Marketing
Pro Tips
Picture someone with a toothache at 9 p.m. They do not read ten websites. They search, glance at the map results, and call one of the first three names. The whole decision takes about as long as it took you to read this paragraph.
What they are comparing is mostly stars and review counts.
Why do reviews matter so much?
A new customer is taking a risk. They cannot judge your skill, so they judge how other people felt. Lots of reviews at a good rating say plenty of people trusted you and were glad they did. Few reviews, or none, say nothing, which makes the competitor with more feel like the safer pick.
Google also looks at reviews, along with distance and how complete your listing is, when deciding who shows up first. So each new review tends to help twice: it persuades the customer and it helps you get seen.
What actually counts?
How many. A business with far fewer reviews than its neighbors is at a disadvantage even with a perfect rating.
How recent. A listing whose last review is two years old looks like a business that stopped caring.
Whether you answer. A short, polite reply to each review shows the next customer how you treat people, especially when something went wrong.
How do I get more?
Most happy customers never think to leave a review. They will if you ask at the right moment with almost no effort on their part.
Ask right after the visit or the job, while the problem is solved and they are happy. A text beats an email.
Send the direct link so it takes one tap.
Keep it short and friendly. And no rewards: Google does not allow offering something in exchange for a review.
Medical and dental practices: ask people to leave out details about their health or treatment.
Here is a message that works: “Thanks for coming in today. If we took good care of you, would you leave a quick Google review? It helps neighbors find us: [link]”
What should I never do?
Do not buy reviews or write your own. Google removes them, can penalize the listing, and customers can usually smell it. And do not argue with a bad review in public. Reply calmly, offer to fix it offline, and move on.
How do I see where I stand?
Our free audit shows your rating and review count right next to the businesses that appear for your search, so you can see the gap before deciding what to do. Run your free audit.
Want a hand building the habit, from the text message to the follow-up to the listing itself? That is a quick win we set up for clients all the time. Let’s talk.
