Google Seller Ratings are not new – many large retail and ecommerce advertisers have been using them for years. But businesses of any size in a variety of industries including healthcare, education and home improvement should be taking advantage of seller ratings. If competitors in your industry aren’t currently taking advantage of seller ratings, you have a unique opportunity to stand out.
Having Googles seller rating extension on your search marketing campaigns and organic listings can also result in higher click-through-rates and may be the key to getting more qualified leads, and ultimately more sales, for your business.
What are Google Seller Ratings?
Seller ratings are a Google Ads extension that showcases advertisers with high ratings. They appear below text ads with the aim to help consumers find businesses that offer quality goods and services. Seller ratings will also show on your organic listings and Google Shopping Ads, but you don’t need to have a Google Merchant Center account for your ads to be eligible for seller ratings extensions on the search network.
A Google Seller Rating generally shows:
- A rating out of 5 stars
- The total number of ratings your business has received, and
- A ‘qualifier’ explaining how or why you got the rating
Qualifiers can be such things as average delivery time, or if the advertised item is in stock. Google automatically decides on your qualifier, and in some cases may not display anything.
Seller Ratings in Google Ads Campaigns
Google seller ratings appear on both desktop and mobile search, giving your ads and listings the ability to grab consumers’ attention across all devices. While seller ratings are an automated extension, they will only appear when your business has received 100 unique reviews within the last 12 months, and your average rating is at least 3.5 stars. Seller ratings are country specific; the reviews from users in each country will only contribute to your business’ rating in that county. However, it is possible to qualify for seller ratings in multiple countries.
To find out your businesses has a Seller Rating, edit this URL to replace “{yourwebsite}” with your homepage URL: https://www.google.com/shopping/ratings/account/lookup?q={yourwebsite}
Unfortunately, having a seller rating associated with your domain does not necessarily mean your rating will appear with your ads. According to Google, their appearance is dependent on auction dynamics and other factors.
How to Qualify for a Google Seller Rating
Google bases seller ratings on several sources, including Google Customer Reviews and several independent review websites, including our Partner, Trustpilot. Google rescales the ratings on a scale of 1-5, so it’s easy to compare reviews from different sources, and give an accurate average result.
Google updated their Seller Rating Partner requirements in June this year, to make the system fairer and more transparent. Trustpilot were quick to update their service to be in line with the new requirements, including that reviews obtained by a business will never be deleted, even if the business stops actively collecting reviews on their platform. Trustpilot are committed to being the most trusted review platform in the world, with reviews being published instantly, without censoring or delays. This allows consumers to easily share their experiences, and businesses can effortlessly monitor and manage their online reputation by freely inviting and responding to reviews.
Benefits of Using Seller Ratings
Seller ratings can have a number of beneficial effects on your Google Ads campaigns. They’re a signal to consumers that your business is reputable and offers high-quality products or services. This can have a positive influence on your ad’s click-through rate and thus can lower the amount you’re paying per click.
If you’re interested in how achieving a Google seller rating can help your business attract more qualified leads, get in touch and one of our expert Digital Marketing Consultants will give you a call.
Emma Reid