Tag: Reviews

7Aug By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

Generative AI, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Reviews, Reputation & Listings: The Local Signals AI Now Reads

For years, you could gauge local visibility by checking the map pack and a page of organic results. These have always mattered, but now, the same business details that feed them are also powering AI assistants. Instead of presenting a page full of options, an assistant responds with just a few names. This change emphasizes how crucial it is to keep a strong foundation. What was once just a minor listing mistake that affected rankings could now entirely stop a business from being included in the AI’s response. The basic details like your name, address, phone number, hours, reviews, and mentions from other sources are important in helping customers find your business easily. AI systems depend on getting the right information about your business, understanding what you offer, and gathering da...

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20Jun By Jeff SchwerdtNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Sponsored Posts

How To Build: AI Trust Signal Strategy & Boost Local SEO Reviews

This post was sponsored by Reviewly.ai. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Does keyword research still matter for SEO in 2026? Are Google reviews required for a local business to show up in AI results? How do I get my clients’ businesses recommended by AI like Gemini, Claude, and Google AI Overviews? With Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity now answering questions that used to require clicking through ten blue links, the way businesses get discovered has shifted. When these tools decide which businesses to recommend, they lean heavily on one local SEO trust signal above all others: reviews. That means your review generation strategy is no longer just a reputation play. It’s a visibility play. If AI can’t find fresh, consistent, positive reviews about you...

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4Jun By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

Digital Marketing, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

How Reviews Drive Business Results Beyond Marketing

Most business owners assume that higher star ratings are linked to better business outcomes. A peer-reviewed study tested that assumption directly. Researchers Eddie Inyang and Juliana White surveyed 251 U.S. small-business owners on online reputation management, Google star ratings, and business performance. Notably, Google star ratings alone didn’t predict performance. What was associated with performance was the practice of ORM. Active reputation management correlated with better business results. Not the stars, but their behind-the-scenes work. What The Research Found The study, published in the Journal of Small Business Strategy, tested six hypotheses regarding ORM and small-business performance using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Five were supported. Customer or...

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15May By Nicholas LonskiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, SEO Strategy, Sponsored Posts

How To Remove Negative Reviews That AI Overviews Cites

This post was sponsored by Erase.com. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Why does AI pull a 2023 Reddit thread into a 2026 comparison query?What makes AI cite some complaints about my brand and skip others?How do I get AI to stop citing old complaints in unrelated queries? Four signals decide what AI exposes, and once you know them, you can work them. Q1 2026 analysis surfaces four consistent patterns in what AI engines cite: recency plus volume, specificity that names features, platform authority (Reddit, major review sites), and recurrence across sources. The complaints that hit all four are the ones that show up unprompted in queries where users were looking for solutions, not problems. The fix isn’t a single takedown request; it’s a four-step audit-and-rebuil...

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7May By Nicholas LonskiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, SEO Strategy, Sponsored Posts

How To Remove Negative Reviews That AI Overviews Cites

This post was sponsored by Erase.com. The opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. Why is my brand appearing in AI comparisons I didn’t ask to be in?How do I find out what AI tools are saying about my brand?What’s the difference between traditional reputation management and AI reputation management? Any issues with your brand’s reputation are what AI decides to show searchers, unprompted. Throughout Q1 2026, we’ve seen a behavioral shift in how prospects discover brand reputation issues. AI-assisted research tools now autonomously surface negative content, such as reviews, complaints, forum threads, social media discussions, inside comparison queries, without users deliberately searching for problems. When someone asks ChatGPT “which CRM should I choose,” these AI engines ...

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23Jan By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

1-Minute-a-Day Strategy for Getting More Yelp Reviews

There is a simple and realistic way to encourage Yelp reviews of your business, one that will take you only 1 minute a day (on average).  Just do a “Find Friends” search on Yelp on every person you’re about to ask for a review on any site (e.g. Google Maps), and adjust your request accordingly.  Even one “Find Friends” lookup a day is enough to keep the review doctor away. Go to “Find Friends” and enter your customer’s email address(es). If that customer doesn’t have a Yelp account, your search will yield nothing.  But if your customer does have a Yelp account, you’ll see his or her name, along with the number of reviews written, photos taken, and “friends.”.  If your customer has written at least 5 reviews, you’ve hit paydirt.  (More on that in a minute.) There’s nothing else to it, oth...

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6Dec By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Google Maps Lets Users Post Reviews With Nicknames

Google Maps now lets users leave business reviews under a custom nickname instead of their real name. The feature is part of a four-feature Maps update and is rolling out globally on Android, iOS, and desktop. Local SEO agency Whitespark was among the first to document the change in detail, describing it as one of the more notable shifts to Google’s review system in years. What Changed Google’s support documentation outlines the new setting. Users can enable a custom display name and picture for posting through their Maps or Google profile. Once enabled, that identity appears on reviews, photos, videos, and Q&A posts across Maps. The feature works retroactively. If you edit your nickname later, past contributions update to show the new name. Whitespark notes that people have long creat...

