Google Store Ratings expansion

For those who didn’t hear:

Google just expanded their Store ratings beyond the US.

Rolling them out to India, Australia, Canada, and the UK. This is bigger than most realize – it's about to reshape how global customers make buying decisions.

Let me break down why this matters and what's coming next.

Here's what's actually happening:

• Google's expanding this feature shows they're seeing major impact on purchase behavior

• The rollout timing hints at preparation for global holiday shopping season

Our 2024 Predictions:

1. Store ratings will become a primary trust factor for first-time buyers

2. Merchants without strong store ratings will see significant drops in conversion rates by Q2 2025

3. Ad costs will start varying based on store rating scores – better ratings, lower CPCs

4. More countries will get access by mid-2025

What This Means For Your Store

If you’re selling in these markets:

Immediate Steps:

• Join Google's Customer Review program (it's free)

• Start collecting reviews aggressively now, before your competitors catch on

• Focus on your shipping and return policies – they're visible in the detailed ratings view

90-Day Strategy:

• Build a review collection system into your post-purchase flow

• Monitor your competitors' rating scores weekly

• Test different review request timings to optimize response rates

Don't wait for your competition to figure this out. The early adopters who build strong store ratings now will have a massive advantage when Google rolls this out to more countries.

Read the official announcement here: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/10/store-ratings

Stay ahead of the curve

Jackson Blackledge

CEO and Founder of Echelonn.io

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