Google certified – the benefits
Seal of approval
With the latest buzz-phrase being ‘social proof’, we can’t help but ask – is your business doing enough to prove itself to your audience and have the edge over competitors?
An indubitable way to be recognised as a reliable and trustworthy merchant is through the Google Certified Shops programme. To participate in this free programme, merchants are required to meet Google’s shipping and customer service standards. Merchants that comply with these performance metrics are able to display the Google Certified Shop badge on their online storefronts – the all important ‘seal of approval’.
Increase confidence for new shoppers
Google is a global household name that is recognised and trusted by almost everyone, right? The Google Shops certification highlights reliable delivery, excellent customer service and positive customer reviews. Trust is always going to be an obstacle to overcome in eCommerce, but the badge allows new shoppers to feel more confident when purchasing and therefore much more likely to click the ‘Buy Now’ button!
Protection
Shoppers can opt-in for free purchase protection when buying from a Google Certified Shop. Google will help an individual and business to resolve any issue (if they were to occur) and offer up to ¬£1,000 (lifetime) purchase protection. Whatever your business, the consumer is covered by Google thus removing the ‘risk factor’.
Improve conversions
The Google Certified Shops badge can help to increase conversion rate and average order size on your website. Claiming your customer service and delivery are great is all well and good, but shoppers are often skeptical. By complying to Google standards you show the public that you are as good as the largest household brands.
Qualify for seller ratings in Adwords
Seller ratings let shoppers know that you provide a highly recommended shopping experience. Google collects customer reviews for free, which also aggregate with reviews from any independent review platforms a business may already be working with. By collecting honest consumer feedback, a business is able to build social proof and credibility.
The seller ratings may also qualify to be displayed in Adwords and Google Shopping, these tend to increase the overall ad performance and help the customer make more informed purchasing decisions.
Star quality
The stars represent the seller rating generated through customer reviews and essentially, what level of service the business provides. The rating ranges from five stars to one star, with five being the target level. This scoring system is generally instantly recognisable to customers, reinforcing positive responses, even before they have clicked on the ad. Pair this with the branded Google tick, this should fill a potential customer with confidence.
Share with the world how great you are!
If you are looking to increase conversions, shout about the service you offer and cost-effectively attract valuable customers; it’s time to take advantage of this fruitful programme!
In my next post I will cover the steps to take to become Google Certified.
