Blog

Apr '22

25 Social Proof Statistics for 2023 (with/Marketing Examples)

There is little debate that social proof enhances any business’s digital marketing strategy in 2023. Still, it’s essential to conduct research and studies that prove its importance in the form of social proof statistics.

DataPins is a Local SEO & Social Proof tool for local businesses. The tool helps SMBs increase their Google rankings for multiple cities, improve their online reputation and boost conversion rates.

Below, DataPins showcases social proof statistics from around the web, including several revealing findings from an independent marketing study using DataPins.

Table of Contents

What is Social Proof?

Social proof is tangible evidence that a business provided goods or services to a satisfied customer. Verified reviews, geo-tagged images, and credible award badges are all examples of marketing social proof.

Social Proof Examples

Various things fall under social proof in a digital marketing context. The key is credibility and verification, whether it’s a customer review, an award badge, or a geotagged photo of your company providing services. DataPins focuses on social proof that users can verify with a single look.

Social Proof Marketing Examples Infographic

Customer Reviews

Most websites have a testimonials or reviews section. However, the feedback only qualifies as social proof if it comes from a verifiable source. For example, a screenshot of a customer review is not social proof because the web admin can manipulate the photo to serve an agenda.

Consider using a plugin like DataPins, which inserts a reviews slider onto your website. The slider plugin pulls Google and Facebook reviews via API so that users can see genuine reviews from top platforms and click them.

Award Badges

If you receive an award, the platform should provide a custom badge that you can upload onto your website’s homepage within its HTML. In addition, the nominator should send you a transparent image file, usually in SVG format. Ask your web developer to insert the image onto your site.

Awards can come from a variety of sources. However, the best social proof comes from reputable institutions within your industry or region. For example, a roofing company in Denver, CO, should showcase awards from roofing-related institutions or regional and local organizations.

GeoTagged Photos (Pins)

The SEO industry disagrees on the value of geotagged photos as a ranking factor. Our research found that geotagged photos of themselves provide marginal SEO value if any. However, DataPins software combines geotagged photos with mini-maps, schema markup, and geo-coordinates.

We call this collection of data a pin. The good news is that the software tool collects this data and inserts it into one pin for each job you perform. The software does all the work, and all you need is the DataPins plugin. Pins increase local SEO rankings and boost conversion rates significantly.

Screenshot of Pins (i.e. Geo-tagged Photos)

Social Proof Statistics

1) 72% of consumers will only purchase after reading a favorable review.

Source: Search Engine Watch

2) 93% of consumers complete a purchase after researching a service or product via mobile.

Source: Think With Google

3) On-site reviews or testimonials increase conversions by 34%.

Source: ImpactBND

4) 89% of consumers say they are likely to use a business that responds to all reviews.

Source: BrightLocal

5) 57% of consumers will only use services with a minimum 4-star aggregate review rating.

Source: Hubspot

6) Nearly 87% of purchase decisions start with online research.

Source: ConversionXL

7) A typical consumer reads ten online reviews before purchasing.

Source: Hubspot

8) 200+ Schema pins increase impressions for a typical contractor website by 169.2%

Source: DataPins

9) Consistent social proof can increase revenue by 62% per customer.

Source: BigCommerce

10) 85% of consumers distrust reviews older than three months.

Source: BrightLocal

11) After reading its reviews, half of all consumers navigate to a company’s website.

Source: Hubspot

12) Consumers will spend 31% more on businesses with favorable reviews.

Source: Invesp

13) Customers trust reviews 12x more than descriptions or sales copy.

Source: Econsultancy

14) 66% of consumers say they are more likely to purchase after viewing a video testimonial.

Source: Wyzowl

15) Articles with relevant images receive 94% views.

Source: Jeff Bullas

16) Photos can increase content recollection by 65%.

Source: MGD Advertising

17) Nearly 50% of consumers find website trust badges reassuring regarding trust and security.

Source: Yieldify

18) Website images with human beings can increase conversion rates by 48%.

Source: VWO

19) 97% of consumers in the B2B space consider testimonials or peer recommendations the most reliable content type.

Source: Demand Gen Report via This Moment

20) Testimonials produce an 89% content effectiveness rating, the highest of any content marketing tactic.

Source: Social Fresh

21) 5-star aggregate review ratings for GMB listings increased CTR by 28%.

Source: Bright Local

Independent Marketing Study from DataPins

DataPins is a unique tool in that it produces multiple types of social proof for a website. First, it showcases reviews from various platforms through an on-site plugin. The plugin pulls API from Google and Facebook to deliver genuine reviews from trusted outlets.

In addition, DataPins produces schema pins that prove jobs, locations, and services provided. Schema pins contain mini-maps, unique photos and captions, and geo-coordinates that verify the location. Let’s look at some in-house statistics based on our DataPins results.

22) A roofing company that installed DataPins on their website increased organic traffic by 660% and top 20 keywords by 118%.

23) A water heater repair company receives an average of 1,100 monthly clicks from Google organic search alone with DataPins.

24) Websites with multiple pages of pins averaged 80.9% more monthly Google clicks than websites with only a single pins page.

25) DataPins users that utilize automated review requests increase frequency by over 94%.

Screenshot of Pin from Water Heater Repair Website

What Social Proof Statistics Tell Us

Statistics are just numbers, but they are very informative. For example, websites that showcase social proof generate more clicks, visitors, and conversions than websites without social evidence. User-generated content describing a business increases online success for that company.

After reviewing these social proof statistics, consider investing in it for your website. The #1 social proof tool on the market is DataPins which automatically integrates reviews and schema pins onto your website.

