Dead Simple Google Reviews via Mobile - Bypass the Hoop Jumping

[Linda Buquet]

I have not kept up on the whole reviews via mobile issue, but in the past there were all kinds of hoops to jump through and you had to go through a long explanation to tell customers how to leave you a Google review via mobile. And for a long time they could not even leave a review from mobile without downloading an app.

Depending on what phone, OS and apps they had installed sometimes you could send folks the link to your G+ L page, but the write a review option didn't even show up. Not sure if that's still the case. But at any rate, if it's still a problem, here is an alternate way to make it super easy for customers to leave a reviews.

<img src="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ReviewsMobile.jpg" alt="ReviewsMobile" width="75%" />​

Here is my link to Catalyst eMarketing using the method in the image above.

So just go to Local search on G+. Type business name, type city. Once the client's listing shows up, grab that link from address bar. Then use that link in emails when you ask for a reviews, and put on your review page on your site or wherever you ask for reviews.

So anyway, this tip comes by way of one of my Dental contacts: Bob Sommers from Five Star Review System

Here is a video where he explains and show you how to do it.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CNMMfgHaG8Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>​

Thanks for the idea Bob!

I admit, maybe this is not a new idea and maybe I've just been out of the reviews and mobile loop lately. But I have to assume this is an idea that at least some of you have not thought to try?

What do you think?
Have you heard of this method or tried it for reviews before?

<meta property="og:type" content="article"><meta property="og:title" content=""><meta property="og:description" content="Here is a uniquely simple alternate way to make it easy for customers to leave a review via mobile.">
<meta property="og:image" content="http://marketing-blog.catalystemarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/ReviewsMobile2.jpg">

 

[Dustybones]

Thank You, Thank You, thank you. Its funny how we miss these little work arounds. We have been struggling with the Androids on this. This option is a bit crude looking without the app loading, but its simple and fast. Its funny how that plus.google.com/local isn't responsive without the App.

 

[Linda Buquet]

LOL too funny. So much for investigative research.

I didn't even try it - just rushed to share.

But that's just how I roll...

 

[whitespark]

Hey Linda. We wrote about this method on our blog back on June 3rd:
How to Leave a Google Review on Mobile | Whitespark

I think Jessie can be credited as the person who discovered this.

We also built the new method into our free tool, the Review Handout Generator, to make getting reviews on mobile SUPER DUPER EASY!
https://www.whitespark.ca/review-handout-generator

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hey Linda. We wrote about this method on our blog back on June 3rd:
How to Leave a Google Review on Mobile | Whitesparkhttp://www.whitespark.ca/blog/post/32-how-to-leave-a-google-review-on-mobile

I think Jessie can be credited as the person who discovered this.

Thanks for pointing that out Darren. Like I said wasn't sure if it was new and sorry but I missed your post.

Actually looks like Jessie credits Mike with coming up with that idea 1st - way back in 2012:
Google’s New Mobile Search Inadvertently Removes Review Button From Places Page

So I guess it really isn't new. But still, just like I missed your post and Mike's comment, this may be new info to others as well.

 

[Jon Hall]

Nice one! Of course, this process quickly becomes tedious if you're working with more than a handful of businesses. As automators of everything review-related, we found a way of constructing these links from ready-at-hand data, at least for U.S. businesses. Just do this:

https://plus.google.com/local/{ZIP_CODE}/s/{PHONE}

e.g. https://plus.google.com/local/07042/s/973-509-0999

Boom.

 

[whitespark]

Ah, yes Linda, I should have clarified that. Mike's comment is the original source of the method, but everyone including Mike was under the impression that it had stopped working. I suppose Jessie could be credited as the REdiscoverer of this method.

Jon, that's great! We use city/state, business name, and phone in our search. Zip/phone is cleaner and simpler. Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Linda Buquet]

I talked to Bob and he said he got the idea from Mike.

So just goes to show, there are no new ideas...

 

[whitespark]

But did Bob get it from Mike, who got it from our post, which was inspired by his comment?!?! Haha.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Nice one! Of course, this process quickly becomes tedious if you're working with more than a handful of businesses. As automators of everything review-related, we found a way of constructing these links from ready-at-hand data, at least for U.S. businesses. Just do this:

https://plus.google.com/local/{ZIP_CODE}/s/{PHONE}

e.g. https://plus.google.com/local/07042/s/973-509-0999

Boom.

Nice one Jon! Thanks for sharing.

I hate having to separately type name, then city in the other field in G+ local search.

 

[mblumenthal]

I didn't think hat it stopped working just that it has not been reliable enough on iPhones where it seems to fail frequently. I will try Jon's idea of the phone + zip search and see if that is more reliable.

Am I the only one that saw it fail on the iPhone on a regular basis?

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks for weighing in on that Mike. I'm not on iPhone, so not sure about that part.

 

[whitespark]

Mike, I've never seen it not work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[whitespark]

And, I got the impression that it didn't work anymore when I asked you about it before my SearchFest talk. I remember you telling me the hack didn't work anymore. Maybe I'm confusing this method with some other hack?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jon Hall]

Not much about G+/G Local has been reliable over a long term My apologies to future readers of this thread when the zip/phone technique fails!

But for now, it is super useful for creating accurate review links esp. in dense markets. Driving reviews for Ray's Pizza in New York? Would you rather:

https://plus.google.com/local/New York, NY/s/Ray's Pizza

...or...

https://plus.google.com/local/10011/s/212-243-1129

C'mon, I mean the ORIGINAL Ray's Pizza!

 

[mblumenthal]

At the time, the problem was that the review input box would appear off screen and couldn't be viewed. Also that lack of precision, like Jon has pointed out, would lead to false positives.

I think that both issues appear to have been solved. It certainly isn't the best user experience (a pencil = leave a review?) but it is better than nothing at this point. But this wasn't the hack that I was referring to. There was an old, feature phone review input that still worked for quite a while that I thought you were talking about.

 

[mblumenthal]

I just tried it again on my iPhone. It certainly doesn't work very well.

Safari
I was not logged in (and two step verification on)
When I logged in it redirected me to the Plus app
I then returned to the browser
I was able to see the pencil

It worked the second time IF I was already logged in.


Chrome
Turned off private browsing
Logged in
Selected Link from email
Taken to a page that doesn't show the Pencil that looks more like the app page.

So at least in my case with 2 step turned on it didn't work very well. When I was private browsing it worked even worse.