How to manage reviews on Google My Business listing

How to manage and delete reviews on Google My Business

Online reviews are critical to the success of a local business, with 93% of consumers saying online reviews impact their purchasing decisions and that the minimum rating they’ll engage with is 3.3 stars. Everything customers say about your company or brand matters, so it is important to learn how to manage and delete Google My Business Reviews. When you think you are doing well, think again as there can always be a client who has not been satisfied with your products or services.

Given this, you must be prepared to face these not-so-positive remarks that could affect the image of your business. It’s not about putting yourself on the same foot as the user, or less whether he is correct in his opinion or not, but rather seeking out the solution.

If the customer’s complaints are fair, you have to know how to manage them and never immediately delete reviews in Google My Business. However, this option can be taken into consideration depending on the moment. Ideally, in any of the situations, you are capable enough to react.

Learn more about reviews on Google My Business

A general rule is that reviewers are individuals who have an opinion that is written by an individual that is in this case the case of clients. They are based on the services, products, and care that a business offers. Additionally, Google makes use of them to give useful information about your business which is beneficial to both consumers and you.

These reviews are added to the listing of the business in Google Maps and Google Search. If you’re looking to get your business to be noticed in the crowded search engine, these reviews will be your most effective allies to accomplish this. However, it is important that you were aware that opinions may not always benefit your business.

Now, the big question is this: What benefits do Google My Business reviews offer you? In the following section, the most relevant are listed.

Advantages of reviews

• It lets you improve your online presence through various Google services like Youtube, Google Maps, etc.
• Establish a close relationship with your customers by providing valuable information, like news, pictures, or even important events.

• Increase your search engine ranking.
• Your business can be geolocated with the help of Google Maps.

• It lets you keep up and be aware of what people think of your company online. It also lets you be able to customize your statistics and integrate them with Adwords Express
• , for example.
• You can make virtual tourist tours of your business, increasing the capacity for conversions among your potential clients.

How to manage the reviews?

Before knowing how to delete reviews on Google My Business, it is important to learn how to manage them properly. Problems are not solved by deleting comments but by generating an effective response to them. To do this, now you will see some recommendations that will help you in managing this problem:

1.- Respond to the customer’s review

Neglecting negative feedback does not help but it could give other customers a negative impression of your business. It is therefore recommended to take your time when responding, also always with a respectful and friendly tone that shows interest in solving the problem.

A study indicates that almost a third of customers who leave a negative review end up deleting it if the company responds to them. Be aware that not just the image of your company is in danger however, so is the reputation of the person who posted the comment. So, if you apologize to the company you can convince the person to retract.

2.- Solve the consumer problem

Normally, negative reviews are the product of customer dissatisfaction when purchasing a product/service or receiving poor service. For this reason, you need to know what the problem was that caused that comment.

But it is not only about knowing the problem but about finding a way to correct it to satisfy the person. In addition, it will help you not to make that mistake again with other consumers. And the only way to find out is by following up with customers to see if they’ll give you another chance.

3.- Ask the client to delete it

If you don’t offer a solution, you can’t ask the user to remove the comment. And even less choose to delete reviews on Google My Business without first knowing the reasons that generated them. If you reach an agreement with the client, you can kindly ask him to delete it.

Other customers will think that it is good to leave it to see that you solved the problem. However, this may not convince you at all, so reach out to the customer and ask if they can assist in the process of removing their review. Do it privately with an email as a request, not as a requirement.

4.- Do a proper follow-up

You have to follow up to ensure the problem has been fixed and the customer is satisfied. But, also, verify that there are no more negative comments from that person or other users.

It is not enough to check the last month; you must contain at least the previous three months. Many consumers look for recommendations in reviews; it is their way of checking if it is good to buy what you offer.

According to a Reviewtracker study, 49% of customers will not buy from a business that has a rating of fewer than four stars. So if you find other negative reviews and he is an active user, contact him to fix it.

5.- Verify the authenticity of the review

It is also recommended that you make sure that the review is real. Some people make false reviews to sabotage their competitors’ businesses. Before this, you have to be alert and look for signs that confirm that it is not true.

How can you tell? Usually, they lack in detail; they do not cover a specific problem and are extremely general. Check if the user has a photo in their account and then respond to the review. If you don’t receive a response, flag the post as inappropriate and wait for Google to review it.

Learn how to delete reviews on Google My Business

You already know how to deal with a bad review and even solve the alleged customer problem. But what if you discover that the comment is malicious and its only intention is to affect your company’s reputation?

It is at that moment when you have to proceed to delete reviews in Google My Business. If you don’t know how to do it, you have to follow a few simple steps:

A.- Mark the review as inappropriate in Google

Once you have verified the authenticity of the review and are clear that it is a false comment, it is time to take the first action so that Google removes it:

• Open your profile in Google My Business.
• Find the review you want to flag as inappropriate.
• Click on “More” (and 3 points).
• Select “Flag as inappropriate . “

Keep in mind that it will probably take Google several days to review your request. In addition, it may happen that they do not eliminate it; everything will depend on the criteria used in the evaluation.

B.- Contact Google My Business customer service

You will need the patience to wait for Google’s response. However, if you see that it has been a long time since you sent the request and still have not responded, contact the Google My Business support service.

To do this, you must follow these simple steps:

• Enter your profile again.
• Go to the “Support” option.
• Then brands manage customer reviews.
• Submit your claim.

It is essential that when the person in charge of Google contacts you, you have all the information corresponding to the case at hand. Remember that this is your argument with which you show that this review is not valid.

It is recommended that you carefully verify the Google reviews policy. In this way, you can better argue your position and have more options to eliminate the negative comment.

Tip for more reviews

Considering what you must do to manage and delete reviews in Google My Business, it is appropriate that you also know how you can get comments. To do this, it is advisable to carry out these actions:

• Invite your satisfied customers to leave a review: Recommendations are one of the best strategies to reach other potential customers. Create a link for customers to write reviews.
• Use Social networks to promote yourself: they are an excellent means of dissemination, both for clients and companies. In addition, it has a high reach, which means that you will be able to reach new consumers.
• Work with email marketing: you can reserve a space at the bottom of your emails to invite your customers to leave a review about your business.
• Highlight the positive reviews on your website: you can also take advantage of a special section to expose your customers’ opinions, testimonials, or positive thoughts. This is an effective way to convey confidence and security to users interested in purchasing your products or services.