It can be difficult to understand how Google uses reviews when it comes to rankings. Three things that are certain, according to Quality Rater Guidelines, are that Trust, Authority and Expertise are essential.
By this extension, we can only assume that good reviews work as a way to record trust. For businesses, especially service industry businesses like law firms, it is important for them to have reviews featured on their website.
Trust is important for Google. In order to rank well, Google needs to feel your firm is trustworthy. If your firm doesn’t have unique reviews (for example, all of your reviews are the same for any site you have reviews on) on your website, Google is likely to mistrust you.
All of this is conjecture, however, because Google hasn’t verbalized this rule. Moreover, you aren’t likely to see much blow back on your firm’s ranking.
Just to be on the review safe side
Being a law firm, you’ve probably noticed the uptick in legal cases surrounding fake reviews on the internet. It is likely that this trend will continue. This means that if you decide to copy your reviews across your media sites, make sure it fits Federal Trade Commission guidelines at the very least.
What do you want to achieve with your reviews?
Reviews can help your law firm in two ways: you can either let your potential clients know that your firm is trustworthy and will be able to help them or you can try to improve your ranking. Using reviews to provide exceptional customer service is the best use of reviews. If you’re trying to improve your firm’s ranking, you’re better off utilizing Google My Business.
Ultimately, your firm will fare better if you’re getting high-quality unique reviews on as many influential review sites as you can.
For more on best practices for online reviews, read this cautionary tale about incentivized reviews.