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9Apr By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

Google Maps Gets An Upgrade To Combat Fake Reviews

Google has updated its AI systems for Maps and Business Profiles, which now use Gemini to identify risky profile edits and fake reviews. Gemini Finds Suspicious Profile Edits Google is employing Gemini to spot fake changes to Business Profiles. It can distinguish between a regular update, like a slight name change, and a sudden, suspicious shift, such as changing a business category from a “cafe” to a “plumber.” In its announcement, Google said: “We trained a new model with the help of Gemini that identifies potentially suspicious profile edits. A business that changes its name from ‘Zoe’s Coffee House’ to ‘Zoe’s Cafe’ isn’t suspicious—but a business that suddenly changes its category from ‘cafe’ to ‘plumber’ is.” Google says this new system has blocked thousands of risky edits this year. ...

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3Apr By Monika AhujaNo Comments

Blogs, facebook, facebook marketing, Review Management, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing

How to Add Google Reviews to Shopify Website (2025)

Imagine walking into a store you’ve never visited before. What’s the first thing you do?  You might look around for signs of credibility, like some certificates on the wall, testimonials from satisfied customers, or perhaps a friendly nod from the shopkeeper.  In the digital world, this trust-building exercise is no different. About 75% of people read online reviews and research businesses, before actually buying from them. Studies also show that adding Google reviews to your website can boost its organic traffic by up to 25% and conversion rates by up to 67%. This tells us that displaying reviews on a website serves as a virtual nod. It assures your potential customers of your reliability and helps them build trust in your brand, thus improving your website traffic and brand conversions. ...

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16Mar By Roger MonttiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Confirms Business Profile Reviews Outage

Google confirmed an outage in business profile reviews that has resulted in missing reviews for many local business profiles and is working toward fixing the problem. Google Business Profile Google Business Profiles are a way for local businesses to add their business to Google and have it show up in local search and Google Maps. It also allows businesses to manage how their site shows up in search, enabling Google to show accurate information about hours, website, contact information, images and reviews. The reviews is a feature that allows users to share their experiences with businesses. It’s a useful way for businesses to increase earnings through positive word of mouth. GBP Reviews Outage Google Business Profile reviews have gone missing, which is bad news for businesses because of ho...

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4Mar By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Do Reviews Still Matter? Study Looks At Changing Consumer Behavior

BrightLocal has released a new report analyzing 15 years of consumer review behavior data. The findings reveal shifts in how people research and buy from local businesses. Here’s more about the study and what it means for marketers. Historical Trends The report tracks the popularity of online reviews. It notes a rise in local business research from 2015 to 2016, which coincided with smartphone ownership reaching 77% among U.S. adults. This trend peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when 59% of consumers said they researched local businesses nearly daily. After that, the number of consumers researching local businesses steadily decreased. Traditional Review Metrics Less Important Consumers now place less importance on traditional review metrics: Fewer consumers expect perfect five-...

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16Feb By Roger MonttiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

GBP Reviews Outage Is Over

A Googler published an update to let businesses know that the ongoing outage is almost over and that most businesses that have lost review counts should have seen them return to pre-outage levels. Businesses that continue to experience a review outage should see their problem resolved within a matter of days. Google Business Profile Outage The Googler posted the following update: “13-Feb-2025 UpdateMost affected profiles now display accurate ratings and reviews. However, while we have made significant progress, some profiles may still experience a temporary lower count. These profiles should recover to pre-issue levels over the next few days. No reviews were unpublished due to this issue. If your review count does not return to the level it was before this issue in the next few days, pleas...

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14Dec By Abhas MathurNo Comments

Blogs, Review Management, Social Marketing Strategies, social media, social media marketing

How to Embed Google Reviews

There are many upsides to displaying your customer’s positive Google reviews on your website. When people visit your website, what they see will leave a lasting impact on them. 87% of the time, whether someone decides to visit you again depends on your reviews. Therefore, embedding Google reviews on your website is crucial for building trust with potential customers. Reviews provide social proof, showcase your business’s credibility, and can significantly influence purchasing decisions, helping you attract more visitors and convert them into loyal customers. In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of embedding Google reviews on your website and also look at how to do so easily. Benefits of Embedding Google Reviews For Your Business Google Review widgets help to enhance the appeal of you...

