How do you handle client objections to increasing reviews?

[zach.glover]

With the importance of reviews for rankings both on LSA and for GBP's (and it seems like they're getting more and more important each day), we push to our clients consistently how important reviews are. We've started to get push back of "If reviews are so important, I can get those myself. Why am I paying you?". Obviously, there's a lot more to SEO, GBP, and LSA optimizations, but just curious how others navigate that?

 

[ElizabethRule]

Reviews are only part of the equation. Without them, other local SEO work usually won’t get the best results. In competitive markets, reviews alone won’t push you into the local pack, but they can help you stay there.

And remember, reviews do nothing for the website. Many businesses get just as many (or more) leads from their business site. If they're only focused on Google Maps, they're missing a big source of potential customers.

 

[Kelloggs1986]

With the importance of reviews for rankings both on LSA and for GBP's (and it seems like they're getting more and more important each day), we push to our clients consistently how important reviews are. We've started to get push back of "If reviews are so important, I can get those myself. Why am I paying you?". Obviously, there's a lot more to SEO, GBP, and LSA optimizations, but just curious how others navigate that?

What a delight of a client

Obviously there is no actual response to that question that wins.

But look at where it's coming from - it's not their sudden realisation of a holy grail they feel they can achieve without you. Its actually the realisation that this is not something they can just throw money at someone else to do. Then their resistance to the idea of doing it manifests as irritation towards you, the bearer of this piece of bad news

Which tbh is pretty normal - no one likes asking for reviews!

The best I can suggest is letting them know that you realise its a pain, that they're not alone in their absolute distaste for the concept but that you'll do whatever you can to help make it easier.

Then roll out the obvious automations they can use plus a strategy or two

 

[chadkimball]

whitelabel a service like gatherup that automates contacting their existing customers for reviews, so they dont have to do any work to get the reviews.

 

[mktgabor]

With the importance of reviews for rankings both on LSA and for GBP's (and it seems like they're getting more and more important each day), we push to our clients consistently how important reviews are. We've started to get push back of "If reviews are so important, I can get those myself. Why am I paying you?". Obviously, there's a lot more to SEO, GBP, and LSA optimizations, but just curious how others navigate that?

This is anecdotal, but I recently conducted an AEO/GEO analysis for the company I work for and one of the key drivers of visibility was quality and volume of reviews. It seems like as more search transitions to ChatGPT, Gemini, etc. this will be increasingly important for businesses to prioritize. Time will tell how much this bears out.