Reach for the stars!
There are odd occasions when seeing stars is a good thing – and one of those is when you’re trying to shoot up the Google search rankings – and encourage customers to buy from you.
One of the many components of the latest Google algorithm that calculates where websites rank in searches is all to do with customer feedback and, more accurately, star ratings. We’re not just talking about Google ratings here either – feedback and stars received from review websites such as Feefo count too. What’s more, they show up in the Google search result, instantly showing potential buyers how good you are.
A Google search for Octagon Flowers highlights what we’re talking about. Following the Direct2florist website update, as well as the Google ratings and Google Map details appearing, reviews provided by Direct2florist appear on the right hand side. Plus, the 150+ ratings received from Feefo also show up in the main result, showing the florist’s excellent 4.9 rating.
Good news
The good news for all members of Direct2florist is that it’s easy for you to collect star ratings. Virtually all members now have some ratings and, as a benefit of being a part of Direct2florist, all member florists receive free Feefo membership – which normally costs £100 per month for individual businesses.
Reviews are generated by tagging orders as delivered on the Florist Manager software – the system contacts customers automatically to request a score – so you really don’t have to do anything to benefit. The rating service is also set to be extended to include local order, meaning you’ll be able to gain stars and reviews on ALL orders including local, collect, relay and internet. When you add in the fact that each florist’s Direct2florist page usually ranks in the top three in searches shows stars, it’s easy to see the value.
Additional benefits
According to Feefo there are other benefits to having multiple star reviews. They include:
Drive traffic - Thanks to its partnership with Google, Yahoo and Bing, genuine reviews can drive traffic to your website. Verified ratings contribute to Google stars, which can enhance click-through rate (CTR) and boost your visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Increase sales - Reviews boost sales. Businesses using Feefo have reported up to a 25% rise in sales after integrating reviews onto product pages. Displaying stars within organic and paid search listings can also drive conversions, as well as lower AdWords spend.
Gain insights – Feefo’s analytics and reporting suite provides you with invaluable business insights. Take the genuine feedback from your customers, learn what makes them click, and make development decisions with confidence.
The review leader
While numerous Direct2florist members have 200 or more reviews, one florist is the clear leader when it comes to obtaining them. The Flower Shop in Malta is approaching the 1,000 review milestone, something owner Mark Gatt says is all down to going the extra mile. He recounts the story, for example, of delivering flowers to an elderly lady and ending up carrying a couple of gas cylinders into her house.
“I asked the recipient if she needed help with the cylinders,” explains Mark. “She was too shy to ask but she had run out of gas and couldn’t cook. She thought I was an angel when I carried them in and connected one of them.”
Mark’s story is a good one and the volume of positive reviews the shop has received shows how service really can make a difference. Direct2florist’s members deliver unbeatable levels of service and, thanks to the stars, it really can make a difference to your business.
Find out more
To see how easy to use the Florist Manager app and software are and how they can benefit you, contact Simon and the team at Direct2florist for 20 minutes of training on the system. Call 01204 452 000 or email webteam@direct2florist.com to find out more.