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8Nov By WhitesparkNo Comments

googe optimize, Google Business Profiles, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

How to Remove Fake Reviews from Google

Businesses struggle to deal with the effects fake Google reviews have on their Google Business Profile (GBP) search engine rankings. Sadly, receiving phony reviews on your GBP is not a rare occurrence. But it is easier than ever to report and hopefully have them removed using the review management page accessible through your GBP. That is true whether they’re unwarranted bad reviews on your own profile or fake glowing reviews acquired by competitors. Google continually works to improve their algorithmic ability to detect fake reviews. In January, 2023, they shared details with the FTC on how they fight against fake reviews. However, their system still struggles to identify and detect inappropriate content without negatively affecting your real reviews. Key Takeaways Understand Google’s Re...

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1Jun By Darren ShawNo Comments

googe optimize, Google Business Profiles, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

How to Get More Google Reviews to Improve Your Local SEO

Let’s play a game! Which of the following statements is FALSE? A. Keywords in reviews impact rankings.B. Keywords in review responses impact rankings.C. It doesn’t matter if you get 20 reviews all at once, or over a longer period of time. The ranking impact will be the same.D. Both B and C.E. Both A and B. And the correct answer is… D! (for Darren, duh) If you got it right, congratulations! You have not been bamboozled by all the false information out there. If you didn’t pick the right answer, don’t stress. I’m here to help you learn. Whether you’d like to brush up on your reviews knowledge or learn how to craft a successful review strategy, this week’s episode is for you. We cover everything you need to know about reviews: from common myths, to review-related ranking and conversion facto...

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29Mar By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Review-Fu: 13 Nimble Ways to Get More and Better Reviews of Your Local Business

Like my post? Please share! In your effort to get reviews that grow your cred and your business, it’s easy to get stale.  You ask the same people, in the same way, around the same time, for roughly the same favor.  You leave it alone unless and until there’s a big problem or a big gap in your armor.  Perhaps out of fear that you’ll try something worse, you won’t try something that might work better.  That’s fine SOP, except when you start losing business because your reviews aren’t as plentiful, prominent, or persuasive as they might be or as competitors’ reviews are. No review-rustling strategy is perfect, and every one of them creates or ignores little problems (with customers, service, policy, competitors, Google, etc.).  You can keep those problems nice and small if you put in effort c...

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9Dec By Kristi HinesNo Comments

Generative AI, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

OpenAI Investigates ‘Lazy’ GPT-4 Complaints On Google Reviews, X

OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT a little over a year ago, has recently taken to social media to address concerns regarding the “lazy” performance of GPT-4 on social media and Google Reviews. Screenshot from X, December 2023 This move comes after growing user feedback online, which even includes a one-star review on the company’s Google Reviews. OpenAI Gives Insight Into Training Chat Models, Performance Evaluations, And A/B Testing OpenAI, through its @ChatGPTapp Twitter account, detailed the complexities involved in training chat models. Screenshot from X, December 2023 The organization highlighted that the process is not a “clean industrial process” and that variations in training runs can lead to noticeable differences in the AI’s personality, creative style, and political bia...

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23Nov By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Local SEO Keyword Research Doggie Door: How and Why to Search Google Maps Reviews by Keyword

Like my post? Please share! Here’s the doggie door, which I’ll explain more in a minute: 1. Go to the Google Maps tab OR open up the Google Maps app and pull up any business. You must go either to maps.google.com or open the app, because this won’t work anywhere else, like in the Google Business Profile “dashboard,” in the Chrome app, etc. 2. Click on the “reviews” tab, as though you’re a customer who wants to browse them.  (Of course, I’m assuming that the business has reviews.) 3. Click on the magnifying glass icon, type any word or brief phrase into the search bar that pops up, and check out the list of all reviews containing that word or phrase.  The word or phrase will show up in bold lettering. Here’s where the keyword-search feature is in the Google Maps app: Handy, isn’t it? No...

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31Mar By Roger MonttiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Reveals How It Catches Fake Local Business Reviews

Google published a blog post that shared that they updated their machine learning systems in order to catch and remove more fake reviews, fake business listings and fraudulent contributed images and videos. The automated systems and human review teams removed over 200 million photos, 7 million videos and blocked or removed over 115 million reviews, which represents a 20% increase over the prior year, 2021. How Google Catches User Contributed Spam Google is using brand new machine learning models to catch and remove fake and fraudulent content. These machine learning models look for unusual patterns in user contributed content, including flagging new forms of abuse that hadn’t previously been seen. Google shared: “We’ve long used machine intelligence to help us spot patterns of potential ab...