Feb '22

#1 Google Maps SEO Guide (w/Ranking Factors + Local Tool)

Google Maps SEO can be confusing for local businesses since it’s based on a separate algorithm from Google’s organic search results. The Google Maps algorithm uses three primary ranking factors: proximity, relevance, and prominence. In the following guide, DataPins will outline Google Maps ranking factors and showcase a Local SEO tool that can increase your rankings, impressions, and click-through rate.

Table of Contents

Google Maps Search Engine Optimization Basics

You must take care of some basic things before you even have a chance to rank on Google Maps. For example, you must claim and verify your Google Business Profile so that Google acknowledges your business as legitimate and allows you to manage a live business listing on their platform. Let’s take a look at the Google Maps SEO basics below:

Google Business Profile

To rank on Google Maps, you need a Google Business Profile. You may know GBP by its former name (Google My Business). Setting up a Google Business Profile is easy and free if you have an actual office address.

You can verify your GBP through a postcard that Google mails to your listed address. Once verified, you can begin to optimize your listing to improve its ranking on Google Maps.

Google Business Profile optimization is a direct ranking factor for Google Maps. So the first thing you have to do is register your business on Google. Already have a listing? Great! Here are some tips to optimize it:

Get more Google reviews for your business
Upload high-quality images relevant to your business
Expand your listed service areas
Update contact information, location listing, and business hours
Describe your business in detail
Links to your company website

Google Reviews

The most tangible currency for Google Maps SEO is Google Reviews. You can generate Google Reviews using automated software like DataPins, which requests reviews from customers via text and email.

But, of course, you can also acquire reviews the old-fashion way by asking your customers in person. As a local business owner, you can train your technicians to request a review after completing their job.

The best strategy is to ask people in person and send automated requests. Applying both techniques simultaneously increases your chances of feedback by 147%. Here are some tips to generate reviews:

Use DataPins to send automated review requests
Ask customers in-person
Train technicians to ask customers after completing jobs
Add your Google Review link to your email signature
Add your Google Review link to your website’s header

Google Maps Ranking Factors

We mentioned the three Google Maps ranking factors: proximity, relevance, and prominence. Of course, within these three factors are sub-factors that require a more in-depth understanding of Local SEO mechanics. Nevertheless, focusing on these three primary ranking factors is the fastest way to improve search visibility on Google Maps in 2022.

Proximity

The proximity factor considers the distance between the searcher and your listed (or hidden) business address. As a local business, you can’t do much to influence proximity unless you’re willing to move your location specifically for SEO purposes.

In such cases, target the middle of a high-population city. Remember, Google Maps is literally an interactive map to accurately approximate your businesses’ distance to their online searchers. People in San Jose, CA, will see results within the corresponding map radius.

Relevance

The relevance factor considers your business’s relevance to the user’s search. For example, if you are a pool cleaner in Seattle, WA, the name of your company, domain name, and business type all influence relevance.

In this example, a company named Joe’s Pool Cleaning Services with a domain name joespoolcleaning.com and a business type of pool cleaning service will meet every relevant factor that Google considers.

Prominence

Google reviews most directly impact the prominence ranking factor. However, other factors also contribute to a business’s prominence. For example, Google considers offline factors like brand recognition.

In addition to offline (real-world) factors, Google also looks at your reputation from across the web. For example, do a lot of people search for your brand name in general? Is your website visited regularly? These all contribute.

Google Maps SEO Tips for 2022

It’s easy to explain the three primary Google Maps ranking factors and ignore the subtle nuances that impact them. However, at DataPins, we believe in going the extra mile. Since most businesses already know about the three ranking factors, it’s important to dive deeper into the sub-factors that can increase your position in the Google Map 3-Pack for relevant local searches. Check out some Google Maps SEO tips below:

Target Local Intent

Local intent searches are among the most important driving forces behind Google Maps SEO. So what are local intent searches? A local intent search is any search engine query specifying a specific geographic location.

For example, “bakery in Barstow,” “mechanic on St. Cloud,” or “computer repair near me.”

You have probably searched with local intent. Local intent means looking for a business, service, or anything in a specific area. So why is local intent so important? It’s crucial because people doing searches with local intent are usually ready to purchase.

They know what they want and are ready to find it and pay for it. It’s also important because 46% of queries entered into the Google search engine have local intent. That’s nearly half of the billions of people using Google every day.

Build Google Maps Backlinks

Building links to your company website or Google Business Profile can improve ranking. In general, you should start with local business directories. Maybe a local chamber of commerce, union, or professional network would be willing to link to your business’s site on theirs.

You can also register on the Better Business Bureau and on social media sites like Facebook. You can also network with businesses that complement yours but don’t compete with them. For example, reach out to other companies like real estate agencies, renovation contractors, and property management companies if you own a window washing company.

Ask if you can provide a guest post that provides value to their readers while inserting a link back to your website. Another option is sponsoring local community events, sports teams, and other regional endeavors.

Generate Consistent Reviews

We noted Google Reviews as an essential element of SEO for Google Maps. However, getting one or two reviews is not enough. The highest-ranking profiles generate a consistent stream of customer reviews.

The more reviews you have, the better. They don’t all have to be golden, either. Don’t worry about a few bad reviews if you maintain an aggregate rating between 4.2 and 4.5 stars.

Anything higher seems suspicious, and anything lower makes your business look bad. The important thing is volume, so make sure you often ask for reviews, not just on Google but elsewhere.

The #1 Google Maps SEO Tool

Various factors contribute to Google Maps SEO, but one tool simultaneously solves all of your problems. DataPins is a Google Maps SEO tool that provides an all-in-one solution for small businesses across the country.

