage all your reviews from a single portal. If you don’t have any reviews, contact Review Fire, we can help. Our business is here to help your business get better feedback and more reviews.