How to Leave a Google Review?

Leaving a Google review is not just about sharing your experience—it’s about helping others make informed decisions.

A study by Sid Web Solutions shows that 64% of consumers check Google for reviews before visiting a business. Google, the top search engine, also boosts SEO rankings for businesses with many positive reviews.

If you own a small business and you’re ignoring Google Reviews, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to grow. It’s almost like throwing money away.

Yes, online reviews are crucial. And yes, we will show you how to use them to grow your business.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this article:

How to Get More Google Reviews
How to Leave a Google Review
How to Remove a Review From Google
How to Use Weave to Get More Reviews

How to Encourage More Google Reviews from Your Customers in Five Easy Steps

Step 1: Ask Your Customers for a ‘Favor’

If your customers had a good experience, they’ll often be happy to return the favor with a positive review. By framing your request as a “favor” it feels less like an obligation and more like an opportunity to help. This approach increases the chances they will say yes.

Asking for a favor shows you trust your customers and appreciate their support. When asked the right way, satisfied customers are usually willing to leave a good review. Get as many of these “favors” as you can because Google highlights three reviews in your Google Review Summary.

While getting reviews is great, remember that Google’s algorithm also looks for specific types of reviews.

Step 2: Give Them a Reason to Write a Review

Giving a reason when you ask for a review increases the chances your customers will do it by up to 33%. A study by a Harvard professor in 1978 found that using the word “because” and giving a reason makes people more likely to comply with a request.

When asking for a review, include a reason. Phrases like “because we value your feedback” or “because your opinion matters to us” can really make a difference.

Though there are technical reasons for requesting reviews like boosting local SEO and building online trust, keep your explanations simple.

Step 3: Show Gratitude for their Willingness to Leave a Review

Showing gratitude is always a good idea in customer service. Studies have shown that expressing thanks can significantly improve response rates. Similarly, acknowledging customer feedback through reviews can lead to better customer service.

Step 4: Prepare a Script & a Clear Process

Here’s a simple script to help increase your review rate. Feel free to adapt it to suit your business:

“Hey [customer name], thanks for coming in today! Could you do me a favor?”

Customer says yes

“Would you mind writing a review about your experience? Because it really helps other customers decide to come here.”

Customer agrees

“Thanks! We really appreciate it! In a few moments, you’ll get a review request from our office. You can just follow the link we send. It’s really simple!”

Happy customers are likely to leave positive reviews if you ask. By making the process easy and using a little psychology, you can gather a lot of positive reviews.

Step 5: Use Review Software to Automate the Process

In a perfect world, everyone would use automated review software.

Review software lets you request a review from customers right after they’ve interacted with you which is when they’re most likely to leave feedback.

Typically, the request includes a link. The customer clicks on it and is taken to a review site like Google or Facebook where they can leave feedback in just a few Seconds.

Make Google Reviews Easy for Your Customers

No matter how great your customer experience is, making it easy for customers to leave feedback will always boost your success.

Ask Your Customers for Reviews

Did you know that 71% of consumers would leave feedback if a business simply asked but 30% have never been asked at all?

Even casual requests can be effective and are much better than not asking at all.

How to Leave a Review on Google

There are two ways to leave a Google review: through a browser or the Google Maps app. Note that your customer will need a Google account to do this.

Write a Google Review from Your Browser

Log into Your Google Account – Open your browser and log into your Google account.
Search for the Business – Type the business name in the Google search bar.
Find the Reviews Section – Look for the reviews area next to the star rating in your search results or under the business’s name in the sidebar.
Write a Review – Click on the blue “WRITE A REVIEW” link.
Rate & Review – Rate the business from 1 to 5 stars, write about your experience and click “POST” when you’re done.

Write a Review from the Google Maps App

Open the Google Maps App – On your phone, open the Google Maps app.
Search for the Business – Enter the name of the business you want to review.
Select the Business – Tap the banner at the bottom of the map showing the business.
Find the Reviews Section – Scroll down until you see the reviews section with five stars and your profile picture above them.
Rate & Review – Tap the number of stars you want to give, write about your experience and click “POST” to submit your review.

Leaving a review is easy, even for older customers. This process is even simpler with automated software.

Your words matter. A thoughtful Google review can influence potential customers and contribute to a business’s success.

How to Delete a Google Review

As a business owner, you’ve likely encountered a negative review at some point. It might be due to a misunderstanding or a mistake by someone on your team. In such cases, you should try to resolve the issue immediately.

However, negative fake reviews from competitors trying to harm your reputation are another common issue. These fake reviews can’t be rectified, so you’ll need a strategy to delete them. While this process isn’t always guaranteed to work, it’s often worth trying.

Step 1: Locate the Review on Google

Find the fake review you want to remove by searching for your business name on Google and clicking on the total number of reviews.

Step 2: Flag the Review

Find the Review – Locate the review left by your competitor.
Hover Over the Review – Move your cursor over the review until the flag icon appears.
Click the Flag – Click on the flag icon to report the review.

Step 3: Choose Why you’re Reporting the Review

Choose the Reason – When you click the flag, you will see a list of options.
Select Conflict of Interest – Click the circle indicating the post is a conflict of interest.
Take a Screenshot – Capture a screenshot of the form filled out and save it with the date.

Remember, Google’s policies list 10 types of prohibited and restricted reviews which Google might remove automatically or when flagged.

Step 4: Navigate to the Spam & Policy Forum

Wait a Week – After flagging the review, wait about a week to see if it has been removed.
Check the Review – If the review is still there, go to the Google My Business community.
Find Spam & Policy – In the search results, look for the “Spam & Policy” page and click on it.

This will take you to the appropriate forum for further assistance.

Step 5: Submit Your Case

Start a Post – Click the plus sign in the lower right-hand corner to create a new post in the forum.
Be Persuasive – Clearly explain that the review is not from a real customer and is likely from a competitor. Provide as much detail as possible to support your case.
Attach Evidence – Include the screenshot showing that you flagged the review.
Submit Your Post – Submit your detailed post.

The forum usually responds quickly, often within a day, to let you know if your report will be escalated.

Using Auto-Text to Get More Google My Business Reviews

A dental office in NY City significantly increased new patient flow by 324% from May 2017 onwards. For years, they were getting around 17 new patients each month but had fewer than 10 online reviews. This caused their patient numbers to stop growing. After activating Auto-Text Reviews, they now see 76 new patients a month and have over 200 online reviews.

Anna Walker of West Side Family Dental Group said, “Auto-Text has made all the difference in our dental practices. It’s easy to use for recalls, confirmations, etc. But most importantly, the review feature helped us get on the first page of Google.”

Positive reviews greatly influence potential customers looking up your business online.

Taking a few minutes to leave a Google review can impact a business’s reputation positively and help them grow.

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