DataPins serves as both a Local SEO tool and a Reputation Management platform. For Local SEO, DataPins produces schema pins each time a technician completes a job and tags it with the DataPins web app.

Each tagged job is automatically published on your corresponding website page, whether location or service. As a result, pins validate your service areas and services to Google.

After connecting your website to your Google Business Profile, you distribute these validations to your GBP and improve your rankings. Furthermore, you can connect reviews to pins for more social proof.

Learn more about DataPins today to improve Local SEO on Google Maps.

Oct '21

The (2023) Guide to Multi-Location Website Design (w/Insights)

Multi Location Website Design Blog Cover With Post Title

Multi-location website design presents various hurdles that require unique solutions. Businesses with multiple office locations often face extraneous challenges with their website, SEO, and digital marketing campaigns. As a result, DataPins produced a guide to help you maximize your efforts.

If you require a multi-location website, then allow us to congratulate you. It means that your business is expanding and that you are looking to the future and further growth. As a business owner, you already know that scaling comes with serious challenges.

Not least of these challenges is coming up with an excellent multi-location website design. DataPins arms you with vital information to create a fantastic multiple-location website in the following guide.

You have to keep in mind certain aspects of your business to design an excellent multi-location website. You also have to keep your business goals at the forefront of your mind. So read along as we break down some of the most essential principles for multi-location website design.

Components of Multi-Location Web Design

When developing a multi-location website, it is critical to maintain a hyper-local approach. Several tenants of local SEO apply more significantly to multi-location businesses. Using these strategies virtually guarantees more tremendous success than otherwise possible.

Multi-Location Statistic Inographic Showing 50% of SMBs Have Multiple Locations

Location Pages

You need a location page for each city you service and each of your office addresses. Frequently these two things overlap, and you can put your corresponding office address on the appropriate city page.

Still, you may also service nearby cities where you don’t have an office. In these cases, you still need to publish location pages to get businesses from those consumers. For example, if your office is in Orlando, FL, you can create an individual city page for Altamonte Springs, FL, and assign pins to the location.

Be careful when publishing hundreds of city pages with similar content, as it may trigger an algorithmic filter that dilutes your website’s overall rankings. Instead, the best strategy is to make each page as unique as possible.

DataPins

You might wonder how to diversify your location pages to satisfy search engines and their users. The answer is DataPins: a local SEO tool for contractors.

DataPins allows contractors to drop pins at each job they perform and automatically publish them to the corresponding location page. The tool also sends review requests through email and text messages.

You’ll find that DataPins automates unique content by making sure only location-specific content appears on the appropriate pages. The tool serves as a curator of user-generated content, social proof, and reputation.

Google Business Profile

While your Google Business Profile listing is separate from your website, they are connected to your online marketing strategy. The highest-ranking business listings have a complete website with content for each location.

Each office address should have its own Google Business Profile listing, which you can verify via postcard. You should connect your main website to each one of your listings in the GBP website tab.

Include images of offices, information on which areas you service, operation hours, and services offered.

It is also essential to keep this information accurate and updated. NAP (Name, Address, and Phone Number) information must remain consistent between your multi-location website and your Google Business Profile.

Having inaccurate or inconsistent NAP info hurts your rankings. Also, Google prefers to display recently updated content when it’s available, so update your Google My Business listing often.

Multi-Location Website Principles

Aside from hyper-local strategies, your website must follow general best practices to increase conversions and appeal to visitors. As you know, SEO is influenced by the user behavior on your website. Make an extra effort to present an ideal user experience to your target consumers.

Brand Consistency

Multi-location website design requires a strong brand. Focus on consistent logos, color schemes, and slogans for every page on your website, even different location pages.

The customer wants to feel that some effort went into the page about their location, like the homepage. In other words, copying and pasting text and images from one location page to another is never a good idea. Instead, the content should be personalized but still brand-consistent.

One way to achieve this personalization is by including background images of local landmarks. You can also have a personalized quote from the regional office manager or a message to the specific community in question.

Navigation

A good multi-location website design makes it easy for consumers to navigate the area pages quickly and easily. However, consider that not all of your visitors will be directed to the specific area page. Instead, organic traffic will land on your home page or a blog post.

For this reason, developing an overview page is a good idea. Think of an overview page like a transit hub where multiple people can get to where they need to go via a central location. Therefore, your overview page should have clear and prominent tabs for each area you serve.

Consider embedding a map that displays all of your service locations. Include an option to click on each one and be directed to the corresponding page.

URLs

With your different location pages, you have a unique and golden opportunity to make the user experience smooth for your visitors and to optimize for local SEO. Each location-specific page should have unique URLs containing the name of the city they correspond to.

Make the URL format as consistent as possible too. This will make it easier for search engines to index your pages accurately on relevant searches.

For instance, a remodeling contractor in Miami and Key West should have clean URLs like “/key-west” at the end instead of “/contractor-key-west.”

Content

Content for each of your location pages must be relevant and accurate. For example, one of your locations in Pagosa Springs may be running a promotion that your other locations aren’t. So you have to ensure that the promotional content is only present on the relevant area page.

Relevant content also extends to the unique location content that you publish on each page. For example, community events, messages, images, and services should be tailored to the appropriate location page.

This will not only enhance the user experience for your website; it’s also good for SEO. Besides, no one likes finding out that a promotion they are excited about isn’t actually being offered in their area.

Final Thoughts on Multi-Location Business Websites

Multi-location business websites present challenges that complicate the digital marketing campaign process. However, with the right tools, companies can optimize their multi-location website for excellent results. Using an experienced website designer, the DataPins tool, and a hyper-local content marketing strategy, your business website can reach all of your target customers throughout various towns and cities.

