How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Dispensary

What are people saying about your dispensary?

Or, are they not saying much at all?

If you want to gain a competitive edge and continue to bring in new customers, Google reviews are incredibly important.

Google reviews matter…a lot

In today’s era of social media and instant gratification, social proof matters A LOT. In terms of things that affect buyer behavior, social proof (reviews) might just be the number 1 factor to consider.

What is social proof? Simply put – it’s proof from peers that a brand is worth a buyer’s money and effort. In other words, consumers are more inclined to believe other customers about their experience with a brand than they are the brand itself.

The truth is, over the years, people have grown to trust ads less and less and trust reviews more and more. And, reviews actually play a large role in how you rank on Google and other search engines.

A report based on a survey and subsequent analysis of 1,041 American consumers from October 2017 found the following:

• As much as 97% of buyers look at reviews before buying a product
• 92% of consumers are hesitant to buy from a brand that has no customer reviews
• Consumer reviews are considered 12-times more trustworthy than manufacturer or brand reviews
• 84% of people put just as much faith in online reviews as they do reviews from real-life friends
• 94% of shoppers skip a business due to negative reviews

And that was in 2017… Time has changed quite a lot since then. And the trend of consumers trusting authority less and backing peer-reviewed forums like reddit more, continues.

With all this in mind…

Getting positive reviews from happy customers can be one of the most important things you ever do

The question is, how do you get more Google reviews for your dispensary? We’ve got the details to help you out below.

How to get more Google reviews

1. Make sure your dispensary is easy to find

Go on a search for your dispensary on Google or Google Maps and see what you find. If your Google Business listing shows up easily, it shouldn’t be too difficult for customers to find either.

If you don’t see your dispensary in the lineup, this can get in the way when happy customers want to leave a review. It could also lead to potential customers reading reviews for your competition and choosing them simply because you don’t show up.

A few good pointers to make sure your Google Business listing is easy to find:

• Make sure all of your business information is accurate and filled out: address, contact info, operating hours, website link, menu link, business category
• Include related keywords in your Google Business description (e.g. cannabis dispensary in City, State)
• Upload photos of your dispensary for visual recognition purposes

To take things a step further, make sure you embed your Google Business listing on your website, which will link to reviews, directions, etc.

2. Ask for reviews

While soliciting positive reviews is against guidelines, there’s nothing wrong with asking customers for reviews. Happy customers can be your biggest brand advocates, especially when you are just getting started—they will want to help you spread the word so your business thrives.

You can ask for reviews in a lot of different ways, such as:

• In-person: Thanking a customer that gives in-person praise and asking them to leave a review on Google for others to see
• Receipts: Offer a simple request (with a QR code if possible) to leave a review on in-store receipts
• Marketing materials: Include a request for customer feedback on business cards or other promotional materials
• Work with us: Sign up for a service that sends post-purchase review requests.
  • CannaPlanners recently partnered with Widewail to offer Google Review requests as a part of our monthly SEO services. Learn more.

3. Strive to offer excellent customer experiences

This may seem obvious but it’s often forgotten – customers that have a bad experience at your dispensary are more likely to leave a review. This fact is something you have to strive to overcome as a business owner. The best way to do that? Work super hard to make a good impression in terms of products and services.

The goal should always be to make sure every customer walks away as a happy one. While the old adage may be that you can’t please all customers all the time, you can please most customers most of the time. And, if you make an exceptional impression on several customers, this can always mean the potential for more positive reviews on Google and word-of-mouth referrals.

4. Mention reviews to your email subscribers

Email subscribers are direct points of contact, and there is nothing wrong with asking for Google reviews when you send out email communications. While it’s not a good idea to send an email solely to ask something of your subscribers, a review request can easily be worked in.

5. Work on your SEO strategy

The better you rank in search results and on Google Maps, the more likely customers are to find your business and leave you a review. Did you know that your website has a big impact on how you rank on Google Maps? Building your website authority through backlinking will hepl improve your local rankings.

6. Work with us!

We partner with WideWail, which offers Google review requests via SMS text messaging as a service. Plus, we respond to Google reviews in real time (an actual human typing real, unique responses, not auto-generated). Not only does responding to reviews help build your reputation, but it also offers an opportunity to work in more keywords to improve your local search rankings.

Need a little help with your dispensary’s reputation?

Garnering positive social proof for your dispensary is a big deal. It’s not always easy and there are tons of steps to take in order to move your review count and rating in the right direction. That’s why we’re here. By using time-proven strategies and partnering with the most innovative marketing platforms, we can help your cannabusiness get the worthy nods it deserves.

Ready to elevate your brand? Let’s talk.