Here is a secret: why do some local shops attract customers? The answer is that online reviews can make or break a small business in today's digital-first world. Here's the catch: Satisfied customers often exit your store silently, while dissatisfied ones eagerly voice their complaints online. To thrive in today's digital marketplace, motivating content customers to share their positive experiences is crucial. As a store owner, you may ponder effective strategies to encourage happy patrons to spread the word about your business in the digital realm.

Enter the review plaque - a simple yet effective tool that may help.

What Are Review Plaques?

Review plaques are small, smart devices that sit on your counter. They allow customers to quickly leave reviews for your business with a simple phone tap. 

How Do They Work - Local SEO?

The process is straightforward:

1. As a customer completes their purchase.
2. You ask about their shopping experience in your shop.
3. If they're satisfied, you invite them to leave Customer feedback
4. Ask them to tap their mobile on the review plaque if they agree.
5. Their phone opens your Google or Facebook review page
6. Your customer can now immediately write a review on the spot

It's that simple!

The Impact of Review Plaques

Recent studies here have shown impressive results:

One retailer reported jumping from an average of one review per month to a whopping 18 reviews! I am sure it improved their Google My Business ratings.

Pros and Cons

Let's break down the advantages and potential drawbacks:

Pros:

Local, authentic reviews - Google and Facebook do not like it if you use fake reviews. Online, they can be ruthless. I had a client who got thrown right down Google ranking for doing just that.

Limited to in-store use - If they leave the shop, the customer cannot use them.

Cons:

Some customers may be too busy; after all, they are shopping.

Cost-effective

Takes counter space

Timely feedback

Possible customer pushback

Cost

They're relatively inexpensive, ranging from $20 to $80. For the best results, I recommend investing in a quality plaque around the $40 mark - after all, it'll be front and centre on your counter!

The Bigger Picture: Local SEO and Customer Trust

In a world where consumers often search for "newsagent near me" or "pet shop near me", positive reviews can significantly impact your visibility and credibility. Review plaques offer a simple way to encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences, potentially drawing in new shoppers who trust the opinions of their neighbours.

Ready to Give It a Go?

If you decide to try a review plaque in your shop, we'd love your results! Local SEO strategies like this can make a real difference to small retailers, and we're always eager to learn from our customers' experiences.

Have you used review plaques in your shop? Please, you must share your experiences!

Many clients look at the net, throw their hands in the air, and say they cannot get there. 

Now, I admit that a small retailer to rank well in local Google search results may seem daunting. But it is not really. The way Google makes the rules now, David can compete with Goliath. You can gain visibility and attract more local customers searching online with some effort.

The Local Opportunity

• About 28% of all Google searches are looking to buy products or services from local businesses. That's a massive number of customers.

• For most suburb searches, Google initially suggests three local businesses. You want to be one of them!

• Many suburbs don't have much local competition online for your type of business.

The Bottom Line: It is very achievable for a small retailer to do well in their local Google.

What Impacts Your Local Ranking Difficulty

• Competitiveness of your industry in the geographic area

• Strength of existing competitors' SEO and online presence

• Size of the area - suburbs are relatively small

• Your online presence.

The Best First Steps

Do some searches for your key products/services + your suburb name. See what the competition is doing. For example, if you are a newsagency in my suburb, Keysborough you might try. 

"lotto Keysborough"

There is not one big company here; I know some of these people personally; they are smart operators but not major. 

"newsagency Keysborough"

It is the same story with the others I check

"Toys Keysborough"

I decided to look at other products.

"dog food Keysborough"

One big retailer out of three.

My research on the local competition in my suburb shows one small retailer would have a real chance to rank well!

You can gain more visibility and customers in local search results with the right local SEO tactics! It is very doable for small local retailers who put in the effort.