Should I be encouraging customers to leave a review on GMB

[Oliver Keates]

Should i be encouraging customers to leave a review on GMB at the moment?

 

[JoyHawkins]

Absolutely. I would suggest using a 3rd party to keep track of requests and send reminders. We use GatherUp for all our clients.

 

[rclark]

Without a doubt. I usually setup an email to go out thanking the client for this and that and providing a link to our review spots and to leave their honest opinion as we value it immensely.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Oliver Keates, yes. You'll probably want to try both the manual approach and using a third-party service (like GatherUp). Depending on the finer points of your strategy, sometimes one is much more effective than the other.

Also, you'll probably want to start diversifying the review sites as soon as you've got a few Google reviews on the board. Don't necessarily want all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Tim Colling]

My answer: not only yes, but heck yes!

And as everyone said, ask for reviews on other sites too.

And for what it's worth, my firm uses GatherUp also.

 

[Stefan Somborac]

If you're going to take the manual approach, I recommend creating a page on your website (e.g. your-domain.com/review-us/) that makes it easy for customers to leave a review on Google as well as on other sites that are important for your industry and/or location.

The URL should be easy to remember and easy to find in your site's navigation. The page can include links as well as "instructions" that make writing the review less intimidating while also encouraging the use of important keywords. (e.g. "By mentioning the product or service you purchased and your favourite part of the transaction, you've written a basic review! Of course, feel free to write as much as you want. More detailed reviews are more helpful to readers.")

 

[Tim Colling]

If you're going to take the manual approach, I recommend creating a page on your website (e.g. your-domain.com/review-us/) that makes it easy for customers to leave a review on Google as well as on other sites that are important for your industry and/or location...

Great suggestions, @Stefan Somborac

 

[Eric Rohrback]

@Oliver Keates is there a reason why you would be hesitant to send people to GMB to leave a review?

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Stefan Somborac's advice is spot-on. I'd add that a "Review Us" page should be separate from an "Our Reviews" page, where you showcase reviews customer already have written. I see that all the time: business owners stick a "Leave us a review!" button/link/widget on a page meant to impress people who aren't yet customers. Those people aren't in much of a position to write a review (yet).

Two separate purposes. Don't cross the streams.

 

[Oliver Keates]

@Eric Rohrback , I was basically wanting feedback and thoughts from local search industry influencers. With all the fake negative reviews that can pop up on GMB listings i was abit hesitant. thanks

 

[Eric Rohrback]

@Oliver Keates, understandable. Don't get too discouraged by the fake ones out there. Keep plugging away at helping people that are enthusiastic about your company tell others. People are more likely to leave a negative review on their own than a positive one, so a little nudge every once in a while is a helpful reminder that they are having a positive impact on your company.