It would be easy to assume that a 5-star rating is the perfect number of review stars on Google. Of course, every business should aim for the stars by providing excellent customer service and ensuring their product is the best on the market. However, you may be surprised that a less-than-perfect five-star rating can benefit your business.
The Google Star-Rating system with its yellow stars appears on Google Maps and search engine results. So, it’s one of the first indicators of how customers rate your business. You are more likely to attract potential customers with a 4.5 rating or more. You are likely to put prospective customers off if you have an average star rating of fewer than three review stars.
Therefore, getting the ideal star rating is crucial to your business success. So, the big question is this: Which is better—5-star Google reviews or fewer? This article provides a definitive answer backed up by science.
Which Star Rating Is Better — 4.5 or 5?
According to research, the ideal star rating is between 4 and 5-star reviews. Studies show that the average rating most consumers trust is between 4.2 and 4.5 stars. Also, many business review sites show that most consumers use a filter of stars. Only ten percent use a 5-star rating filter.
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Why is 4.5 stars better than 5?
There are several reasons why 4.5 is the perfect star rating. Here are a few reasons researchers have found:
- A perfect 5-star rating seems too good to be true
- Most consumers search for negative reviews to make informed decisions
- A mix of negative and positive reviews makes the company more transparent and credible
Related reading: The difference between 4 and 5-star reviews.
What Is a Google Star Rating?
Google uses a five-star scale rating system to reflect average customer feedback. Five review stars indicate that every customer has given the maximum number of stars. One, two, or three stars indicate poor customer feedback and a poor online reputation. A positive star rating of 4.5-star rating indicates the business is credible and can be trusted.
Related: The meaning of stars in online business reviews.
How Are Google Star Ratings Calculated?
Google calculates the average star rating by adding the number of stars received and dividing the result by the number of reviews. Therefore, the average star rating is a good indicator that customers generally had a positive experience. However, there is more to the five-star rating scale than the number of stars.
Why Your Business Needs More Reviews for the Perfect Star Rating
It’s vital to consider the number of reviews a business receives. For example, suppose a business has an average rating of 3.6 stars. But they only have three reviews. Two reviewers left positive feedback, one with five stars and the other with four. However, one reviewer had a negative experience and left a 2-star review.
In this case, a 3.6-star average rating may not reflect the business’s online reputation. In this case, the business needs an online review strategy to increase the number of reviews. For example, suppose they get just two more 5-star reviews. In that case, their average rating will jump immediately to 4.2—according to research, the ideal star rating.
This proves that getting more positive online reviews from customers helps to bury the potentially damaging impact of negative reviews, bad reviews, and fake reviews.
Related: Why you don’t always need 5-star reviews.
Why Getting More Reviews Boosts Business Success
Here are a few online review statistics on how to get the perfect star rating and why your business needs more authentic reviews:
- Consumers expect businesses to have at least 112 reviews to appear credible.
- Seventy-four percent of consumers use reviews to learn about a product.
- Five reviews or more increase the likelihood of a product being purchased by 270 percent.
- When comparing two similar products, most consumers will purchase the one with more reviews.
- Ninety-eight percent of online shoppers say that reviews influence their purchasing decisions.
- Forty-five percent of customers won’t buy a product if there are no available reviews.
How to Build a 5-Star Reputation in Four Steps
Positive customer reviews are crucial for helping potential customers make informed decisions, increasing search visibility in online searches, and boosting social proof. The key to boosting your reputation is to get more reviews.
Here are four simple ways to build a stellar online reputation.
1. Embrace negative feedback
Online reviews and honest feedback—positive or negative—offer valuable insights. You can learn how to improve your business, strengthen its reputation, and increase credibility. Therefore, it is crucial to respond appropriately to negative reviews. This shows a willingness to engage with customers, which can even attract potential customers.
2. Never buy Google reviews
Some companies try to get more positive reviews by purchasing them. However, buying fake reviews is not a strategy to boost your average rating on your Google Business Profile or third-party review sites. Instead, you should have a Google reviews strategy to get high-quality reviews from satisfied customers.
3. Ask customers for reviews
You can get more online customer reviews by asking your happy customers or sending review requests. If you provide quality service and aim to improve customer experience, you will get many positive reviews. Having a positive online reputation will also help you expand your customer base.
And by responding appropriately to negative feedback, you can even turn around bad reviews from disgruntled customers.
4. Make leaving online reviews easy
To get a good Google star rating, make it easy for people to leave reviews. You can do this by providing an easy link or QR code to your Google My Business profile. You can use automated software that sends review requests with a link to your Google profile. You can also include a review link on your website.
Starloop — The Road to the Perfect Star Rating
Starloop is automated review software that can help your business triple the number of actual reviews (real reviews) you get. This trusted review management tool gets you more monthly reviews by sending review requests to your customers.
Starloop stands out from other review management software because it has a unique incentive to get your business more reviews—we plant a tree for every review received. This eco-friendly policy encourages your customers to leave a review and helps the environment.
Unlike other review software tools, Starloop offers straightforward pricing plans with a 14-day free trial, no setup fees, and no long-term contracts.
