How To Get Your Website Star Ratings In The Google Search Results

You have seen them, those Google 5 star ratings next to certain websites after you do a Google search.  Did you ever wonder how they got there, or why most other sites don’t have any star ratings?  

Well, if that question has gnawed at you, or if you really want to have five stars next to your website in a Google search, then you have come to the right place.  

A Star Rating is Born . . .

First off, what is so great about star ratings?  Well, if a site has a Google 5 star rating, then it will get more clicks compared to the sites with no stars.  In addition, the Google 5 star rating gives the internet searcher a good impression – a little extra goodwill – before they have even double-clicked on the site.  That means that the user will be entering the site with more positive feelings from the outset. That is a good user to have visiting your site.

Google does not release details of its complicate algorithms.  Yet, many experts in the search engine optimization (SEO) world have the belief that good reviews and good star ratings can translate into higher placement on search results.  Even if that belief is not entirely accurate, a user will be more likely to click on a site with star ratings, which will ultimately improve Google search result placement anyway.  

Overall, star ratings are what we call a business opportunity.  Why? Because so few websites have them. It is a quick and easy way to set you apart.  Moreover, getting a star rating attached to your site is not that difficult. 

Given that our specialty at Oamii is leveraging technology to help law firms market themselves, we have been around the block a few times helping law firms with their digital marketing, including star ratings.  

If you would like more help with star ratings without having to do all the tech work, and go through the learning curve yourself, give us a call.  You can reach out to us through our online contact form , or call us at 561-228-4111 . 

Now, let’s take a look at what to do if you want to try to get star ratings attached to your site yourself.  

Step 1:  Get Reviews On Your Site

The first step is to get reviews of your business on your website itself.  Google does not simply rely on star ratings and/or reviews from other sites such as Yelp, Facebook, and Google My Business.  Rather, the reviews on which the star rating is based must be on your firm’s website.  

One way to get reviews on to your website is through the use of a plugin program or script to collect the reviews.  It may also be possible to simply screenshot your reviews from other sites and include it on your site, but that does not have a very polished look.

Some plugins that could work are WP Customer Reviews plugin, or BNE Testimonials Pro. 

Step 2:  Get the Star Ratings Into Google Search Results

Now, to get those star ratings on the listings that result from a Google search you need to use certain standards on labeling data on your website.  You do so with “schema.org markup,” “microdata,” or “structured data.”  

By using those standards, Google is able to know what the information on your website represents. Simply stated, if you have your firm address as just text on your site, you would need to do an added step of labeling that address as your business address that Google can recognize and put in a map listing.  

While there is too much tech talk to explain the process in this short blog, there are some plugins that help with the labeling process.  BNE Testimonials Pro is one such plugin that can help, or try the free version of WP SEO Structured Data Schema plugin.  

You will see that all you need to do is add data into the forms on certain pages on your site, or on the WordPress dashboard for your site wide data.  

There is no guarantee that you’ll get star ratings, but using plugins will greatly increase the chances that you’ll get star ratings within a few days.  Note well, however, that you should focus on attaching star ratings to specific products. Google looks for that, and it again increase your star rating chances.  

Just Starting Out?  Get Help from the Pros – Call Us at Oamii

As a business owner, you’re always looking for new and innovative ways to increase traffic to your website which translates into sales.  Before doing so, you must first understand that the majority of potential clients on the internet don’t look past the first page of search engines. You’re missing out on a lot of potential revenue if you’re not where people are looking. That’s where we come in. Oamii is the leader of search engine optimization in West Palm Beach.

Oamii understands the importance of SEO services and we dedicate ourselves to optimizing your web pages to deliver quality content to bring in new business.  We have the tools and the team to make sure that your web page and your business is not only top-of-mind, but also top-of-search engine!  

When you invest in advertising, you want to work with an agency that brings your law firm the best results.  You want to get the most out of your advertising budget and get the best return on investment. We at Oamii provide quality products and services to our clients while keeping their best interests in mind.  Our deliverables are always provided on schedule, budget, and scope.  

We have efficient digital marketing systems in place with clearly set goals and expectations.  We encourage continuous improvement which in turn improves your bottom line.   You have a choice with your marketing dollars and resources.  If you want to increase your marketing reach with the help of an experienced, professional, digital marketing agency , look no farther than Oamii to crack the code on how to improve your marketing game.  We welcome you to contact us at Oamii to help you market your firm and build your book of business.  Please fill out our online contact form , or call us at 561-228-4111 today.