If you own or are planning to launch a small business, the most powerful promotional tool that’s absolutely free is word-of-mouth. If a company has raving customer reviews, people will want to see what it’s about. And even if not everyone is satisfied, you can use customer feedback to do better next time.
But how do you get people to leave feedback? Naturally, people will be more likely to leave customer feedback if they have had a negative experience. But only negative reviews can kill a business. So, how do you encourage positive feedback or constructive criticism from customers who don’t have an ax to grind? One way is to create a QR code with a CTA (call to action) asking for feedback.
This post will look at how a QR code can help collect customer experience feedback faster and get your name on the map.
How Can Google Reviews Help Your Business
As the owner of a small business, your business’s review score is important for several reasons.
The first reason is obvious: your online reputation. If your business has mostly positive feedback, it can improve your credibility, and more positive reviews can increase your social proof. If so many people are raving, how can they all be wrong?
Also, the review score can be a person’s first impression of your company. When someone searches for your company, your business’s Google review score will be noticeable. If your business’s Google Review score is high, people will want to check you out, and vice versa. Therefore, it’s vital not only to encourage valuable customer feedback but to give customers the five-star experience they deserve.
Besides your online reputation, your business’s SEO can also improve. If people search for a service that matches your business’s niche, it’s much more likely that your company will show up first in the search results.
What is a Google Review QR Code?
If you’ve studied marketing campaigns, you may have seen the quick-response (QR) code being used. This is a 2D matrix barcode that a person can scan with their mobile device, and it opens a link. In this context, the link takes customers to your Google business profile, where they can leave reviews.
QR codes that encourage Google business reviews can also be static or dynamic. A static type has a link that can’t be changed, while a dynamic QR code has an editable link. This is ideal if your business has a new website or if your old business venture has failed and you’re trying again with something new. Also, a dynamic type has tracking and analytics. It can track scans, both unique and overall, and can tell you the location, time, and device used.
When You Create a QR Code for a Google Review, What Are the Benefits?
There are several benefits when you create a QR code for a Google Review link:
More Reviews
A QR code has a CTA that tells customers to leave a review while their experience is still fresh in their minds. Again, positive feedback can be more challenging to obtain, but a friendly reminder can help. QR codes are quick, convenient, and encourage an immediate response.
No Confusion
Sometimes, two businesses may have similar names, and when a customer goes to Google your business, Google may show them a different one. QR codes are a direct link to your Google business profile, so there will be no confusion, and the feedback will go to the right Google review page.
A Rating QR Code Encourages More Engagement Post-Sale
After the experience, encouraging the customer to leave a Google business review will keep your company in their minds for longer, especially if you respond a day later. Remember, it’s important not only to gain customers but also to retain them.
Better SEO
The more Google reviews you get, the higher ranked you are in the search algorithm. So, encourage feedback through a Google business review QR code.
Where to Place a Rating QR Code for Best Results
Where you should place your marketing materials depends on your business, but there are also areas that are evergreen regardless of business type.
Checkout
Putting a Google business QR code at checkout or on the receipt is the perfect opportunity for customers to share their experiences.
Product Packaging
Retail stores that sell their own products may put a QR code on their products. For example, a bakery may put a QR code on a box of donuts.
The Bags Themselves
If your business has specialty bags, you may print your QR code on them. Whether it’s paper or plastic, it’s possible to get a custom bag that will encourage users to leave their experiences with your business.
Email Signatures
If your business is digital, putting a QR code at the end of a confirmation email can encourage reviews. With emails, you can also put a clickable link to the business directly.
Social Media Posts
If you have a Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, or other social media account, you may post a link to a place where people can leave reviews.
Other Marketing Materials
Any materials you have promoting your business should have a QR code to leave a Google Review on them. The more reinforcement you can give people, the more likely they are to leave a review, especially if your customized QR code has branding on it, such as your logo or brand colors.
How to Create a QR Code for a Google Review
Let’s look at the quick process to create a QR code for a Google Review.
- Get the link: Your Google Business dashboard, Google Maps location, or Place ID Generator should have the link to your business. Test the link beforehand so you know it will take customers to the right place.
- Use a Google Review QR Code Generator: It’s easy to do this; many sites will let you create a QR code for website link, such as Google Reviews or any other reason. Each QR code generator has different benefits, such as static or dynamic codes, various customization options, or unique tracking capabilities.
- Test: After you generate a QR code for a Google Review, don’t publish it yet. Be sure it works. Scan it on as many devices as possible, from iOS to Android. If possible, use different generations of phones and tablets. That way, you know that all of your customers can open the embedded link without any issues.
Best Practices to Maximize Results After You Generate a QR Code for a Google Review
Once you make your code, here are some tips to get more scans:
Keep CTAs Clear
Be sure that your audience knows what they are scanning. If they see a QR code without any context, they may not want to scan it. Some sites let you put your branding and CTA right on the code, increasing your chances of conversions.
Have the Codes Placed Right After a Customer Has Their Experience
Receipts, bags, email confirmations, and other situations after checkout are good times to include the QR code. However, if you include the code right at the beginning of the experience, some customers may not want to scan it.
Test Regularly
Sometimes, Google can change the links to your business based on customer feedback. After you use the Google Review QR code generator, test and update the links whenever possible. Use a dynamic code so that you can update the link without having to print new QR codes on everything.
Common Mistakes After Using a Google Reviews QR Code Generator
Finally, let’s talk about some don’ts of using a code to encourage reviews.
Don’t Encourage Positive Feedback Only
This makes you seem desperate and shady. Instead, encourage both positive and critical feedback. Even if a customer has a bad time, you can respond and make it right for them.
Not Linking Straight to the Review
If customers have to navigate a landing page and other hoops to leave a review, they are less likely to do so. Instead, the code should lead directly to the review page.
Not Training Your Staff to Encourage Reviews
If you have a restaurant, you may tell every server to remind the patron to scan the QR code on the receipt and leave a review. Without the encouragement, customers may see the code but not have that extra push to scan it.
Not Looking at Analytics
As mentioned, you should be using dynamic QR codes. Not only can you change the URL if yours expires, but they will also track analytics. The total number of scans, locations, scan times, devices used, and other information should be available on the dashboard of whatever site you used to generate the code. Looking at this information periodically may give you valuable insights into how your customers behave, and you can adjust your marketing efforts based on that.
Common Questions
Where is the link to my company’s page, so I can make a Google review QR code for my business?
The simplest method is to type in your business into Google. It should pop up in the local search results. You can then open it in Google Maps and click “Share,” which will copy the link. Before you copy your URL to the QR code, be sure that it works!
How can my Google review QR code get more scans?
Customizing your code to stand out and making it noticeable on your product packaging can help. Another way is to share your review form QR code in places where your customers frequent.
Can I customize my Google review QR code?
Yes! Many sites let you customize their codes to include things like your business logo or call to action. Local businesses should customize these codes to stand out and collect customer feedback much more easily.
Does a Google review QR code expire?
QR codes will not expire once they’re published. However, if the link expires, the code will be useless unless it’s dynamic and you change the URL.
Can I track people who have scanned my Google review QR code?
Dynamic QR codes can track scanner information and provide more valuable data, while static QR codes cannot. Additionally, dynamic codes have editable URLs, allowing your links to be updated as needed.
Is it against Google ToS to use a Google Business QR code to ask for reviews?
No, but review gating is. This is where you only allow positive reviews and suppress or threaten any negative online reviews. As long as you’re asking for honest feedback on your review page, you should be fine.
OTS News on Social Media