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Reputation Recovery: How to Fix a Bad Online Reputation

In the age of the internet, your online reputation is more important than ever. One bad review can tank your business. So what do you do if you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a bad online reputation?

Here are a few tips to get your business back on track:

1. Google Your Business

Whether you like it or not, your online presence is a big part of your overall reputation. If you want to maintain a positive image and make sure people see you in the best light possible, you must take the time to Google your business from time to time.

This will allow you to see exactly what others say about your product/service online – both good and bad.

If your online presence doesn’t look as good as you had hoped, don’t panic! You can still take steps to get your reputation back on track and ensure a brighter future for yourself online.

2. Create Positive Content

Once you know what people are saying about you, you can start working on creating positive content to counteract the negative.

This can be in the form of blog posts, articles, press releases, or even social media posts. Anything that paints you in a positive light will help to improve your online reputation.

These can help shift the narrative from negative to positive. With time and effort, you can use these kinds of content to shape your online reputation into something that truly reflects the best qualities of your business.

3. Reach Out to Your Critics

Getting criticism is never easy, but it’s important to listen to what your critics say, even if you disagree with their opinions.

By taking the time to understand their perspective and the reasons behind their critiques, you can gain valuable insights that will help you refine your approach moving forward.

And once you’ve addressed any issues raised by your critics, you can focus on winning them over by demonstrating that you’ve taken their concerns seriously.

Ultimately, reaching out to your critics will help build your reputation for openness and honesty and bolster your influence and impact in the long run.

So don’t be afraid to take that first step – critical feedback can help propel you to success!

4. Seek Professional Help if Necessary

If your online reputation is in shambles, you may be at a loss as to how to repair it. After all, building a positive online presence takes time and energy, and recovering from a few missteps can seem like an impossible task.

But rest assured that there is hope – no matter how badly things seem to be going for you online, you can always turn things around if you put in the effort.

One surefire way to give your reputation the boost it needs is to seek professional help. There are companies that specialize in managing online reputations, and their expertise and experience can make all the difference when it comes to repairing damaged standing.

In many cases, they will start by checking your posts and websites to determine exactly where things need to change. Then they will create a customized plan for getting your name back into good standing with your audience through targeted content creation or outreach efforts.

Final Thoughts

Bad things happen to good people—and businesses. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a bad online reputation, don’t despair! You can turn things around with a little hard work and creative thinking and start rebuilding your good name.

Want more tips on how to improve your online reputation? Check out our other blogs for more helpful advice!

How Reviews Give Your Business a Natural Boost on Google

Picture of a cartoon rocket ship taking off. Caption says: Get a natural SEO boost with online reviews.Most business owners know that getting reviews online is important. But do you know how important?

In this post, you’ll learn just how important they are–and how they can even give you a natural boost on Google.

Read on to find out how reviews can help you improve your search rankings, and read to the end to learn our top tip to getting more reviews for your business.

What Is a “Natural Boost”?

First things first: What do we mean when we say reviews can give you a “natural boost” on Google?

Having more positive online reviews than your competitors can help improve your ranking in local search results. It’s a natural boost because it improves your natural search ranking.
Why do reviews help? Online reviews contain keywords, which Google crawls to identify search terms and find relevant results for user’s search queries. What’s more, Google wants to show the most reputable, trustworthy sources first. If you have lots of 5-star online reviews, Google is more likely to see you as an authority. And in turn, they’re more likely to rank you more favourably.

Google’s Algorithm Prioritizes Thoughtful Reviews

Google doesn’t just look at the number of reviews. It also analyzes their content.

Google prioritizes thoughtful, detailed reviews, and it’s those kinds of reviews that will give you the most significant search boost. The more thoughtful, detailed, and praiseworthy your reviews, the better your ranking.

Google Searchers Rely on Reviews More and More

This update in how Google provides search results is with the searchers’ tendency to consider reviews before deciding on which business to choose.

Essentially, Google would be silly not to adjust to the searcher’s tendency to consider reviews because it inevitably leads searchers to more reliable results.

The moment Google is no longer a reliable search engine, it goes kaput.

Key Takeaways

It’s time to get some reviews on your Google Business Profile.

You might be asking yourself how on earth to do that. The answer is very simple:

Ask your previous clients to review you.

This might sound tedious, but having past clients review your business and services will pay off in dividends once they start rolling in.

And it’s not as much of a chore for your clients as you might think. In many cases, if you send an email asking them to review your business or the experience they had with you, they’ll be happy to make the time.

Long story short, there is no harm in asking your clients – and having more positive reviews about your business on your business’s profile will be very positive for your business.


Looking for more wayson how to get reviews on Google, and how to ask clients for reviews? Check out our blog post Should You Ask Clients to Review You on Google for some killer insider tips.

Click here to read the post!

Should You Ask Clients to Review You on Google? [2021]

Should You Ask for Google Reviews(1)By now, everyone knows how important it is to get their customers to leave positive, positive, thoughtful, and detailed reviews on Google.

But the rules for soliciting reviews remain foggy. At best.

Part of the problem is that different review sites have different rules, and many people conflate them accidentally.

Today we’re going to clear the air. We’re going to explain, as precisely as possible, Google’s rules around asking for reviews.

So, let’s be clear. Should you ask your customers for Google reviews?