Sep '21

GPS Photo Tags for GMB vs. Schema Pins (Myth vs. Reality)

Many SEO experts have examined the myth of GPS photo tags influencing Google Maps rankings. Here’s the reality, it doesn’t work. However, don’t confuse GPS photo tags with other kinds of SEO techniques, such as schema markup — which can, in fact, influence rankings.

Local businesses have been trying to gain an edge since SEO’s inception, and many myths, legends, and fairytales have come along for the ride. Unfortunately, since Google doesn’t publicly release its algorithm, the industry has a history of guessing games, many of which lead people down a rabbit hole that wastes their time and resources.

What is Image Geo-Tagging?

Geo-tagging, also referred to as GPS photo tags, is the insertion of location information into the file data of any given image. The actual tags are the location information of the photo.

For instance, one might geotag a photo by inputting latitude, longitude, and altitude information into the EXIF data of a given image. You can then add the geotagged photo to your Google Business Profile to feed Google more information about the picture and the physical location.

An SEO Alternative To Geo-Tagging

While geotags don’t work for SEO, as Google strips the EXIF data from the image as soon as it’s uploaded, another SEO technique influences rankings. Schema markup is not a new concept for those who’ve studied SEO. However, using schema markup for location-specific information is underutilized. New software called DataPins maximizes schema markup for city pages.

What are Schema Pins?

Schema pins are pieces of unique map data, in schema form, generated by the DataPins app. Just like with GPS photo tags, the basic principle is to create unique, location-oriented content for your website – or in the case of the emphasis of today’s post, your Google My Business page. The difference is that Schema Pins influence rankings.

For example, let’s say you are a roofer and re-shingling a roof in Fort Worth. With the DataPins app, you can take a picture of the worksite, enter the location information, and have unique image and map content published to the relevant sections of your Google My Business page. It’s pretty much automatic and doesn’t require you to manipulate EXIF data.

Schema pins display pins on the map where the service took place. Unfortunately, some confusion remains regarding schema pins and their relationship to geotags (none). However, misinformation is floating around on YouTube and other forums, so we thought we’d clear it up for 2023.

The Basic Principles

Both geotagging and schema pins aim to increase the relevance of your content to specific searches. The more relevant your content is to someone’s online query, the better your chances are of ranking on the first page. But, of course, the first page is always where you want to be.

For example, let’s say someone searches for “roofers in Fort Worth.” Google will scan the internet for content related to roofers in Fort Worth. The unique content you have that pertains to “roofers in Fort Worth” increases your chances of ranking as one of the top search results.

Both GPS photo tagging and schema pins generate unique content that is location-specific. The myth, however, is that GPS photo tags for Google Business Profile are more effective than schema pins. Here’s why that’s simply a myth.

GPS Photo Tagging Study

In one study conducted over one month, GPS photo tagging had a negligible effect on search engine rankings. The study targeted 16 different keywords and involved 18 unique posts, each with its own geotagged image. The study concluded that six keywords dropped in rankings (2 were actually displaced to the 51st position or lower), nine didn’t change at all, and only three improved rankings (likely unrelated).

In our humble opinion, gaining a ranking for 3 out of 16 keywords and sliding down on 6 is not an improvement. Hence, GPS photo tags for Google Business Profile aren’t effective. They don’t work at all.

The Schema Pins Study

On the other hand, Molberg Plumbing LLC used Schema Pins with notable success. The study data tracked organic search discovery rate, new online review submissions, and new content generation. The study was conducted over a year and involved a real-time Google Business Profile marketing strategy using Schema Pins.

The study concluded that the Schema Pins helped the company reach an organic search discovery rate between 84% and 87%. Customer reviews for the company also tripled across multiple platforms. Lastly, after a year of use, Schema Pins continually added fresh content to the Google My Business page of Molberg Plumbing LLC.

While some still insist that GPS photo tags for Google My Business can help increase online exposure, there is no doubt that Schema Pins work.

How Schema Pins Work

We have gone over how Schema Pins work to add fresh content to your website and Google Business Profile and how they can help you rank higher on location-specific searches. But Schema Pins are a massive boon to SEO because they help you get more customer reviews which are vitally important for SEO.

With the DataPins app, once a pin is added, a text is automatically sent to the customer with a link to a page to leave a review. This automated review request process was shown in the same study mentioned in the previous section to be more effective for getting customer reviews than other methods.

Get Started with DataPins

DataPins is all about sustainability and scalability. It can help expand your business by increasing its digital footprint. The app is very user-friendly and automates many critical digital marketing processes. To learn more or get started with DataPins, give us a call or shoot us a message.

Jun '20

The Most Innovative Review Software for Contractors

Review Software for Contractors (Blog Cover)

If you are looking for review software for contractors, you aren’t alone. Being a contractor comes with its own unique set of challenges – especially if you want to focus on marketing. Contracting businesses are brick-and-mortar companies. If you have no local presence, then you are fighting an uphill battle.

There are a lot of types of software out there for contractors, but none of them have been optimized for the digital marketing needs of contractors. The problem usually lies in a lack of foresight by developers. They see the market as a global entity, which it is. But as a contractor, you have to think locally. You have to learn how to walk before you can run, so to speak. That’s where things like local SEO come into play.

You need to be seen by as many people in your community as possible; digital marketing is the best and most efficient way to be seen. Here at DataPins, we take local SEO a step further with our innovative review software for contractors. Our review software was developed with a local focus to help contractors like you grow your business and leverage the reviews you already have, gain more, and turn them into powerful local marketing tools.