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24Feb By Pratik DholakiyaNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

8 Techniques To Get More Customer Reviews For Your Local Business

In the internet age, few things shape purchasing decisions as much as online reviews. And why not? They provide authentic and honest insight that no marketing campaign could ever replicate. The modern equivalent of the all-important word of mouth, customer reviews can make or break the reputation of a local business – and make a huge impact on sales numbers. Not convinced of the importance of reviews for small businesses? Here are some key online review statistics you should know: When shopping online, more than 99.9% of people read reviews at least occasionally. 91% of consumers acknowledged positive reviews made them more likely to support a business. 79% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Only 13% of people would consider using a business with a two-star...

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14Feb By Pratik DholakiyaNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

8 Techniques To Get More Customer Reviews For Your Local Business

In the internet age, few things shape purchasing decisions as much as online reviews. And why not? They provide authentic and honest insight that no marketing campaign could ever replicate. The modern equivalent of the all-important word of mouth, customer reviews can make or break the reputation of a local business – and make a huge impact on sales numbers. Not convinced of the importance of reviews for small businesses? Here are some key online review statistics you should know: When shopping online, more than 99.9% of people read reviews at least occasionally. 91% of consumers acknowledged positive reviews made them more likely to support a business. 79% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Only 13% of people would consider using a business with a two-star...

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1Feb By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Can You Get Notifications of New Google Reviews Even When Your GBP Page Is Suspended?

Like my post? Please share! Yes, at least in certain cases.  By my lights, even if your Google Business Profile page has been soft-suspended and you’re locked out of your own page unless and until you re-verify, Google may still send you an email notification that a customer has posted a review.  It’s a ghost in the machine. You won’t get the alert in all cases, of course.  You won’t get notifications if, for instance, someone reviews a GBP page you never created or verified – perhaps one that Google auto-generated.  That’s because Google doesn’t know you have any connection to it. I’d always assumed and observed that if Google makes you re-verify your GBP page to confirm your ownership, you are considered a stranger until you’ve re-verified.   The rules may not be so hard and fast, though...

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15Jan By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

Google Is Restoring Missing Reviews In Business Profiles

Google is fixing a bug that caused reviews to go missing from Google Business Profiles. Google confirms reviews are getting restored. Google’s Search Liaison, Danny Sullivan, announced on Twitter in reply to Mike Blumenthal, who says he reported the bug a week ago. Our apologies here. The team is aware of this bug and has been actively addressing it. Many reviews have been restored, and that work will continue. — Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) November 15, 2022 Blumenthal isn’t exaggerating the seriousness of the bug. Reviews are a restaurant’s bread and butter, and removing them can significantly impact revenue. There are numerous threads in the Google Business Profile help forums started by business owners who lost most or all of their reviews. In each thread, the business owners...

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28Oct By Mike HawkesNo Comments

Fake Reviews, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Reviews, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

How to Spot Fake Reviews

Are you confident that you know how to spot a fake Google review? Or certain that you know just how to identify a fake 5-star review from a mile away? While many of us are pretty happy that we know a fake when we see it, the reality is that the techniques being used to generate less-than-truthful ratings are evolving all the time. Using review management software can help, but it’s just one of the methods you’ll need to use to spot them. What’s more, the tactics used to leave good or bad feedback for interactions that never really happened can differ from platform to platform. A red flag that helps identify a fake review on Google may not raise suspicions when you’re searching for fake Yelp reviews.  So, why are fake reviews a problem? The reality is that fake reviews aren’t just a frustra...

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7Jul By Jenny BernardeNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search Clinic, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, Webinars

Online Reviews with Dani Owens

How to register and ask your question(s) How to register Attending a BrightLocal webinar on Crowdcast is simple. You’ll need a Crowdcast account to join, but registering takes just 2 minutes.  1. Click the green ‘Save my spot!’ button at the top of the Crowdcast window. If you can’t see this button, or the Crowdcast embed, please visit the Crowdcast page directly to register.  2. Enter your email address or choose to log in through your social media. Hit the green arrow, or press enter to continue.  3. Click ‘Email me a login link’ where you can confirm your registration via email. Don’t see the email? Please check your spam folder! 4. After you’ve confirmed, you’ll be redirected to the Crowdcast event page. Remember to add the event to your calendar to make sure you don’t miss it! If y...

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24May By Heather CampbellNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, Webinar

Top 6 Ways To Get Higher Quality Reviews [Webinar]

Worried about your local business’s online reputation? Are the reviews you receive truly helpful or harmful? Would you like to reach five stars by being able to detect and meet your customers’ expectations better? Online reviews could make or break your business – especially in the smartphone era of on-the-go research. Register now to learn how to stay competitive, get ahead of comparison research, and win customers before they walk into your store. Learn how to improve your online reputation and get access to: New consumer trends. A guide to enhancing your Google Business Profile listing. A step-by-step method of gathering more high-quality reviews. It is still common for businesses to believe local SEO myths that could hurt their online reputation – this webinar will bust some of these m...

