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Review Strategies for Google Places

by rbrShorty
27 replies
There are many forum threads and posts and many blogs talking mainly about two major features of the Google Places optimization - getting the information+categories right; getting citations. However, very rarely and very not fully is covered the topic about reviews. One could hardly find any other strategy for getting reviews than:

A) Faking them (totally black hat and immoral)
B) Paying to get them (the same as the previous)
C) Posting testimonials as reviews (which according the to official statements of Google is also prohibited)
D) Asking for them the clients

Actually D) is the only legitimate and honest way from all of these, but isn't it obvious you have to ask? I would like to ask everyone who has implemented some particular strategy for gathering reviews for their business or a client to share it here. Please, go further than just saying that when the service is done the client asks the client. Try to share more detailed explanation.

I would very much appreciate that.
#google #places #review #strategies
  • Profile picture of the author 1960Texan
    One strategy I've been using is to have my clients print a QR code on one of the sales documents (receipts, contracts, etc) with instructions to scan the code. Example:

    How was your experience at Country Auto Mart? Please scan the code and leave your review:




    Will
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    • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
      Originally Posted by 1960Texan View Post

      One strategy I've been using is to have my clients print a QR code on one of the sales documents (receipts, contracts, etc) with instructions to scan the code. Example:

      How was your experience at Country Auto Mart? Please scan the code and leave your review
      Will
      A great strategy, Will. I think QR codes as a whole are very useful in this case, as they are easily generated and easily managed. If you generate them via goo.gl you can even follow how many people scanned them. As you have pointed, printing them on sales documents is one way to use them.

      I would really love to hear more such ideas
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    • Profile picture of the author Matt Woityra
      Originally Posted by 1960Texan View Post

      One strategy I've been using is to have my clients print a QR code on one of the sales documents (receipts, contracts, etc) with instructions to scan the code. Example:

      How was your experience at Country Auto Mart? Please scan the code and leave your review:




      Will
      This is definitely one of the best ways I heard of using the QR codes. Man that was awesome. Thanks for the share and golden nugget.
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  • Profile picture of the author hotlinkz
    Excellent idea regarding the QR Codes Will.

    rbrShorty, here are some free QR (Quick Response) Code generators if you decide to go with this idea.

    QR Code Generator: QR Stuff Free Online QR Code Creator And Encoder For T-Shirts, Business Cards & Stickers
    QR Code Generator - QR Code Tracking System - QR Code Android - QR Code iPhone

    Also, regarding the options A, B and C, you really want to stay far away from these methods. Using these type tactics in the offline business world is likely to be met with a "legal" reply. If you are instrumental in getting a client banned from any Google program, you will be most likely be held responsible.

    Not saying you ever would do such a thing, but others reading this thread may see these as viable options due to the nature of "online business" where gaming the system has unfortunately become par for the course.

    Plus, mobile device users generally jump at the chance to text about almost anything. The suggestion Will gave you will get the job done - the right way.

    Calvin
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  • Profile picture of the author TJ Rose
    I had one of my clients run a Facebook campaign at the beginning of a month offering a coupon if a review was written on Google Places. This gave the reviewer value and urgency to take time to write it. We received only a few reviews but a few weeks later he bumped up from #2 to #1 position.

    I would focus on INCENTIVES and URGENCY.
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    • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
      Originally Posted by hotlinkz View Post

      Excellent idea regarding the QR Codes Will.

      rbrShorty, here are some free QR (Quick Response) Code generators if you decide to go with this idea.

      QR Code Generator: QR Stuff Free Online QR Code Creator And Encoder For T-Shirts, Business Cards & Stickers
      QR Code Generator - QR Code Tracking System - QR Code Android - QR Code iPhone

      Also, regarding the options A, B and C, you really want to stay far away from these methods. Using these type tactics in the offline business world is likely to be met with a "legal" reply. If you are instrumental in getting a client banned from any Google program, you will be most likely be held responsible.

      Not saying you ever would do such a thing, but others reading this thread may see these as viable options due to the nature of "online business" where gaming the system has unfortunately become par for the course.

