Why your Google Business reviews are critical for acquiring new customers

Online reviews can make or break a restaurant's reputation. Studies show that over 90% of diners read reviews before choosing where to eat—and just one additional star on Yelp or Google can lead to a 5-9% increase in revenue. But getting happy customers to leave reviews? That’s the hard part.

That’s why at Open, we built an SEO-focused tool to help restaurants turn great guest experiences into more 5-star reviews—while quickly resolving any issues behind the scenes. It automatically reaches out to customers after their first order, collects feedback, boosts your Google and Yelp presence, and even responds to new reviews—all with minimal lift from your team.

Why Open’s SEO Tool Works

Timely Outreach = Higher Response Rates
The tool sends a text right after a guest places their first order, while the experience is still top of mind. This timing leads to significantly higher response rates compared to traditional email follow-ups.

Smart Feedback Routing
We ask customers to rate their experience. If they respond with a 5, we prompt them to leave a review on Google or Yelp. Anything less gets routed to support—so your team has a chance to resolve the issue before it goes public.

Automated Review Responses
In addition to review collection, Open’s tool also helps respond to new Google reviews quickly and professionally. According to Google, businesses that respond to reviews are 1.7x more trustworthy, and timely replies can directly improve your local SEO ranking.

Boosts Local Visibility
The combination of high-volume, high-quality reviews and fast replies helps your restaurant rank higher on Google, improving discoverability for new guests.

Customer Recovery = Loyalty
Guests who don’t have a 5-star experience are sent to support, not ignored. We’ve seen that restaurants who follow up personally with these customers often turn them into repeat diners.

The Data Behind More Reviews (and Better SEO)

• Response Rates: SMS-based review requests see 3x higher response rates than email.
• Trust Building: Businesses that respond to reviews are viewed as 1.7x more trustworthy by consumers.
• Search Ranking Impact: Timely responses and high review volume help boost your visibility on Google.
• Retention Win: 65% of guests who reported a non-5-star experience and received a follow-up placed another order.
• Review Volume: Restaurants using Open’s SEO tool see 2x more 5-star reviews within 30 days.

Final Thoughts

If you’re not asking for reviews after every order—and responding to them—you’re leaving both revenue and SEO performance on the table. Open’s SEO-focused tool helps you do both: turn happy guests into vocal advocates, and give frustrated ones a second chance. It’s fast, automated, and incredibly effective.

Build trust. Rank higher. Bring guests back.

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