The Importance of Contractor Reviews

Most people would say that leads are the lifeblood of a contracting business, but many leads are created by reviews. Customer reviews are an important part of the sales funnel. They can provide you with important market data, help you improve your services, and be social proof signals to potential customers.

Reviews can be a powerful asset to your business, but only if they are managed correctly. For example, did you know that perfect aggregate review ratings are actually not ideal in today’s market? People are distrustful of perfect reviews. They tend to think that perfect reviews are a signal that the proprietor has manipulated the system in some way. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. In fact, the Spiegel Research Canter has statistical proof that businesses and products with 4.2-4.5 ratings influenced more sales.

Customer reviews are important to the millennial market as well. The millennial generation is finally moving out of their parent’s homes and starting to buy houses of their own. In fact, one in three millennials under the age of 35 now owns a home. That number is down from previous generations but still makes up a large portion of the market. And all those young homeowners will need to work on their properties at some point.

So it is important to note that 91% of millennials trust online customer reviews as much as they trust word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family. The millennial generation is likely the one over which customer reviews hold the most clout so it is imperative that you have plenty of reviews on your website to appeal to this surging generation.

Another reason why customer reviews are so important in today’s market is that more and more people are shying away from paid advertising. In a study conducted by Statuslabs, it was found that a whopping 83% of modern consumers don’t trust ads. What do they turn to in order to inform their purchasing decisions instead? You guessed it, customer reviews.

When a person reads a review, they are seeking to find out what they can expect from your business by seeing it through the experience of someone who has used your services before. In essence, reviews are the new advertising.

The quantity of reviews also plays a role in conversion rates. For example, an estimated 70% of consumers will not make a purchasing decision before they have read at least 4 reviews. Most of those consumers will not even consider your business if you have less than 4 reviews. Much less if you have none. So garnering reviews becomes important in the first place. But how do you get reviews? Check out more reputation management stats.

Earning Reviews for Contractors

Do you have little to no reviews for your contracting business? Fear not. Just take a look at these helpful tips for generating reviews for your business:

Ask – 70% of consumers will leave a review if asked. So don’t be afraid to ask your customers for a review once the job is done. Word-of-mouth requests are still very effective for earning reviews.

Make it Easy – If you make the process of leaving a review easy for your customers, they will be more inclined to do so. Remember, not everyone is tech-savvy. Not everyone knows how to jump on Yelp or Angie’s List and leave a review. That’s why you should have a simple link ready for them when you request a review. Consider printing your review links on your business card or providing an email that walks your customers through the process.

Tell your Crew – You will not always be around at the end of a job, so make sure that your team knows that asking for reviews is a point of emphasis.

Google My Business – Having your business set up on Google My Business is a great way to earn more reviews. Google My Business is one of the most popular platforms right now, and Google makes it easy for customers to leave reviews. Make sure you have a Google My Business profile with all your pertinent information listed on it.

What Review Software for Contractors can do

Now that you know just how important reviews are and know how you can start earning more, it’s time to talk about what advantages review software for contractors holds. Take a look at the most important benefits:

It Saves Time – Review software like the kind we offer here at Brand Revu will help you focus on other important aspects of running your business. By automating many of the processes related to managing reviews on various platforms, our review software for contractors can take menial tasks out of your hands and the hands of your staff. We can help you allocate your most precious resource – time – to other endeavors.

It Makes for A Happier Customer – Did you know that 89% of people seek out and read businesses’ replies to customer reviews? When you reply to a review, whether it be good or bad, it shows the customer and potential customers that you care about providing excellent service. Our software makes it easy for you to reply to reviews that have been posted across multiple platforms. We make it simple to provide a better overall customer experience to your clients.

It Improves Local SEO – Our software focuses on turning your reviews into schema markup, geo-locating, and optimizing reviews for local SEO. Your reviews can help other people in your area find your business, but only if they are managed. We make sure that your reviews helped get you ranked on more local searches.

Improve your Online Reputation – We already talked about how people don’t trust traditional advertising anymore. With our help, you can turn your customer reviews into extremely potent marketing tools. Your customer reviews can help build your brand and make more external platforms point to your company website.

Innovative Review Software for Contractors

So what makes Brand Revu the most innovative review software for contractors? For starters, we help get your reviews broadcasted to the platforms that matter the most. We use schema markup and microdata to optimize your page for local searches. We turn your customer reviews into local SEO signals so that more people who are in need of your services can find you.

We make sure that all geo-indicators that exist for your company online are accurate, streamlining the sales process and making sure that you aren’t inundated by customers outside of your service area.

With our Brand Revu widget, we also make it easy for people to see glowing reviews of your service from all platforms right on your website. We make it as easy as possible for busy contractors to manage and reply to customer reviews. We help you earn even more reviews. In short, we cater to the SEO and marketing needs of the modern contractor.

There is much more we can do for you. But every service that our software provides is geared towards helping you expand and meet the goals you have for your business. We have worked with contractors of all kinds, and we have the experience to help you turn the vision you have for your company into a reality. Get in touch with us here at DataPins to learn more.

May '20

Roofing Company Reputation Management Software for 2023

Roofing company reputation management software is necessary for all roof repair businesses in 2023. While dozens of suitable options exist, DataPins is the only tool that offers both reviews management and Local SEO automation.

For local contractors, ranking in multiple cities is one of the most important parts of their online marketing campaign. Combining increased visibility with an enhanced reputation is a great combo.

Reputation Management for Roofing Companies

For roofers, reputation management is vital to maintaining and increasing consumer interest, trust, and retention. Because of how Google’s local search algorithm is constructed, reviews matter greatly to local SEO. Roofing companies that demonstrate credibility in a particular service area can rank on Google in those zip codes, even without their primary business address being located there.