      Plus, mobile device users generally jump at the chance to text about almost anything. The suggestion Will gave you will get the job done - the right way.

      Calvin
      Thank you, Calvin.
      The tools that you linked to for creation of QR code are great. However, I still prefer using goo.gl, because it gives you clear idea about the leads, so you can have some concrete numbers and expectations and you could follow your success.

      The three first options are actually all around the Internet unfortunately. I have seen at least 5 threads in Warrior Forum of people offering money for fake reviews. That is sad, but it is the easiest way actually. Furthermore, Google seems not to be able to take care of the fake reviews, so it is pretty tough situation.

      Originally Posted by TJ Rose View Post

      I had one of my clients run a Facebook campaign at the beginning of a month offering a coupon if a review was written on Google Places. This gave the reviewer value and urgency to take time to write it. We received only a few reviews but a few weeks later he bumped up from #2 to #1 position.

      I would focus on INCENTIVES and URGENCY.
      Thank you too, TJ.
      This is an interesting option, but isn't that another way of paying to get reviews? I mean shouldn't the reviews come naturally from satisfied customers, rather than first asking for review and THEN giving some reward for that. I think we should stress more on the part where you make the people aware of the fact that they could review you, to give them easy options to leave their reviews and to promote these options, rather than rewarding them for reviewing you. This is just a personal opinion.
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      • Profile picture of the author TJ Rose
        Thank you too, TJ.
        This is an interesting option, but isn't that another way of paying to get reviews? I mean shouldn't the reviews come naturally from satisfied customers, rather than first asking for review and THEN giving some reward for that. I think we should stress more on the part where you make the people aware of the fact that they could review you, to give them easy options to leave their reviews and to promote these options, rather than rewarding them for reviewing you. This is just a personal opinion.
        It is definitely a technique the business is using to get a review. I agree, reviews SHOULD come naturally but its not a natural action for most people, so until we reach that natural level we should nudge customers in the right direction. What is natural is customers telling their friends and family their "review" that is good or bad, but very few actually take the time to go online and post a review...its a lot more work than just talking to your friend about your experience.

        Just like when you shop at Target or Macy's and the cashier gives you the receipt that has "Tell us how we're doing! Take an online survey and enter to win a $500 gift card!" There is no way I would exchange my time for that survey without a reward at the end. Now of course there are exceptions to that rule, and thats how Yelp survives, but its not natural for everyone to do it without some sort of incentive.
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  • Profile picture of the author localbusinessguy
    A lot of my clients have testimonials from previous customers but find it hard to get their customers to post them on review sites like Yelp. I don't see it as black hat tom post these reviews for my clients using multiple user accounts created by my team.

    I think you must realize that anyone having a great mean in a restaurant doesn't necessarily mean they will leave a review even when asked. A lot of my clients send out a post card to their customers or give it to them while they are in store, they then send them to us and we post them.

    This may be a little gray hat but I don't see any problem posting real reviews even though they are on user accounts created just for posting reviews.
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    • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
      Originally Posted by localbusinessguy View Post

      A lot of my clients have testimonials from previous customers but find it hard to get their customers to post them on review sites like Yelp. I don't see it as black hat tom post these reviews for my clients using multiple user accounts created by my team.

      I think you must realize that anyone having a great mean in a restaurant doesn't necessarily mean they will leave a review even when asked. A lot of my clients send out a post card to their customers or give it to them while they are in store, they then send them to us and we post them.

      This may be a little gray hat but I don't see any problem posting real reviews even though they are on user accounts created just for posting reviews.
      Hello, LocalBusinessGuy.
      I definitely realize that not every customer is willing to leave their comment and that is why I mentioned that the process must be as simplified as possible, so that the clients lose as little time as possible. Your way is definitely not black hat, but it is surely darker than white. The way you are doing it might be "bleached" via QR code strategy, instead of a blank sheet of paper, I think. But what you are saying is definitely an option that many businesses are taking.