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19May By Kristian BannisterNo Comments

Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

Stay on Top of Customer Feedback with NPS Notification for Get Reviews

We’ve just added a new feature to Get Reviews so you can stay closer to customer feedback when running review generation campaigns. Now, when you run a Get Reviews campaign, you’ll have the option to receive email notifications about the Net Promoter Score (NPS) customers give. React Quickly to Negative Feedback Receiving negative feedback is never nice, but what you do next can make all the difference. Our research shows that 80% of consumers would be ‘likely’ or ‘highly likely’ to leave a review if they initially had a negative experience that was turned into a positive experience. We also know that speed of response can make or break customer satisfaction; 46% of customers expect companies to respond faster than four hours. With NPS Notifications, you can get instantly notified wheneve...

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10May By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Google Throws More Reviews into the Filter Van

Like my post? Please share! In recent days a couple of clients and others have told me of increased filtering of Google reviews – as in they see fewer reviews by the day on their Google Business Profiles, and for no clear reason. Google has filtered reviews for many years, to one degree or another.  About 10 years ago Google filtered reviews even more aggressively than Yelp did (after having done basically no filtering).  In March of 2020 Google temporarily froze all new reviews from going up.  Most of the time, Google alternates between long stretches of filtering far too reviews and brief blasts of filtering too many. If this isn’t another bug, then it seems to be the start of one of Google’s more-aggressive filtering periods.  Here is what a few business owners have described, and what ...

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2May By Allison BaileyNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Learn, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Getting and Managing Reviews for Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes

For restaurant, bar, and cafe owners, finding and attracting more guests to increase business is a continual challenge. One of the best ways to improve the foot traffic for your restaurant, bar, and cafe is by getting reviews from loyalists and first-timers. Since so many people go online for suggestions and recommendations for places to eat, getting reviews on sites like Yelp and OpenTable is crucial for any business’s marketing. Suppose you’re wondering how to get more reviews for your restaurant, bar, or cafe. Let’s look at the ins and outs of the process, all of which begins with providing superior service and creating an environment that compliments your offerings.  How to Get Positive Reviews Receiving positive reviews for your restaurant, bar, and café are critical, as well as pro...

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29Apr By Patrick BawnNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Reputation Management, research, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

Consumers & Online Reviews: A Demographic Deep Dive

Key Takeaways Women read online reviews more regularly than men. Men are most suspicious of reviews on Apple Maps and TripAdvisor. Women are most suspicious of reviews on Amazon and Google. Consumers aged under 44 years old are most likely to notice fake reviews. Younger consumers are the most likely age group to leave a negative review, whereas older consumers are the most likely to leave a positive review. High-earning consumers are less likely to leave positive online reviews than low-earning consumers. Each year, we publish our Local Consumer Review Survey to draw up an accurate picture of how consumers perceive businesses through online reviews. In this year’s iteration, we decided to ask a whole host of questions about fake reviews, particularly assessing how prevalent they are in ...

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22Apr By ReviewIncNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, Sponsored Posts

3 Huge Reasons Why Negative Reviews Help SEO

This post was sponsored by ReviewInc, opinions expressed in this article are the sponsor’s own. You get that notification of a new review in your inbox. Next, you hold your breath and recite a short prayer before opening the email. You’re bracing yourself for a negative review. Business owners like you regularly experience this dread; you know a picture can say a thousand words – so can a review (even with a character limit). We know consumers rely heavily on reviews for their business decisions. Therefore, your first thought may be to put your best foot forward and avoid any negativity like the plague. However, sometimes bad is good. Should I Remove Negative Reviews? You may be surprised, but no, do not delete negative reviews. It seems counterintuitive, but trust us – negative reviews ha...

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7Apr By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Where & How To Get The Right Reviews For Your Business

Customer reviews can help sell your product or service more effectively than any sales copy. Reading first-hand thoughts and opinions from other people is a crucial part of a customer’s journey. It can make the difference between converting a customer or losing them to a competitor. To that end, acquiring reviews needs to be treated as a priority – not an afterthought. How often do you buy big-ticket items, or professional services, without reading reviews first? If the answer is “never” or “rarely,” you’re among the majority of today’s consumers who follow the same path to purchase. Online reviews are so important to the success of your business that they should be a core component of your marketing strategy, right up there with PR and advertising. But where should you get started if you ...

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5Apr By Matt G. SouthernNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

Where & How To Get The Right Reviews For Your Business

Customer reviews can help sell your product or service more effectively than any sales copy. Reading first-hand thoughts and opinions from other people is a crucial part of a customer’s journey. It can make the difference between converting a customer or losing them to a competitor. To that end, acquiring reviews needs to be treated as a priority – not an afterthought. How often do you buy big-ticket items, or professional services, without reading reviews first? If the answer is “never” or “rarely,” you’re among the majority of today’s consumers who follow the same path to purchase. Online reviews are so important to the success of your business that they should be a core component of your marketing strategy, right up there with PR and advertising. But where should you get started if you ...

