Great news! Google has made it easier for your business to get reviews by providing each listing with a short URL. This short URL is a sharable, snack-sized link that you can give your customers. In the world of gaining online reviews, efficiency is key, and through a short URL, Google has removed the many steps to leave a review for your business.
Rather than requiring you to look up your business on Google Maps, look for the “Reviews” button, and then tap “Write a review,” users now only need to click a link to get right where they need to be, and on any device. Users will need to sign in to their Google account in order to leave a review if they are not already signed in, and once they do, they’ll end up directly on the page where they can leave a star rating and write a review.
You can easily find your short URL on your computer or phone. On your computer, sign in to your Google My Business account, click “Home” on the left menu, and click the “Get More Reviews” card. A window will pop up with your listing’s short URL. Simply click it to automatically copy, or you can choose to share it on a specific platform. On your smartphone, open the Google My Business app, tap “Customers,” then “Reviews,” then tap “Share” on the top right.
Google now provides businesses with a short URL; no more long links! This is what WebPunch’s short URL looks like.
Google encourages all businesses to share this link with your customers on social media or through email. This is where Google differentiates itself from Yelp; while Yelp discourages business owners from asking for reviews from clients, Google is making it easier to receive reviews with these short URLs. Although, it’s important to remember that asking customers for reviews by offering incentives such as a gift card, services or a coupon is not a best practice and violates Google’s review policies. This could result in removal or your business listing being penalized. Share that short link, but don’t incentivize it!