      You mentioned Yelp in your comment, but I actually think that Yelp for getting reviews is causing nothing more but troubles. Furthermore, they have constant controversies with Google and I think very soon they will follow Trip Advisor in their no-review-scraping policy.

      Thank you for the comment and hope to see more ideas coming up!
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  • Profile picture of the author sconlinemarketing
    localbusinessguy, how many different accounts would you recommend having for your strategy. Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author localbusinessguy
      Originally Posted by sconlinemarketing View Post

      localbusinessguy, how many different accounts would you recommend having for your strategy. Thanks
      I have my guys create 100 user accounts on each of the reviews sites like Yelp and Insider pages for each of my clients then post the reviews spread over time. It is a little time consuming but well worth it.

      I am looking into an automated tool I just found and hope this will help drip feed my reviews.

      There are many ways to get customers to leave reviews mentioned in this thread but you have to rely on the customer going to the review site, open an account, confirm the account then leave a review. This method is not very effective because the customer has to jump through too many loops to leave the review.

      I prefer for my clients to collect the review cards from their customers, type them out and send to me so I can post them out to the review sites that are best for that particular market.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dmreed4311
    I own a carpet cleaning business and consider reviews very important, getting them has always been tough even though we do an excelent job.
    I like to feel out the customer if they seem pleased with the job I will ask them for a review. most say they will but few actually will take the time to do it. The thing that has worked the best for me is when a customer gives me a tip I will say" you know instead of money as a tip an online review would be the best tip you could ever give me" This works and in some cases I get the tip and the review.
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    • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
      Originally Posted by Dmreed4311 View Post

      I own a carpet cleaning business and consider reviews very important, getting them has always been tough even though we do an excelent job.
      I like to feel out the customer if they seem pleased with the job I will ask them for a review. most say they will but few actually will take the time to do it. The thing that has worked the best for me is when a customer gives me a tip I will say" you know instead of money as a tip an online review would be the best tip you could ever give me" This works and in some cases I get the tip and the review.
      Hey Dmreed, thank you for the insight!

      What you are saying is very true, they rarely took the time even if they have been satisfied. But the question is why - because they are not reminded to do it. So what about some tactic for reminding? I would like to hear some.

      Great posts up to now! I would be glad if this keeps going on!
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      • Profile picture of the author Catalyst eMarketing
        I have a whole review strategy and how to get more reviews email training program that I offer with my optimization program. It's also part of the Advanced Google Places Optimization coaching program I offer other SEOS.

        Here are a couple great random tips I'll share.

        ========================================

        My Oral Surgeon has business cards on his front counter from Doctor Base.
        They say something like "Our Patients love us on DoctorBase - Please leave us a review." With a nice short URL to the review page like doctorbase.com/DrABC or whatever. Slick cards with the Doctorbase logo.

        Same idea could be used for "Our customers love us on Yelp, leave a restaurant review", or whatever.

        ========================================
        Google Places frequently loses reviews - their own as well as 3 rd party. Plus sometimes has a fight with other sites and stop sshowing them (like they did with Yelp.) Or a 3rd party site get's mad and stops their reviews from showing on Google Places. (Like Trip Advisor did.)

        So I teach that a diversified review strategy is important. It also makes it easier for customers if you give them a choice of sites to leave a review on. They may prefer one over another or only have an account set up with 1. Which one's you choose, to some degree may depend on the biz. But the 3 general ones I typically recommend are Google, InsiderPages and CitySearch. So if you get some reviews on each, then Google loses all your Google reviews, your ranking won't totally tank.

        ========================================

        This looks like a really nice (FREE) review service. Helps you GET reviews and then also alerts you to new ones and helps you monitor them. I have not tried it, but it came recommended by a top industry pro I trust.

        Online Reviews Tool - Learn How To Ask Your Best Customers for Online Reviews | myReviewsPage

        Let us know what you think if you try it.

        ========================================

        To get reviews you need to A) Ask for them, B) make it easy for them.

        Here's my fav review tool. Makes it easy & it's free!

        Here's a static image so you can see how it would look. But it's interactive and expands.



