Jennifer Gwinnutt — May 18, 2017 Following our blog about Google Certified Shops in early March, iWeb are here to tell you everything you need to know about Google Customer Reviews.
At iWeb, we acknowledge the undeniable power of the online review and we’ve written about how customer feedback can make or break an online business. With Google basing their scheme around the collection of buyer reviews, they similarly appreciate the customer review, as a way for people to ‘self-certify’ businesses by commenting on the services they’ve received.
How does it work?
Seller Ratings
Seller ratings for your site are showcased via a 1-5 star score rating that appears on search ads and Google Shopping, as well as your Google Customer Reviews badge. For example:
Seller ratings are collected by Google from reputable sources that aggregate business reviews. Some of these include:
- Customer reviews that are collected post purchase on behalf of advertisers.
- StellaService, an independent company that analyzes the quality of your customer service through the measurement of your customer care, delivery, and returns.
- Aggregated performance metrics from Google-led shopping research.
- Ratings from Google Consumer Surveys, a market research platform that we use to collect data for certain domains and businesses.
- Shopping reviews for your shop domain, which include reviews from various third-party sources.
- Google also source reviews from a list of 32 other independent review websites.
The number of reviews required for Seller Ratings to be shown on ads has increased from 30 to 150 over a 12-month span, but the composite rating of at least 3.5 stars or higher has remained unchanged.
Google Customer Reviews badge
The Google Customer Reviews badge is a visual way to help shoppers easily identify your site with the Google brand. The badge also promotes your seller rating and can be placed on any page that you choose on your site.
If you click on the badge on any site then it will take direct you to a page, as seen in the example below. You will find a breakdown of the star rating and customer reviews from people who have used and purchased from the site you’re browsing on.
MyMemory, have made the transition to Google Customer Reviews and feature the badge and a 4.8-star seller rating on their homepage, as well as in Google listings.
Google Customer Reviews Opt-In
Google opt-in is an offer that appears to all customers after checkout. Users who opt-in may receive an email from Google Customer Reviews asking them to rate their experience with your store.
Customers must complete the survey in order for Google to collect their feedback as part of the Google Customer Reviews program. During the survey, customers rate their purchase experience from 1-5 stars and may provide free text comments if they choose.
It’s important that your customers are provided with the review option after your order has been delivered so they can give feedback on their entire shopping experience.
Integrating the survey opt-in module coding is explained on the Google Merchant Centre Help page.
Eligibility
To use Google Customer Reviews, your checkout flow must include a separate order confirmation page and meet the following technical requirements:
- Your platform must allow you to add JavaScript code to all of your site’s web pages
- Your shopping basket pages must be hosted on your own site URL (not hosted on a third-party domain, e.g. Shopify or CoreCommerce)
- Your site’s order confirmation page must be encrypted (i.e. only accessed using HTTPS)
Note: To participate in Google Customer Reviews, consent to the programme agreement for your country. You can review the programme agreement when you sign up.
How to Migrate Google Trusted Stores Accounts
According to Google, existing Trusted Stores accounts will be migrated to Merchant Center in the coming weeks. Google has identified which Google Trusted Stores account to migrate into your Merchant Center account based on shared claimed domains.
The Trusted Stores administrator for your domain should have already received an email regarding what steps, if any, need to be taken in order to have your account migrated.
Merchants who aren’t in Google Trusted Stores already will find it listed as an option in Merchant Center programs from the three-dot navigation icon in the upper right corner of Merchant Center.
If approved, new merchants will need to add the survey opt-in module to their websites. When consumers opt in after making a purchase, Google contacts them to rate their purchases once they’ve received their orders. Merchants must display the opt-in to all customers in order to be compliant with the program.
Benefits of Google Customer Reviews
A Google Customer Reviews badge on your site helps users easily identify your site with the Google brand and increases trust manifold. With Google Customer Reviews, you can:
- Collect valuable customer reviews and qualify for seller ratings that show up on your search ads and Google Shopping
- Better customise the way the Google badge and opt-in appear on your site
- Spend less time maintaining your account
- Get more insight into your seller rating
While this system has its benefits, there are recognisable flaws. Reviews that could potentially damage or harm your business and ss well as this, the fact the number of reviews required for Seller Ratings to be shown on ads has increased from 30 to 150, will undoubtedly affect small and new businesses.
However, it’s clear to see that their migration from Certified Shops to the new Google Customer Reviews initiative creates a more transparent and customer-centric service.
Originally published on the iWeb blog.
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