Aside from the SEO benefit of reputation management software, roofers with several positive reviews will also convert at a higher rate than competitors. Because consumers gauge trust based at least partially on review ratings, both the quantity and quality of such reviews matter. Aside from Google, reviews on Facebook and Yelp also matter.

Why Roofers Need Reputation Management Software

It’s easy to see why a good reputation helps roofers get more customers and keeps them returning when services are needed. But establishing such a reputation takes work, not just on the ground with your services but also online with your digital marketing campaign.

A series of tasks are required to both establish and maintain a roofing company’s standing in one or more communities. Software like DataPins makes these aspirations a reality and does so without you needing to get involved in the grind of internet marketing and reputation management. All you need to do is conduct pinning on job sites so you can rank everywhere.

Convert Roofing Customer Prospects

Finding a local roofer online is one thing, but trusting them enough to use their services takes us a step beyond. After all, a great website that is properly optimized can rank on Google for certain keywords. Still, to really convert leads at a high rate, the visitor must be able to verify your reputation through 3rd party platforms like Google Business Profile, Facebook, and Yelp.

It helps when reviews from these 3rd parties are integrated onto your company website so that social proof exists without the user having to go to each site to find out your reputation. With DataPins, you can display all of your reviews from 3rd party platforms like Google Business Profile directly on your homepage, review page, and local city page.

As visitors see that you provide the service they are interested in and have reviews from credible sources to confirm that these services have been performed within their area, they will convert.

Simply put, reviews impact conversion and can make up to a 275% difference, according to our internal estimates

Expand Your Service Areas

Roofers often ask digital marketing agencies about how to rank for keywords in multiple cities. If your business address is located in Pinewood, FL, but you’d like to rank in the larger area (Miami), it is critical that you establish credibility within the Miami city lines. Now how do you do that? Through pin technology through DataPins.

When you service a customer in the city of Miami, you will pin at their residence and take a picture of the job. This pin will be routed to your Miami city page on your company website, and when that same customer leaves a review, it will be verified as from Miami and also appear on your city page.

Your page gains authority as Google sees this user-generated content from a reliable and local source. While this is often thought about in large cities, it can be done for any location.

The concept of Geo-reputation suggests that your brand’s authority changes based on each zip code

Improve Online Visibility

We noted that reputation and local SEO are closely related. Businesses that rank well on Google’s Local 3-Pack typically have a good reputation and an established presence in one or more service areas. Traditional organic search results can also be influenced by reputation, especially when the query has buyer intent and targets a local service (like a roofer).

DataPins software helps roofers appear more prominently online, where it matters most. As potential customers view your business entities (websites, listings, etc.), they are exposed to your brand. Leads generated through your brand exposure are far superior to leads you would buy from a 3rd party leads service.

Exclusive leads convert at a higher rate and also have a greater chance of becoming repeat buyers. The most efficient route to exclusive leads is through web presence and visibility. DataPins reputation management tool helps you achieve this goal.

Local Roofer Map Pack Ranking From Local SEO

An enhanced reputation is only as effective as your company’s overall visibility

Reviews Management for Roofers

Contrary to conventional wisdom, a perfect 5-star review rating is not ideal for roofers. Consumers suspect illegitimacy when they find any business with absolutely perfect reviews across the board. You’d rather sit between 4.5 and 4.9 on aggregate star ratings to achieve the greatest performance and earn the most trust.

Aside from the rating, reviews can be challenging to manage, especially for a full-time roofer.

Review Responses

When someone leaves a scathingly negative review, someone must be there to respond to it in a calm and respectful manner. Review responses have value even for positive reviews. When potential customers see that you are responsive in both negative and positive cases, they are more likely to view you as a viable candidate.

Review responses reflect your company’s attentiveness and concern for existing customers

Review Platform Diversity

Reviews are most effective when spread across multiple sites. It also gives your company more validity when people can see that multiple sources have formed a reputation rating on your service.

DataPins helps roofers manage reviews on multiple 3rd party platforms, including Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Google is the most trusted and the most influential for SEO results, but each platform provides its own contribution to your roofing company’s presence.

Diversifying your review sources (Google, Facebook, Yelp, etc.) helps enhance your reputation

Review Presentation

Since spreading reviews through multiple platforms is best for credibility and SEO, it makes sense to have a place where potential customers can view all of these reviews at their convenience.

With DataPins, that place will be your company website through the DataPins widget (compatible with WordPress and other CMSs.) Reviews are displayed as a form of social proof so that visitors are convinced that your company is trustworthy and credible.

SEO-friendly review widgets use API to pull authenticated reviews from Google and other sources

DataPins Reputation Management Tool for Roofing Companies

For an all-in-one software solution for roofers needing reputation management, DataPins is a must-have. In addition to the pins and display widgets, DataPins is the best reputation management software for roofers who are looking to rank for local keywords.

Local SEO is an integral part of the DataPins tool and really what separates it from most other software brands. Roofers can trust that this software will help them achieve all of their reputation goals.

May '20

SEO for Multiple Cities: The Ultimate (2023) DataPins Guide

SEO for multiple cities has always been of the most frustrating components of an online marketing strategy. Local businesses have an office address in one zip code and have trouble ranking for nearby cities that they regularly service. Considering the amount of work these businesses do in the nearby areas, it doesn’t seem fair.

This frustration was the impetus for creating DataPins, a Local SEO tool that helps contractors rank in multiple cities throughout their service areas. DataPins wraps schema check-ins, geo-coordinates, original images, and captions into a “pin” that gets published to the most relevant local landing pages.

Since the inception of SEO, small businesses have consistently faced the problem of ranking for keywords in multiple cities. This is especially challenging to Service Area Businesses (SABs), who often serve a wide range of areas and communities.