        Try a live demo below. Scroll down on the post til you see that image and mouse over it to see how it works. Each icon links to whatever review sites you want to set up links to.
        Google Places Reviews: A Super Slick FREE Solution to the Customer Review Conundrum

        Shoot, here I was just going to make a quick post. No wonder I have carpal problems! :p
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        • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
          Hey Linda, thanks for joining the discussion!

          Originally Posted by Catalyst eMarketing View Post

          I have a whole review strategy and how to get more reviews email training program that I offer with my optimization program. It's also part of the Advanced Google Places Optimization coaching program I offer other SEOS.

          Here are a couple great random tips I'll share.

          ========================================

          My Oral Surgeon has business cards on his front counter from Doctor Base.
          They say something like "Our Patients love us on DoctorBase - Please leave us a review." With a nice short URL to the review page like doctorbase.com/DrABC or whatever. Slick cards with the Doctorbase logo.

          Same idea could be used for "Our customers love us on Yelp, leave a restaurant review", or whatever.
          This is an amazing way to get the attention of the clients (or patients) and to remind them about yourself even after they leave your office. But unfortunately, I think it wouldn't work completely positively for a just starting up review strategy, because what happens when the clients go to the site and see that actually no one likes the doctor. I think that would be kinda embarassing. However, the strategy is great for a further on stage of the campaign for sure.


          Google Places frequently loses reviews - their own as well as 3 rd party. Plus sometimes has a fight with other sites and stop showing them (like they did with Yelp.) Or a 3rd party site get's mad and stops their reviews from showing on Google Places. (Like Trip Advisor did.)

          So I teach that a diversified review strategy is important. It also makes it easier for customers if you give them a choice of sites to leave a review on. They may prefer one over another or only have an account set up with 1. Which one's you choose, to some degree may depend on the biz. But the 3 general ones I typically recommend are Google, InsiderPages and CitySearch. So if you get some reviews on each, then Google loses all your Google reviews, your ranking won't totally tank.
          That's a very valuable pointer too! Thank you! I actually kind of like the directories, where you are able to sign in with your Facebook account (like City Search and Insider Pages). It makes it also easier to connect your social media with the reviews strategy, as you could be using your Facebook Fan Page to ask for reviews. Btw, have you tried Judy's Book?

          This looks like a really nice (FREE) review service. Helps you GET reviews and then also alerts you to new ones and helps you monitor them. I have not tried it, but it came recommended by a top industry pro I trust.

          Online Reviews Tool - Learn How To Ask Your Best Customers for Online Reviews | myReviewsPage

          Let us know what you think if you try it.
          I have an account set up for this tool, but it covers only a very small range of websites (well, it's free after all) - Google Places, Yahoo! Local, Yelp, City Search, Bing and Foursquare. However, I think it could be of great help for some businesses, which are targeting mainly these review directories.
          To get reviews you need to A) Ask for them, B) make it easy for them.

          Here's my fav review tool. Makes it easy & it's free!

          Here's a static image so you can see how it would look. But it's interactive and expands.



          Try a live demo below. Scroll down on the post til you see that image and mouse over it to see how it works. Each icon links to whatever review sites you want to set up links to.
          Google Places Reviews: A Super Slick FREE Solution to the Customer Review Conundrum
          I have also experimented with this tool and I think it is amazing. Maybe the only discomfort is coming from the fact that its shiny orange colors would not match with some sites' design, but hey, it is free!

          Thank you Linda for the time taken to write the post. Really appreciate that!
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          • Profile picture of the author mattlwil
            I just had one of those review biz plugins put on my site. My programmer/webmaster couldn't figure out how to get the expansion to work right when you rollover with the mouse, so we just put the block image up and everything links out okay now.

            Now I just have to instruct the technicians to advise the customers at the end of the transaction to go there and post a review.

            I'm still trying to come up with an incentive or motive to get them to post a review. Maybe a gift card or something?

            Thanks for this!
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            • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
              Originally Posted by mattlwil View Post

              I just had one of those review biz plugins put on my site. My programmer/webmaster couldn't figure out how to get the expansion to work right when you rollover with the mouse, so we just put the block image up and everything links out okay now.