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4Feb By Sherry BonelliNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

The Complete Guide To Google Business Profile Reviews

If you’re like most people, you prefer to work with businesses you trust. That’s why we often turn to our family and friends to ask for referrals when looking for a particular business, product, or service. And if we can’t find a referral from a person we trust, we frequently turn to online reviews as the next best thing. Online reviews have become an integral part of the buyer’s journey, so much so that 77% of consumers now say they ‘always’ or ‘regularly’ read online reviews when browsing for local businesses. And the pricier or riskier the product or service, the more people pay attention to the reviews. Google Business Profile Reviews Are Front And Center Yes, there are plenty of sites with reviews including Yelp, Facebook, Better Business Bureau, and many more. But because most peopl...

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2Feb By Roger MonttiNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, News, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

How Google Maps Reviews Are Moderated

Google published an explainer that offers insights into how Google handles reviews left for local businesses on Google Maps. The article outlines the multiple steps and actions Google takes that enables it to review and publish user generated reviews in a matter of seconds. Google shared five steps it takes to ensure that Google Maps reviews are useful and authentic. Step 1: Strict Content Policies The backbone of Google’s approach to moderating reviews left on Google Maps is a well defined content policy. Every website that accepts user generated content must have a well-defined policy describing what is acceptable. This helps users understand the limits and also informs the moderators on when to step in. According to Google: “We’ve created strict content policies to make sure reviews ar...

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19Jan By Digital MarketerNo Comments

Digital Marketing, digital mkt, Internet marketing, Online Marketing

5 Things Marketers Can Learn From Online Reviews

At the dawn of marketing, companies dictated the rules of the market. Businesses would create demand and try to persuade customers that their products were the best. Now, with the spread of social media platforms and review websites, customers are in charge. You will not be successful if your product has only 1.2 stars on Amazon and barely any positive reviews. The sound of peer-to-peer information is becoming louder and louder, and marketers have to listen to it. But in the abundance of reviews, how do you filter the information and decide what data is valuable enough to analyze, and what can be left out? What can you actually deduce from online reviews, and why are they so important? Why Are Online Reviews Important? You probably understand intuitively why online reviews are important fo...

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7Jan By Jeff RiddallNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

How Google Reviews Impact Map Pack & Organic Search Rankings

There is little doubt there are local SEO and general business benefits to earning and encouraging customers to leave keyword-rich reviews. In many cases, customers will leave reviews whether you ask them to or not.Even negative reviews can have a positive effect if they are resolved promptly and in a positive way. Perhaps the worst thing a business can do is not respond to a review to show the customer you are listening.And in addition to the impact they have on conversion, reviews are a local ranking factor that can either bolster or hinder your rankings, depending on a number of factors.Let’s learn more about how local reviews impact your Map Pack and local organic search rankings.The Benefits Of Customer ReviewsCustomer reviews are a powerful indicator of the standing a local business ...

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5Sep By Tom McLoughlinNo Comments

Digital Experience, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

A Guide to Responding to Positive and Negative Yelp Reviews

When it comes to making a purchase decision, the majority of potential customers will look to reviews for help.It doesn’t matter whether this is choosing a restaurant, booking a holiday, or picking somewhere to visit at the weekend; what other people have to say matters.Yelp is a platform that allows customers to leave such reviews for the businesses they have visited and supported, from cafes to cottage rentals and everything in between.Whilst (we hope) the majority of Yelp reviews you receive are positive and full of praise, there are always going to be times when a negative experience brings this average down. It’s important to bear in mind that your responses to these comments can have as much influence as the reviews themselves, both good and bad.Responding to reviews is the best way ...

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28Aug By Marshall NymanNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

5 Ways to Boost Your SEO With Third-Party Reviews

Third-party reviews offer invaluable insight from an unbiased perspective on your business. They also instill trust with potential customers, which may help guide their decision to purchase your product or service.In fact, nearly half (42%) of internet users in the U.S. cite reviews from other customers as a feature that would most increase their likelihood of buying a product.When compared to first-party reviews, third-party reviews can also appear more credible to a searcher. After all, a business is unlikely to publish negative reviews on its website.Whether you’re looking to convert searches into sales or improve your search ranking, focusing on enhancing your reviews’ search engine optimization (SEO) efforts can achieve both. Reviews are a heavily weighted local search ranking factor,...