Although their office address (or home office) may be located in a small suburb, they can travel 10 minutes to reach consumers in a much larger metro area. But how are these consumers going to find them?

Here’s what we know about ranking for multiple zip codes in 2023:

Google Maps Results Favor Address Proximity

Many local SEO experts have demonstrated that Google Map Pack rankings favor the local listing whenever possible. The location data is based on the verified address of your Google Business Profile. If you are a roofer whose business listing is set in Plano, TX, you will have trouble showing up for terms like dallas roofer, or roofer near me when the searcher’s device is pinged within a Dallas zip code.

See an example below:

Plano roofing companies will have a very difficult time ranking for queries containing “Dallas.”

Organic Rankings are Based on Other Factors

Generally, local SEO city landing pages will only rank if A) they are endorsed through links from other relevant entities within that community or B) they have original content (like user-generated reviews and pins) that validate a business’s credibility within a specific geographic radius.

With DataPins’ technology, reviews and pins are added to location pages (automatically) which allows the page to rank in a city that your business has serviced but is not actually located in. See an example:

It’s easier to rank outside of your address city on traditional organic results (with city pages)

Google Business Profile Service Area Challenges

Google Business Profile is an essential tool for marketing your business. It makes it easier for people who need your services to find you. But what if you are a service area business? Ranking outside your main zip code is notoriously difficult because Google prioritizes local searches based on which businesses have a physical address within the specified area.

And, the further your venture out from your physical address, the more competition there is. You may only have ten or so competing businesses within your own zip code, but that number balloons to dozens the further you go out.

Google is always trying to enhance its user experience, and location specification is a big part of that. That’s why it has been so difficult for service area businesses to get ranked in the areas that they serve.

The following guide examines the challenges related to Google Business Profile service area ranking. We will also discuss some ways you can overcome those challenges and be seen by more people outside the city where your business is physically located

Google Business Profile Areas Served

Google Business Profile used to have a feature that allowed businesses to set their physical location and then an “areas served” radius that surrounded that centralized location. It was a nice and convenient feature, to be sure. But people started abusing it. Businesses were frequently exaggerating their service area radius just to show up in more searches even though they didn’t really work in those areas.

So naturally, as part of Google’s ceaseless quest to make their users happy, they struck this feature down. Now, it isn’t so easy to rank using the Google Business Profile service area feature, as many businesses have found out. But as Google shut one big door, they opened a window at the same time.

Service Area Businesses (SABs)

Service area businesses were thrilled when Google unveiled its new service area features. While it’s not as easy as expanding your area’s served radius on a map, it increases the quality of search results, which in the end, is better for your business.

There is now a Google Business Profile wizard that helps you specify all of your unique areas served. And while it can be a bit tedious (especially if you operate in a lot of cities), it is really very simple. There is now a “Where do you Serve Your Customers” section of the Google Business Profile setup process.

You can list as many areas by name as you want in this section. The city names you enter will then appear under the Overview section of your Google Business Profile.

Zip Code SEO Rank

Business owners operating in large cities like Los Angeles and Dallas may encounter another challenge with their Google Business Profile service area. Cities like these are massive and have multiple zip codees within their specific areas and neighborhoods.

The problem is that these smaller areas are still covered under city names like Los Angeles and Dallas. So business owners in these types of areas haven’t been able to let their customers know that they serve their specific area until recently.

In addition to including city names, Google has made it easier for businesses in large metropolitan areas to be found by searchers. You can now enter specific zip codes for areas that may not have their own specific name.

Adding New Service Areas to GMB

Another way Google has made it easier for businesses to manage their Google Business Profile service area is by not locking them into one area after they set up their profiles. You can go into your Google Business Profile dashboard and change the Storefront Address and Service Area sections as needed.

This is a great feature for growing businesses and frequently adding new cities to their service coverage area.

Projecting Future Google Business Profile Updates

The challenge of ranking outside one’s own zip code is just one in a series of many more. As Google endlessly finds ways to improve its service, there will surely be more changes to frustrate business owners and DIY marketers alike.

It’s important to understand these challenges as they arise so that you can find ways to overcome them. Here at DataPins, we must stay abreast of all such changes in ranking criteria and other marketing trends. Our software was designed to address these service area challenges specifically.

Can You Have A Google Listing With no Address?

So, can you be listed on Google Business Profile with no physical address? The simple answer is no. You cannot set up and verify your Google Business Profile with no physical address given. This is because a physical address is an important part of the Google Business Profile verification process.

To verify you as a real business, Google uses the physical address you give to send out a verification number. Once you confirm this verification number with Google, your listing will be verified.

So the simple answer is no, but once you verify your address through Google, you can mark your listing as a Service Area Business (SAB), which allows you to hide the verified address from the public.

You must verify your physical location with Google, but you can then hide it from the public

You Can Still Use Google Business Profile

Using the examples mentioned earlier in this post, you may run an online business or operate your business out of your home. Using Google Business Profile is critical for service areas businesses because it lets your customers know that you operate in their area.

Yes, you do have to give some physical address for Google to verify your business, but the good thing about the verification process is that the address you give doesn’t have to be a storefront address. In other words, you can give Google your home address if your business doesn’t have its own physical address.

But what if you don’t want to give out your home address?

Hiding your GMB Address

The process of listing your home address on Google Business Profile but keeping it invisible to the public is actually very easy:

Navigate to the dashboard of your Google Business Profile
In the top right-hand corner, click the button that reads “Manage Now.”
Provide the business name information it asks for during the prompts
Once you have filled out your business name information, you will be prompted to list an address for your business.
List your home address or the residential address you wish to use
Check the “I deliver goods and services to my customers” box
Then, check the “Hide my address (it’s not a store) box
Complete the setup process as normal

See? We told you it was easy. Now your business can be verified, and your home address won’t be available for the public to see.

