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Reviews influence both search rankings and consumer decisions. Google considers review quantity, quality, and recency as prominence signals for local search rankings. Consumers rely on reviews to evaluate businesses before making contact. Effective review management includes encouraging satisfied clients to leave reviews, responding appropriately to all feedback, and addressing problematic reviews through proper channels.

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Why Reviews Matter

Reviews affect local search visibility and business outcomes:

Search Rankings

Review signals influence local pack rankings and visibility

Click-Through Rate

Higher ratings and more reviews increase listing clicks

Conversion

Positive reviews build trust and influence hiring decisions

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Review Signals Google Considers

SignalDescription
QuantityTotal number of reviews on the listing
RatingAverage star rating
RecencyHow recently reviews were left
VelocityRate of new reviews over time
ContentKeywords and topics mentioned in review text
ResponsesWhether the business responds to reviews
A steady stream of reviews over time is better than a burst of reviews followed by silence. Recency and velocity matter alongside total quantity.

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Encouraging Reviews

Most satisfied clients will leave reviews if asked. The challenge is asking consistently and making the process easy.

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When to Ask

  • After successful transaction completion
  • Following positive feedback or compliments
  • When the client expresses satisfaction
  • At natural relationship milestones

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How to Ask

Simply ask satisfied clients if they would be willing to share their experience on Google. Personal requests have higher conversion rates than automated ones.
Send a thank-you email after transaction completion that includes a direct link to leave a review. Keep the message brief and personal.
Create a QR code linking to the review page. Include on printed materials, business cards, or closing documents.
Google’s guidelines prohibit offering incentives for reviews, selectively soliciting reviews from happy customers only, and discouraging negative reviews. Reviews must be unbiased and honest.

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Making Reviews Easy

Reduce friction in the review process:
  • Provide a direct link (not just “find us on Google”)
  • Send the link via text message for mobile convenience
  • Include brief instructions if the client seems unfamiliar with the process
  • Follow up once if no review appears, but do not pressure
Create a short URL using Google’s review link generator. The direct link skips search steps and opens directly to the review form.

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Responding to Reviews

Responses show engagement and affect how potential clients perceive the business. Respond to all reviews, not just negative ones.

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Responding to Positive Reviews

  • Thank the reviewer by name
  • Be specific about the work or interaction
  • Keep the response concise
  • Avoid excessive marketing language
Example Response: 
Thank you, Sarah! It was a pleasure helping you and Michael 
through your first home purchase. We appreciate you taking 
the time to share your experience.

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Responding to Negative Reviews

Negative reviews require more careful handling:
1

Pause before responding

Do not respond immediately when upset. Wait until able to respond professionally.
2

Acknowledge the concern

Show that the feedback was heard, even if disagreeing with the characterization.
3

Offer to resolve offline

Provide contact information to discuss further rather than debating publicly.
4

Keep it brief

Long defensive responses often make the situation worse. Stay concise.
5

Remain professional

Future clients will read this response. Demonstrate how the business handles problems.
Example Response: 
We're sorry to hear about your experience. This doesn't reflect 
the service we aim to provide. Please contact us at 
[phone/email] so we can discuss this further and make it right.
Potential clients often read negative reviews specifically to see how the business responds. A professional, empathetic response can neutralize the impact of a negative review.

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Handling Fake or Policy-Violating Reviews

Some reviews violate Google’s policies and can be reported for removal.

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Reviews That Violate Policy

  • Reviews from people who were not actual customers
  • Reviews meant for a different business
  • Reviews containing spam or promotional content
  • Reviews with offensive or inappropriate content
  • Reviews from competitors or former employees with conflicts of interest
  • Multiple reviews from the same person

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Reporting Process

1

Flag the review

Find the review in the GBP dashboard or on Google Maps. Click the three-dot menu and select “Flag as inappropriate.”
2

Select violation type

Choose the category that best describes the policy violation.
3

Wait for review

Google reviews flagged content. This can take days to weeks.
4

Escalate if needed

If the review remains after flagging, use Google Business Profile support for further appeal.
Google does not remove reviews simply because they are negative or because the business disagrees with them. Only reviews that violate specific policies are eligible for removal.

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While Waiting for Removal

  • Respond professionally to the review as if it were legitimate
  • Do not mention that the review has been reported
  • Continue focusing on generating new genuine reviews

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Review Monitoring

Set up systems to catch new reviews quickly:
  • Enable GBP notifications for new reviews
  • Check the GBP dashboard regularly
  • Use monitoring tools that alert to new reviews across platforms
  • Aim to respond within 24-48 hours

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Response Timeframe Goals

Review TypeResponse Target
NegativeWithin 24 hours
NeutralWithin 48 hours
PositiveWithin 1 week
Responding promptly to negative reviews shows responsiveness. Responding to positive reviews encourages future reviews from others who see the engagement.

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Reviews and Hometrics

Reviews on Google Business Profile directly influence how businesses appear on Hometrics:
  • Review quantity and ratings are displayed on Hometrics listings
  • Performance badges are calculated based on review metrics
  • Review content may be referenced in Hometrics profiles
Improving Google reviews improves both Google visibility and Hometrics standing.

Next: Insights and Performance

Using GBP analytics to measure and improve visibility