How Many Reviews Can Your Listing Have Before Google Gets Suspicious?

[Travis Van Slooten]

I am working with a client who has an amazing system in place for getting reviews from his customers. He has an entire team assembled just to get reviews from his customers and they have a 30% "close" rate. It's pretty impressive. As an example, in just 2 months time he was able to get over 80 reviews on his BBB listing and these are all legit reviews. He's just very aggressive with his customers to get them to leave a review (good or bad) and he doesn't incentivize them either. Of course it helps that his company provides a great service at a great price and has great customer service.

He now wants to turn his attention to his Google+ Local listing. He wants to know how many reviews he could realistically get every week without Google freaking out and thinking he's buying reviews.

I've never had a client who was able to get so many reviews so this is a new "problem" for me. Should I tell him to aim for one per week, 10 per week, what is the magic number?

Travis Van Slooten

 

[Linda Buquet]

No one but the algo knows for sure Travis.

But I'm pretty sure the answer is it depends on city and industry. For example if most in his exact market average 1 review a month, then I assume that's what the algo thinks is normal. Or it could possibly be national average by industry, not sure.

I assume the algo would also look at history. So if he naturally averaged 1 every 2 months and then suddenly gets 10 this month it may look suspicious.

If he was smart, since he has such good luck getting reviews and since the algo counts 3rd party reviews... I'd offer people a choice of 3 Places. Leave a review at ABC if you have a Facebook account. Leave a review at Google+ if you have a Google account or leave a review at XYZ if that's easier for you.

 

[Chase Billow]

It's pretty silly that we have to worry about things like this.

I wouldn't be worried so much about how many but how they got there.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

Thanks Linda.

And Chase, I totally agree with you.

Travis Van Slooten

 

[Cleaner44]

If his reviews mainly come from people that have pre-existing Google+ accounts and hopefully a history of real reviews, that should maintain the credibility of the new reviews. I would avoid having people create new Google accounts purely for reviews if he is going to get large quantities.

 

[Travis Van Slooten]

Good point. Thanks.

Travis

If his reviews mainly come from people that have pre-existing Google+ accounts and hopefully a history of real reviews, that should maintain the credibility of the new reviews. I would avoid having people create new Google accounts purely for reviews if he is going to get large quantities.

 

[Chase Billow]

If his reviews mainly come from people that have pre-existing Google+ accounts and hopefully a history of real reviews, that should maintain the credibility of the new reviews. I would avoid having people create new Google accounts purely for reviews if he is going to get large quantities.

Seconded. This is exactly what I mean by "where they come from".