Service Areas

Now that you know how to set up your Google Business Profile listing without using a business address, it’s time to list the areas that you serve. Listing service areas on GBP is absolutely crucial for service area businesses.

When people click on your Google Business Profile, they will see whether or not you operate in their area under the overview section. In fact, 97% of people will use online resources like Google Business Profile to research local businesses.

So you simply cannot afford to omit this step. Luckily, the process is pretty easy, if not a bit tedious. Google My Business now allows you to enter as many individual locations as you want when you set up your listing. In the setup wizard, you will see a section titled, “Where do you serve your customers?”

In the field they provide, you can type in the names of the cities that you service. You can also enter zip codes if you want/have to be really specific.

Need More Answers?

We hope you have found our post helpful. Always remember that you don’t have to be pigeonholed or hindered in any way if your business does not have a storefront address. Arm yourself with the answers and resources you need to thrive. DataPins software is designed to improve SEO for multiple cities and help SABs rank in multiple zip codes throughout their service areas.

May '20

7 Insightful Reputation Management Statistics for 2023

Reputation management statistics. Are they reliable? We know that fake online reviews statistics exist. Anyone can just make up a number and publish it as empirical data. DataPins has collected a series of stats that we find the most reliable so that you, as a customer, can understand the importance of online reputation management software for SMBs.

Reputation management is an indelible part of the business review process. Your customers’ reviews play a part in how others perceive your business. That can be a scary prospect for many business owners. However, when you take control of your brand’s reputation, you can produce terrific results.

7 Statistics for Reputation Management

1) Negative Reviews are Massively Impactful

The impact of a single negative review can’t be understated. In a survey conducted by Review Tracker, it was found that 94% of respondents reported that a negative review has kept them from patronizing a business in the past. Understanding how much impact a negative review can have is the first step toward traversing the pitfalls of reputation management.

2) Replying to Reviews is Important

Many business owners think their job is done when a customer has left a positive review of their goods or services. But to leave a good review alone is to leave a great opportunity on the table. That’s because 71% of consumers are inclined to return to a business that has responded to their reviews. And so many business owners are failing to do so.

A whopping 63% of survey responders say that a business has never left a reply on their reviews. Replying to reviews lets a customer know that you value their input and experience with you. It is also a great way to engage and build up a rapport with your customers – critical for reputation management.

3) Replying to Negative Reviews is Also Important

What do you do with negative reviews? Do you leave them alone and hope they get buried by positive reviews? How do you turn a negative review into a positive business perception? A Cornell University study suggests that one way to do this is to respond to negative reviews.

When you own up to a perceived flaw in your business, you show customers that you care about providing good service. Be sure to reply to negative reviews kindly, and seek ways to improve your service.

4) Business Ratings Matter

Google My Business profiles are important. And your ratings could tell the tale of your success. Tons of statistics point to the importance of your business rating. For instance, only 53% of consumers would consider trusting a business with less than a 4-star rating.

And if your business is under a 5-star rating, you could lose up to 12% of your potential customer base. Doing what it takes to achieve and maintain a high business rating can help propel your business to success.

5) Review Content is A Commodity

What is review content? Review content is literally what a customer has written in a review about your business – and it is almost as precious as gold. People trust what other consumers have to say about your business.

In a Forrester study, it was found that review content actually ranks higher than content created by a business or organization. This suggests that people are more willing to believe what others have to say about your business than what you have to say about it.

6) Keeping Current Reviews is Vital

A staggering 85% of consumers don’t rely on reviews that are more than three months old. Reputation management is an ongoing job, but this statistic drives the point home. If you are not cultivating reviews from your customers and not making it easy for them to do so, you are falling behind.

Consumers are very “what have you done for me lately?” oriented, and you need to keep current reviews to draw new customers to your business.

7) Reputation Management is Important for Staffing

On the employee side, it is clear to see that reputation is essential to keeping a robust staff. As we read in another Review Trackers article, 84% of job hunters consider a company’s reputation critical to which jobs they apply for.

If your company’s reputation is terrible, you may have the bottom-of-the-barrel choices in terms of applicants, perpetuating sub-par service and reputation.

Applying Stats to The Real World

Think about it; just one bad review can negatively affect how potential customers perceive your business. And in the digital age, that is a surefire blow to your finances. But it’s not all bad news for business owners.

Reputation Management Statistics for Small Businesses

Taking Control of Your Reputation

You shouldn’t be frightened at the thought of reputation management. In fact, you should be heartened by it. Because it is so easy for people to get a gauge on your business with search engines and online reviews, you have a golden opportunity to take control of your business’s reputation and mold the narrative in your favor.

Time is Money

We understand the challenges and time constraints of the modern business owner. In times like these, it is more important than ever to manage your business’s reputation successfully. But it is a laborious and time-consuming process. We are here to help.

Here at DataPins, we specialize in leveraging your business’s customer reviews toward more sales. We offer review management for agencies and small businesses. Our software provides geolocation coding and reputation management services.

Be Proactive

It can be easy to get bogged down in these reputation management statistics but don’t let the numbers get you down. Be proactive. Reply to reviews, both good and bad, stay engaged with your current customer base, and always be on the lookout for ways you can improve your products and services. There is always something that can be done to improve your company’s reputation, so stay vigilant.

And as always, we can help manage your company’s reputation, improve it, and provide you with a host of services to help your site rank higher on SERPs.