The Impact of Reviews on Google Shopping Performance
High-quality product images and compelling product titles are one part of the puzzle to getting clicks in Google Shopping. However, what shoppers are looking for are those golden stars that earn trust and give consumers the confidence to click.
In the following sections, we’ll discuss how reviews directly influence a customer’s decision to purchase and how you can display them on your product listings in Google Shopping.
The Importance of Reviews in Building Trust
According to research from Power Reviews, the most important factor impacting purchase decisions is reviews. 93% of shoppers say that reviews determine whether or not they purchase a product. Why? Because when consumers are researching a new product, they’re looking for evidence that a product will work for them.
When researching a new product, Google is a common starting point for consumers. 63% of all consumers use Google to start their purchase journey because they can trust the search results will help them find what they’re looking for. When presented with what seems like an infinite number of options, consumers are looking for a product that instills the greatest degree of trust that it will work for them.
One way brands can boost this sense of trust is through reviews and ratings on their product listings.
How Reviews & Star Ratings Impact Your Google Shopping Ads
- Star ratings help you stand out from competing products
When consumers use Google to discover products, they’re shown hundreds of product listings. Over 60% of them are looking for a specific product from a broad category, meaning they know what they need but don't know where to get it. This presents a challenge for brands to grab a consumer's attention and stand out amongst a sea of competing products.
The solution to grabbing the attention of consumers is having star ratings on your product listings. Research shows that products with star ratings in Google Shopping have a 24% higher click rate. They make your listings more visually appealing and signal a sense of credibility to browsing shoppers. - Reviews are a form of social proof that leads to more sales
Social proof comes in many forms, one of them being product reviews. Brands use social proof to demonstrate the experience other customers have with a product, helping consumers form an opinion about a product they haven’t tried themselves.
When consumers use Google to discover new products, social proof becomes even more important. A product listing has limited information about how it works, which can create doubt. Reviews provide helpful context to soothe any objections and show customers that this product has worked for others. - Consumers don't want a perfect star rating
With the prevalence of fake reviews in recent years, consumers are becoming increasingly skeptical of reviews they read online. Consumers seek authenticity and a perfect 5-star rating can be considered too good to be true. According to a study from Spiegel, the sweet spot lies between 4.0-4.7, where purchase likelihood peaks. When a product nears a perfect 5.0, this can trigger skepticism.
Brands must focus not just on accumulating positive reviews but on fostering a transparent representation of their products, negative reviews included.
A Product Listing without reviews is like a person applying for a job without a resume. It’s difficult to stand out from the competition and browsing customers are left without essential information to help them make informed decisions.
Luckily, there’s an easy way to display reviews on your Product Listings.
Displaying reviews on Google Shopping
If you’re not familiar with the process, getting reviews into Google Shopping may feel like a complex task. But it’s quite simple when you work with the right partner. Junip is an approved review aggregator, which means we have an official partnership with Google Shopping that makes displaying reviews on your product listings super easy.
There are a few things to look at before getting started with reviews in Google Shopping that our guide covers here. However, once you’ve got the prerequisites, setting up the integration can be done in a matter of minutes.
Once you’ve created an account with Junip, head to the Google Shopping section under syndication settings and turn on the integration.
Once turned on, it can take 2-3 weeks for Google to process the feed and start displaying reviews on your listings. After that, Junip continuously updates your review feed to ensure it’s up to date.
Reviews Bridge the Gap Between Curiosity and Conversion
If you want your product listings to stand out and attract customers, they need reviews. Brands who’ve used Junip to display reviews on their listings have seen their CTRs double in the first 6 months. Reviews bridge the gap between curiosity and conversion, helping your products stand out amongst the hundreds of listings consumers can choose from.