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23Aug By Marshall NymanNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

5 Ways to Boost Your SEO With Third-Party Reviews

Third-party reviews offer invaluable insight from an unbiased perspective on your business. They also instill trust with potential customers, which may help guide their decision to purchase your product or service.In fact, nearly half (42%) of internet users in the U.S. cite reviews from other customers as a feature that would most increase their likelihood of buying a product.When compared to first-party reviews, third-party reviews can also appear more credible to a searcher. After all, a business is unlikely to publish negative reviews on its website.Whether you’re looking to convert searches into sales or improve your search ranking, focusing on enhancing your reviews’ search engine optimization (SEO) efforts can achieve both. Reviews are a heavily weighted local search ranking factor,...

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14Aug By Crystal HortonNo Comments

Blog, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local SEO, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services

How to Respond To Negative Reviews

Approximately 22% of customers will leave a business after receiving just one negative review, whereas around three negative reviews can drive away 59% of customers. Reviews assist consumers in making quick decisions about purchases in their research by providing a clear picture of your company. Studies show that of businesses who respond to bad reviews, 33% turn around and post a good review, and 34% delete the original negative review. Whether a review is good or bad, it makes sense to respond. When someone leaves a negative review about your company, it can be really difficult to know how to respond. There are many ways you could handle the situation, but one of the best responses is simply asking for more information and trying to find out what went wrong. Despite your natural feeling ...

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7Aug By Tom McLoughlinNo Comments

Digital Experience, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

A Guide to Responding to Positive and Negative Yelp Reviews

When it comes to making a purchase decision, the majority of potential customers will look to reviews for help.It doesn’t matter whether this is choosing a restaurant, booking a holiday, or picking somewhere to visit at the weekend; what other people have to say matters.Yelp is a platform that allows customers to leave such reviews for the businesses they have visited and supported, from cafes to cottage rentals and everything in between.Whilst (we hope) the majority of Yelp reviews you receive are positive and full of praise, there are always going to be times when a negative experience brings this average down. It’s important to bear in mind that your responses to these comments can have as much influence as the reviews themselves, both good and bad.Responding to reviews is the best way ...

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10Jul By Bot ReviewsNo Comments

ai bot, ai chat, ai chatbot, best chatbot, bots, chatbot, chatbot ai, chatbot app, chatbot online, chatbot website, chatbots, conversation with ai, creating chatbots, jira, robot chat, slack, support

Support Teams — A Better Slack Experience with Bots | by Bot Reviews | Jul, 2021

Cal Newport is one of my favorite authors on productivity. I’ve been reading his blog on deep work since sophomore year of college. He recently penned an article for the New Yorker titled, “Slack Is the Right Tool for the Wrong Way to Work”.As the founder of a digital agency that builds websites, I’m always getting added to Slack channels. I’m normally in anywhere from 6 to 8 groups — with each group containing 4 to 6 channels. Then we get added to productivity tools, issue tracking software, different accounting programs, new niche CRMs… If the to-do list doesn’t overload my day, remembering the day’s dozen different groupchats always tips the scale.The average support team has considerably more fires to put out. Is Slack the right tool for them? Is Slack the right tool for me? It can be ...

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1Jul By Tom McLoughlinNo Comments

Digital Experience, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

A Guide to Responding to Positive and Negative Yelp Reviews

When it comes to making a purchase decision, the majority of potential customers will look to reviews for help.It doesn’t matter whether this is choosing a restaurant, booking a holiday, or picking somewhere to visit at the weekend; what other people have to say matters.Yelp is a platform that allows customers to leave such reviews for the businesses they have visited and supported, from cafes to cottage rentals and everything in between.Whilst (we hope) the majority of Yelp reviews you receive are positive and full of praise, there are always going to be times when a negative experience brings this average down. It’s important to bear in mind that your responses to these comments can have as much influence as the reviews themselves, both good and bad.Responding to reviews is the best way ...

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22May By IpervoxNo Comments

ai bot, ai chat, ai chatbot, alexa-skill-development, alexa-skills, best chatbot, chatbot, chatbot ai, chatbot app, chatbot online, chatbot website, content-strategy, conversation with ai, creating chatbots, robot chat, voice-application, voice-strategy

Creating the best Alexa Skill Content: The secrets for an improved voice experience! Learn from +13K bad reviews | by Ipervox | Apr, 2021

Launching a successful Alexa skill is dependent on an infinite number of variables-from content quality to content delivery network. The no. 1 component for which a user enables a voice app from his Amazon Echo device is the Alexa Skill Content.For a Skill to become successful, apart from technical and code-related factors, the content it delivers has a great impact. Especially in the Alexa Skill Marketplace.You need to pay close attention to the skills that your customers are using over and over again. We have found that the most popular Skills are those created by developers who have focused on meeting a specific customer need and providing useful Alexa Skills. Therefore, they are used by customers regularly, or at least frequently.While focusing on understanding what works best for an A...

