Why Google is the Best Review Platform for Tour Operators
According to TripAdvisor research, before choosing a restaurant, hotel, or activity, 72% of tourists said they often or always read reviews. In fact, online reviews are the best way to decide what to buy in the travel industry, whether you’re booking a flight or a hotel.
Most people plan their vacations months ahead of time. And, of course, they will use these months to learn more about the place they want to go.
Here’s where online reviews can help!
Many successful tour operators know how to get reviews and where the best places are to do so. Even though TripAdvisor seems to be a big player in the travel business, any tour operator should now put Google Reviews at the top of their list of things to do.
So, why Google is the best review platform for tour operators? Let’s read the article below to find out!
Reasons why Google is the best review platform for tour operators
Google is no longer a strange name to anyone, a place where people can learn about whatever they want. For tour operators, Google acts as an almighty online consultant for the following reasons.
Google is the most widely used search engine, making it easy for customers to find reviews.
Undeniably, Google is without a doubt the most widely used search engine on the planet. Also, keep in mind one fact: YouTube, the second-largest search engine, is owned by Google.
With global coverage, Google is one of the first “destinations” for travelers looking for first-hand experiences.
Google reviews are prominently displayed in search results and on Google Maps, increasing their visibility
Travelers can find detailed bookings on Google, including prices, locations, and reviews.
From the first steps of browsing on Google, they may immediately come across carousels (see the images below) and accompanying lists of reviews right on search results pages.
Using the above carousel function, tour operators can offer customers the most basic information about the service and help them in comparing it to other services.
Besides appearing on the search results page, online reviews are included right away on Google Maps.
According to Statista, Google Maps is used by about 70% of smartphone users more than any other navigation app.
With Google Maps’ automatic high visibility, tour operators not only improve their reputation, but they also save time by not having to show reviews everywhere. Google Maps, where 13% of people look for things to do, can list your tours. That’s why Google is the best review platform for tour operators if you optimize your presence on Google Map
Since everyone uses Google and searches for everything there, if you have a Google My Business profile, your service will show up anywhere (we tell you this later).
Google reviews are trusted by consumers as they are difficult to fake or manipulate
Google reviews are easy to write for anyone with a Gmail account. Google reviews are harder to fake or change because they come from real customers who have had real experiences.
The fact that 73% of all online reviews come from Google users shows that they are the most involved.
Therefore, earning 5-star Google reviews from users can improve your tour business’s ranking in the search results. The more 5-star reviews you earn, the better relevance Google will grant your website page in search results.
Tour operators can respond to and manage their reviews directly through Google My Business
Google My Business is a free tool that lets you control how your business shows up in Google Search and Google Maps. Google My Business helps you show off your business well in local searches. It does this by giving you business information, images, videos, and customer reviews.
One of the most important parts of Google My Business pages is the reviews. Tour operators can keep track of their reviews and respond to them directly through Google My Business.
You’ll need to start by making a Google My Business profile. You can do a lot more to improve your Google My Business profile, but once it’s set up, listed, and approved, you can start getting reviews and talking to customers.
Tips for maximizing the benefits of Google reviews for tour operators
You should now see why Google is the best place for tour operators to read reviews. So now is the best time for travel services to take advantage of what Google reviews have to offer.
Here are some things to think about:
Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google
The first piece of advice would be to get as many reviews as you can.
People are always drawn to tour companies with a lot of online reviews. (Better than having no reviews or only a couple of short ones.)
So, if you don’t have anything in your profile, how can customers review you?
Make it easy for your customers to leave reviews. This is the first thing you must do. You can remind them and suggest that they tell other people about their experience in a natural way, but don’t do it too much or you’ll annoy your customers.
You could, for example, add review links from your Google profile or just ask people to leave reviews on your social media sites, web pages, or even in emails after they’ve taken a tour. These are easy-to-use ways to get in touch with customers and talk to them directly.
It’s best to keep the link from being too long. Cut it down to make it easier to read and less annoying.
If you want to be more proactive about getting customers to leave feedback, have tour guides show customers how and where to find the link after the tour is over. This seems like it would take more time, but it will be the fastest way to get reviews because the best time to talk to customers is after their trip.
You can make it easier and faster by making a few cards ahead of time with QR codes that lead to a place where customers can leave feedback.
Also, make sure they know that they don’t have to write an essay and can write about their experience in any way they want (even the word “good” or ” bad”). If they like the trip, they’ll be more likely to say what they think.
Responding to both positive and negative reviews in a timely and professional manner
Tell your customers that you respond to Google reviews if you do.
Don’t be afraid to get bad reviews, because they will help you improve your travel service. Once you respond to those negative comments, customers will stop caring about other unhappy customers and see you in a different light.
Just as important as responding to good reviews is responding to bad ones.
In fact, Google will give more weight to a business that responds to its feedback than to one that never does. Even if Google doesn’t work, responding to reviews is still a great way to really talk to customers and show that you care about what they have to say.
This will probably help your company stay in business in the travel industry, which is becoming more and more competitive.
Utilizing Google's review reporting tools to flag inappropriate or fake reviews
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably worried about the number of fake reviews on the internet, and Google is no different.
Anyone can make a fake review on Google, and as soon as it’s posted, everyone can see it.
Fake Google reviews are scary and annoying, but Google makes it easy to report them and get rid of them if you ever get one.
If fake reviews show up on your Google My Business page, you can quickly flag, report, and remove them. Google will quickly get rid of reviews that don’t follow its rules, even if they are fake.
However, as Google is a third-party platform, businesses cannot simply delete the review. To dispute the fake review, they must go through Google’s review process.
Even so, limiting fake reviews will help your travel company stand out on Google. As Google handles negative comments, you can also spend time highlighting positive remarks.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, online reviews on Google are nearly always the key factor for every traveler’s decision.
Once you’ve earned a substantial number of positive Google reviews, your tour services’ local ranking and customer trust are likely to rise quickly.
Hence, regardless of whether you have a good TripAdvisor reputation or a well-known brand, Google is the best review platform for tour operators. Don’t forget it when conducting any online reputation campaigns.
Lastly, don’t be hesitant to ask for Google reviews since everyone owns a Google account and understands how to share their experience online.