              Now I just have to instruct the technicians to advise the customers at the end of the transaction to go there and post a review.

              I'm still trying to come up with an incentive or motive to get them to post a review. Maybe a gift card or something?

              Thanks for this!

              Thank you Matt.
              As far as I am concerned, the best reward would be a thanks. It could be in any form - email, postcard, a chocolate if they say "OK, we will leave our comment", but I think some discounts or gifts would only result in non-genuine reviews + I don't think they will give any more positive reviews than just asking. I would really like it if we focus on the topic of "How to remind the clients they could comment on us and how to target them". The Review Biz button is nice, but is it enough? Also, when your clients simply ask their customers to leave a review, probably they would have forgot until they are back home. At least if it was me I would have forgot So let's hear something about reminders!
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              • Profile picture of the author mattlwil
                I guess I have an advantage here then because my company is in the service industry and we do work in the customers home.

                I suppose the technician could almost show them the website and where the review biz button is before they leave.
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  • Profile picture of the author Bruce NewMedia
    I'm going to have one client, a restaurant, display a simple standup sign thats says:
    "We Hope You Enjoyed Your Meal - please tell others about us by posting a review here:"
    ....and then list some review sites Google taps into.
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  • Profile picture of the author gambit75
    Why not send a follow up email to the client or SMS text after the job has been done with a link or links to the review directory of choice. It can say something like:

    Hey Mary, it was great working with you! I hope you are enjoying your clean carpets. If you are, could you help me out really quick by writing a review. i left you a link below to make it easy for you to do it now. Thanks Mary, I appreciate it.

    P.S. I always get an email from Netflix asking me how the picture quality was or how fast did I get my movie in the mail.

    Hope this helps.
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  • Profile picture of the author jacklins
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    • Profile picture of the author AgentHomes
      The biggest problem I find with getting Google Reviews is not everybody has a google account or wants to create one just so they can give you a google review.

      I've started sending out a survay to clients for comments and then when I get them back I'll follow up with them to see if they could post it on Google Places. But once again the biggest problem I run into is clients who do not have and do not want a google account.
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  • Profile picture of the author k60mall
    I agree with agenthomes, no one want to create an account just to leave a review.
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    • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
      Originally Posted by brucerby View Post

      I'm going to have one client, a restaurant, display a simple standup sign thats says:
      "We Hope You Enjoyed Your Meal - please tell others about us by posting a review here:"
      ....and then list some review sites Google taps into.
      _____
      Bruce
      That is really a nice way of exposure, but maybe there is the problem that if you list only the review sites, the clients will not be able to find the particular listing, they will lose patience and eventually give up leaving the review. On the other hand, if you write the whole link, I doubt they will remember it or write it down. Isn't it really better to simply give away some cards as CatalysteMarketing (Linda) said?

      Originally Posted by gambit75 View Post

      Why not send a follow up email to the client or SMS text after the job has been done with a link or links to the review directory of choice. It can say something like:

      Hey Mary, it was great working with you! I hope you are enjoying your clean carpets. If you are, could you help me out really quick by writing a review. i left you a link below to make it easy for you to do it now. Thanks Mary, I appreciate it.

      P.S. I always get an email from Netflix asking me how the picture quality was or how fast did I get my movie in the mail.

      Hope this helps.
      Yes! That's what I was talking about - the follow up. Definitely e-mail would be better in my opinion, because you can model it much better (you can even include a QR code, a picture, a coupon (not specifically for the sake of writing a review, but just to attract the attention of the customer). I really think this is a great way to: A) remind the customer and B) you can write the e-mail in such a way that is making it easy for the customer to leave a review, there could be an explanation about the whole process.

      Originally Posted by TJ Rose View Post

      It is definitely a technique the business is using to get a review. I agree, reviews SHOULD come naturally but its not a natural action for most people, so until we reach that natural level we should nudge customers in the right direction. What is natural is customers telling their friends and family their "review" that is good or bad, but very few actually take the time to go online and post a review...its a lot more work than just talking to your friend about your experience.

