How Your Business Can Get More 5-Star Reviews
Words hold power. For businesses operating in today’s digital-first climate, what your clients say online matters.
Positive reviews can win trust. They can boost your search engine optimization (SEO) and help you stand out from the competition. Negative reviews, on the other hand, can push prospects away.
So, what should you do when you get a bad review? Can businesses edit Google reviews? Can they delete them?
In this guide, we’ll get to the bottom of these questions and more.
First, we’ll explore the control you have over your reviews. Then, we’ll share some top strategies for managing your Google reviews.
We’ll list the dos and don’ts of handling negative reviews. And we’ll spotlight some high-value ways to showcase the very best testimonials your home contractor business has.
Finally, we’ll give you some tips that’ll help you prevent negative reviews before they find their way online.
Can Businesses Edit Google Reviews?
You’ve been notified of a new review. You’re excited, but the feeling is fleeting.
You read the review, disheartened. The customer is not happy. Worse yet, what they’re saying isn’t true.
What can you do about it? Can you edit a Google review?
Why You Can’t Edit a Google Review
Unfortunately, no. Businesses can’t edit a Google review. Only the reviewer can. It’s against Google’s policy.
Although you’re frustrated, it’s a rule that makes sense.
Google reviews are there to give potential customers a realistic idea of what they can expect when working with a company.
If businesses could change the reviews, readers wouldn’t trust them. They might assume all testimonials are edited to make the business look great.
What If the Review Is Offensive or Fake?
Businesses can’t edit Google reviews. But they can report them if they go against Google’s content policies.
Google has a whole list of deceptive and inappropriate content and behavior that it doesn’t allow. Examples include:
- Harassment
- Hate speech
- Obscenity
- Disclosure of personal information
What Control Do You Have Over Your Reviews?
So, what control do you have over your reviews? The best you can do is respond to them.
And you should—it’s best practice. Good or bad feedback warrants a meaningful, well-thought-out reply.
One survey found that 88% of buyers use a business that replies to all reviews. This is compared to just 47% who would choose a business that never replies.
With the right response, you can turn a negative review into a positive marketing opportunity. You can showcase your willingness to listen and improve. And this speaks volumes to Google searchers looking for a local contractor.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to See My Google Reviews
Strategies for Managing Google Reviews
If you can’t edit a review, what should you do instead? Give these strategies a go:
Report the Review to Google
If you get a review that you believe is against Google’s policies, you can report it here. Google will then look at the review and decide whether to remove it.
Respond Politely to Negative Reviews
If the review doesn’t go against Google’s content policies, it’s there to stay. So, take a deep breath and compose a professional response.
Avoid letting your emotions take over. Don’t fight fire with fire. This will only reflect poorly on your business. It could even discourage readers from calling you.
What does a professional response look like? Include these elements:
- Thank the reviewer for their time. Positivity and manners go a long way. They set the tone.
- Acknowledge their experience—even if you feel they are wrong. People don’t generally write negative reviews for no reason at all. They are sharing their truth.
- Say that their experience is not representative of how you treat your clients. Note that it’s not the norm. You have service standards—you are committed to doing better.
- Explain any steps you took to resolve the issue. Hopefully, the client approached you directly before leaving the bad review.
- Offer to take discussions offline. You don’t want to get into the raw details on a public platform. Give your contact information and encourage them to contact you directly. That way, you can de-escalate the situation. You could even win them over, which might prompt them to edit their own review.
Pro tip: If a reviewer responds well to your attempts to resolve the issue, consider editing your response. You might change it to something like:
We’re so happy we were able to find a resolution and meet your expectations. We look forward to working with you again.
Be a Problem Solver
Prevention is better than the cure. So, instead of managing negative reviews, do what you can to encourage more positive ones. How?
Deliver service so good that a customer would have nothing bad to say. Of course, this is a given. And it’s easier said than done. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it’s not enough.
So, if a customer does complain, put in the extra effort to resolve the issue. Listen actively to their point of view. Be understanding, empathetic even.
Take real steps to come up with a solution. In many cases, you’ll be able to turn an unhappy customer into a happy one, preventing the negative review before it’s even posted.
Ask Happy Clients to Leave a Review
Negative reviews are just part of running a business. You won’t be everyone’s cup of tea!
You can drown out some of the negative chatter with more good reviews.
This also boosts your overall star rating, which is the average of all your reviews. It’s what shows up underneath your business name when people Google you.
How can you get more good reviews? Here are some quick tips:
- Just ask! Write a brief, friendly email and pop in a link to your review page.
- Consider incentivizing reviews. Offer a discount on a future service, for example.
- Make it easy. Anytime you ask for a review, include a link. If it’s in printed material, generate a QR code.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Get More Google Reviews: 5 Strategies for Success
Best Practices for Handling Negative Google Reviews
Earlier, we offered some suggestions for how to respond to negative reviews. Here are some more dos and don’ts to follow the next time you get a negative review:
- Do report the review to Google if it’s harmful, offensive, or fake.
- Don’t respond to reviews that go against Google’s policies.
- Do respond to all your legitimate reviews, including the negative ones.
- Don’t be fiery or emotional. Don’t put the blame on them. This may only aggravate the situation.
- Do be polite and solutions-focused. Be understanding and professional.
- Don’t go into the client’s personal details or information about their project in your response.
- Do share your contact information and invite the reviewer to reach out.
- Don’t get too hung up on one negative review. If you do everything you can to resolve the problem with no result, move on.
- Do learn from your negative reviews. Make a plan of action to do better next time. A continuous improvement mindset will help you succeed.
FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: A Business Owner’s Guide to Responding to Negative Customer Reviews
Showcase Your Best Google Reviews
Google reviews are hugely powerful. They build trust, show credibility, and attract new clients. So you also need a plan in place to highlight the excellent reviews you are getting.
Potential customers trust reviews from real people. Positive reviews show that your business delivers as promised.
They’re social proof of your excellent service.
You want to make sure your great reviews get in front of as many eyes as possible. Share them:
- On social media: Pair them with photos of completed work.
- In your emails: This reminds customers of your consistent quality.
- On your printed materials: Add them to brochures or flyers to create trust before a client even calls.
- On your website: Pop them on your home page or services page. You could even use a Google review widget that updates automatically.
How to Make Your Reviews Even Better
Ask customers to be specific. Detailed reviews help others understand what makes your service stand out.
You could even provide suggestions on what to mention. For example, you could encourage clients to talk about whether the project unfolded as expected. They can touch on the level of service and how satisfied they are with the finished product.
Finally, always thank clients who leave reviews. They took time out of their day to help your business. Plus, your appreciation inspires others to leave reviews too.
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5 Tips to Prevent Negative Reviews Before They Happen
Managing negative reviews can be a headache. Give your business the best chance of avoiding them altogether with these 5 tips:
- Learn from your mistakes. Collect feedback from customers through reviews or surveys. Look for trends and make improvements to your processes.
- Support your team. Make sure everyone in your team is able to uphold your standard of service. Continually train your staff on the importance of the customer experience.
- Get the basics right. This means replying to customer questions on time. It means showing up ready to work, doing a five-star job, and maintaining a friendly and polite attitude.
- Fix issues fast. Be proactive. If a customer has a problem, jump right in and solve it before it turns into something bigger.
- Be transparent. Set clear expectations from day one. Be upfront about any limitations, and don’t promise what you can’t deliver.