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29Apr By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company, seo services, Uncategorized

What to Do If You Lost All Your Google Reviews after Accidentally Deleting Your GMB Page

Like my post? Please share! As I’ve observed and written for many years, your Google reviews are never completely safe – and never completely gone.  You can lose them in bulk or in a drip.  You can lose them because of Google’s filter, manual removal, a bug, or a reviewer’s change of heart.  You can also lose your Google reviews – all of them – in a puff of smoke when trying to move to a different Google account. The specific scenario I’m thinking of is that you deleted a G Suite account or other Google account and thought your Google My Business page and reviews wouldn’t be affected, only to discover that both your GMB page and your pile of reviews are gone. Oops. If it makes you feel better, Google’s messaging often is unclear, such that routine steps sound scary and shooting yourself in...

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23Feb By Joy HawkinsNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Reviews, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo company

What Happens When Google Removes 98% of Your Reviews | A Case Study

Posted Feb 23, 2021 by Joy Hawkins Google has a long way to go to solve the problem with fake reviews but every now and then we see a business that loses a huge chunk of reviews because they did something to violate Google’s policies.  In this case, I tracked a dentist that lost 98% of their reviews because they were caught review gating.In this case, losing most of their reviews didn’t even impact their overall star rating which supports the finding from Mike Blumethal’s study that showed review gating didn’t really have a large impact on the overall rating of a business. After they lost the reviews, I monitored the rankings of the business for several months and was surprised to see that their ra...

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1Feb By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

7 Phases of a Local Business Reviews Campaign That Makes It Rain

Like my post? Please share! Even people who do a solid job of getting online reviews tend to make the process tougher than it needs to be, because they do the right steps in the wrong order.  That can mean unnecessary trial and error, frustration, wasted time, wasted money, and more bad reviews and fewer good reviews than you might have had otherwise. Whether you’re the business owner, an employee, or a third party, you have a choice as to how you sequence your work.  Examples of good steps that can trip you up if you do them at the wrong time include offering customers a choice of multiple review sites, asking them to upload photos or go into detail, and using software or other tools to lighten your lift.  Good ideas?  Maybe, but the effectiveness depends on the timing. What’s the least-b...

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21Dec By Jamie PitmanNo Comments

Blog, BrightLocal Products, googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, News, Reputation Management, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO

NEW: Direct-to-Review Makes It Easier for Happy Customers to Leave Reviews

You asked, we listened! Our users wanted a faster, friction-free way to get reviews from their happiest customers, and that’s why today we’re launching the highly anticipated ‘Direct-to-Review’ setting for Get Reviews. It’s a simple change, but one that could make a world of difference to your review generation. With Direct-to-Review switched on, positive reviewers will automatically skip the ‘internal feedback’ step when completing review requests, so they can jump right to leaving you reviews on your preferred sites in just two clicks. That means far fewer dropouts in the Get Reviews process, a shorter journey for your customers, and crucially, more reviews for your business. How does Direct-to-Review work? Here’s the current flow that Get Reviews takes your customers through: Rate your...

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20Dec By PhilNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services, Uncategorized

Google Local Services Reviews Not Showing in Google Maps? Why That Happens and What to Do

Like my post? Please share! Many businesses use Google’s Local Services Ads (AKA “Google Guaranteed”) program to show up at the very top of the local results – above all the other ads, and above the local map (AKA the 3-pack). Local Services Ads (LSAs) are still not an option for every business, and they’re not a good option for everyone, but they often earn their keep for the businesses that do use them – if my clients’ experiences are good indicators.  By which I mean people see the ads, click on them, and in some cases become customers.  (If you’d like to know more, Tom Waddington did a great overview of LSAs.) Google even makes it extra easy to ask customers for reviews: Google gives you a special “write a review” link (different from the Google My Business one) and encourages you to ...

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20Dec By Dan TaylorNo Comments

googe optimize, google optimization, google seo, Local Search, pagerank, search engine optimisation, search engine optimising, search engine optimization, SEO, seo services

How to Create a Dynamic Travel Sector Reviews Strategy

Without going over the impacts that the Coronavirus has had on the travel sector, one thing for certain is that it has highlighted the importance of both dynamism and agility within SEO strategies for the travel sector.At the heart of any good SEO strategy is a base level content strategy.From this base level, you can design and develop an agile reviews strategy that not only helps achieve your SEO objectives but also your wider business objectives:Greater brand awareness.More leads.Greater return custom.When working with travel companies, a common rabbit hole they fall into is the notion that to rank for specific keywords you need exceptional lengths of prose.For a lot of informational queries, this is true, but in travel, there’s only so many times you can phrase “golden sandy beach.”Rev...

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