      Just like when you shop at Target or Macy's and the cashier gives you the receipt that has "Tell us how we're doing! Take an online survey and enter to win a $500 gift card!" There is no way I would exchange my time for that survey without a reward at the end. Now of course there are exceptions to that rule, and thats how Yelp survives, but its not natural for everyone to do it without some sort of incentive.
      This is very true. But don't you think as what I said before - maybe you could point to the discounts, but not necessarily link them with writing a review, because can you imagine what would happen if the review goes something like "I liked bla bla bla and also thank you for the voucher that I'm getting writing this review" (only an example). I think all the clients afterwards will require discounts in order to leave reviews. Anyway, everything you say is true - it is most probably much more difficult to take reviews without offering anything specific for it, than if you offer some kind of reward.

      Originally Posted by AgentHomes View Post

      The biggest problem I find with getting Google Reviews is not everybody has a google account or wants to create one just so they can give you a google review.

      I've started sending out a survay to clients for comments and then when I get them back I'll follow up with them to see if they could post it on Google Places. But once again the biggest problem I run into is clients who do not have and do not want a google account.
      Yes, this is an issue. The same with all the third-party review sites. Even fewer people are registered on them. However, as I've mentioned I find linking Facebook with the review gathering campaign very useful, because many review sites could be entered via Facebook account (City Search, Insider Pages, Judy's Book, etc). Of course for the reviews on the Google Places page they would need a Google Account, unfortunately. I really hope Google will make the way to writing the review easier. I am looking forward to hear about the findings of your survey!
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      • Profile picture of the author k60mall
        Originally Posted by rbrShorty View Post

        That is really a nice way of exposure, but maybe there is the problem that if you list only the review sites, the clients will not be able to find the particular listing, they will lose patience and eventually give up leaving the review. On the other hand, if you write the whole link, I doubt they will remember it or write it down. Isn't it really better to simply give away some cards as CatalysteMarketing (Linda) said?



        Yes! That's what I was talking about - the follow up. Definitely e-mail would be better in my opinion, because you can model it much better (you can even include a QR code, a picture, a coupon (not specifically for the sake of writing a review, but just to attract the attention of the customer). I really think this is a great way to: A) remind the customer and B) you can write the e-mail in such a way that is making it easy for the customer to leave a review, there could be an explanation about the whole process.



        This is very true. But don't you think as what I said before - maybe you could point to the discounts, but not necessarily link them with writing a review, because can you imagine what would happen if the review goes something like "I liked bla bla bla and also thank you for the voucher that I'm getting writing this review" (only an example). I think all the clients afterwards will require discounts in order to leave reviews. Anyway, everything you say is true - it is most probably much more difficult to take reviews without offering anything specific for it, than if you offer some kind of reward.



        Yes, this is an issue. The same with all the third-party review sites. Even fewer people are registered on them. However, as I've mentioned I find linking Facebook with the review gathering campaign very useful, because many review sites could be entered via Facebook account (City Search, Insider Pages, Judy's Book, etc). Of course for the reviews on the Google Places page they would need a Google Account, unfortunately. I really hope Google will make the way to writing the review easier. I am looking forward to hear about the findings of your survey!
        The only problem with connecting with Facebook is that most review sites still ask you to create an account even though you have accessed the site with Facebook which defeats the object as far as I am concerned.
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        • Profile picture of the author rbrShorty
          Originally Posted by k60mall View Post

          The only problem with connecting with Facebook is that most review sites still ask you to create an account even though you have accessed the site with Facebook which defeats the object as far as I am concerned.
          Well, Insider Pages and Judy's Book are working, so this is the most important for me Yes, City Search is unfortunately asking you to create account even when you connect with Facebook.
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  • Profile picture of the author dark witness
    Hi, some great tips here for anyone new starting out. I have a quick question to add. With the reviews, should the company address be included as well? I know it should be in the citations, but I think I remember hearing somewhere that it should also be in the review for better result.
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