In addition, local commerce and service companies that respond to at least 32% of the Google reviews achieved 80% higher conversion rates (customer contact and / or visit business) compared to SMEs and direct competitors that responded to 10% of the reviews.

These findings come from a Uberall study comparing data from 64,000 companies on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) in the first half of 2018 and the first half of 2019.

Review Responses and Conversion Rates

Uberall’s analysis found that both small and medium enterprises and large companies had approximately the same conversion rate (around 3%) when their response rates were around 10%.

However, a 32% response rate saw a large increase in business conversion by 80% and outperforming their competitors. “For example, when companies responded to at least 32% of comments, they achieved conversion rates 80% higher than direct competitors and SMEs that responded to only 10% of reviews,” the report says.

Overall, SMEs had the highest average response rate (25%), followed by large companies (12%) and global brands (9%).

The Optimal Number of Reviews Responses for Maximum Growth

Below is the average number of comments that achieved the highest conversion rates in a given sector versus the average volume of that industry.

The average amount of reviews in each sector is similar to or exceeds the amount associated with the highest conversion rates except in the financial services and travel, tourism, and leisure sectors. In such cases, we need to be proactive and encourage customers to comment/leave testimonials on your Google Business Profile.

“While there is no conclusive evidence that comment volume is a big factor in achieving higher conversion rates, it should still be aimed at achieving the industry average,” the report says. “Failure to do so may affect conversion rates. and make consumers question the validity of their star rating. “

Conclusion

“By focusing on star rating and response rate, brands can greatly affect their overall conversion rates,” said Norman Rohr, Uberall’s vice president of marketing. “Consumers who are involved with the brand are also extremely likely to visit a store within 24 hours, so a 25% increase in conversions can also mean a 25% increase in traffic to your store every day.”

Keep in mind that businesses saw their conversion rates increase by 80% when they increased their response rate to comments on Google Business Profile from 10% to 32%, so you should not waste time getting more reviews for your business.