Yes, You Should Ask Your Customers to Leave Google Reviews

In fact, if you look up Google’s own policy on soliciting reviews, you’ll find this:

“Remind your customers to leave reviews. Let them know that it’s quick and easy to leave business reviews on mobile devices or desktop computers.”

—Google My Business Help

Pretty clear, I’d say! Google uses reviews to find out whether businesses are trustworthy or not. It uses that information to rank businesses on Google Maps searches and to rank webpages on their regular organic search. That’s also why they value reviews that are detailed, include keywords, and identify excellent services in direct and concrete ways. It all shows that you are running a business that they can be comfortable pushing on their platform.

Google Reviews Can Attract Clicks from New Customers

Positive reviews are important for gaining more traffic.

It’s not just about search algorithms, either. There’s a very human component too. Consumers almost always read reviews before trying any new service or product. They depend on those reviews to help them make an informed decision, and the content in those reviews is often the deciding factor.

In general, consumers want to see reviews with:

  1. High ratings
  2. Positive words in review text
  3. Many positive, detailed reviews

People are naturally drawn to businesses with those 3 factors going for them.

Search for businesses in your industry and see which Google My Business (GMB) profiles you are most attracted to, and which ones you think you would call. You’ll notice that profiles with more reviews and a higher rating are much more appealing than those without.

How to Ask Clients for Google Reviews

Now that you know how important it is to ask clients to review you, let’s look at how you should ask them.

Ask Every Customer for a Review

It’s important to ask every customer for a review. Behind Google My Business profiles, reviews are the 2nd most important ranking factor Google looks at for their local finder results. This means that the amount and quality of reviews you receive has a significant impact on the ranking of your business on Google.

If you are just getting started on asking customers for reviews, it can take some time before it has any impact on your ranking.

Our advice?

Be persistent and you’ll start reaping the rewards of your hard work before you know it.

4 Proven Techniques for Asking for Google Reviews

It’s time to start drafting and asking clients to leave you a review! Here are 4 of our top practices to keep in mind.

1. Ask for Google Reviews by Email

The easiest way to get reviews is to ask for reviews by email. Whenever you do work for somebody, send them an email thanking them for choosing your company. This shows your clients that you care about their experiences. And just when they feel appreciated, gently ask them to leave their feedback on your Google My Business page.

Say something like:

“If you enjoyed working with us, please take a moment to leave us your thoughts on Google. 60 seconds of your time will help us continue delivering top-quality service to others just like you! Follow this link to our Google page.”

If they’ve had a great experience with you and feel appreciated, they’ll be happy to leave a review that will help you out.

2. Ask for Google Reviews in Person

Although it can feel a little bit weird to ask for a review in person, it’s the surest way to get those reviews on your GMB listing. Don’t think of it like you’re bothering them or being sleazy. We live in a time when reviews can make or break a business. If you don’t ask for reviews from clients that know you and respect your work, you’re not taking the necessary precautions to protect and manage your online reputation.

Don’t be shy! It’s just business in 2021.

3. Ask for Google Reviews on Your Website

This one takes a little bit of tact. You don’t want to make it appear like you’re offering an incentive for people to leave reviews. You want to remind people that leaving a review will help you continue to provide top-quality service and improve your business.

One way that works well is to include testimonials from Google on your website. This will remind and encourage your clients to leave their own review. A simple phrase like “Liked our service? Let us know on Google!” is all you need to increase the number of daily, weekly, and monthly reviews.

4. Do Not Incentivize Reviews

Offering high-quality service should be incentive enough! But offering compensation for reviews will get you into a lot of trouble with Google.

A Louisville, Kentucky law firm offered their clients a chance to win a contest for a review. When they got caught, Google removed 100 online reviews. No mercy!

As we repeat over and over, Google’s whole business model depends on being a trustworthy source of information. Artificial or fake reviews damage Google’s reputation. That hurts their bottom line. And they don’t like that too much.

Google Review “Snippets”

Snippets are a feature Google has implemented to make searching easier for the user.

Review snippets appear on a business’s Google My Business page, just below their contact details. These snippets provide a snapshot of one customer review highlighting a keyword in the user’s search query:

Google search results showing local heating repair companies. Highlighted is a listing with a review snippet that reads: "I had a furnace/heating issue and called Martin."

Your clients leave important keywords while reviewing your business. So, the more reviews you have under your belt, the more opportunity Google has to select from your reviews to match people’s searches. This will inevitably draw people to your business because it will make you stand out from the competition—yet another excellent reason to ask every customer for a review on your Google My Business profile.

Google Reviews are an Easy Way to Grow Your Business Online!

Consistently asking your clients to review your services will help your business grow. As Google emphasizes its reviews feature in different ways, business owners like yourself should take advantage of it.

Using these simple methods will improve your reputation and grow your business. Let us know how they help in the comments below!

 

 

 

Are Fake Reviews Still a Problem Online?

The short answer: yes.

The unfortunate reality is that fake reviews are a business—a big one. However, the small business owner should steer clear of this practice and counteract it with sound SEO practices.

Here’s how.

Positive Fake Reviews

Due to the relationship between reviews and ranking, creating fake reviews has become a lucrative business in the SEO world.

Everyone knows that you need positive reviews to improve your Google ranking. Positive reviews act like referrals from people who have hired your services. Unfortunately, positive fake reviews can harm your reputation rather than help it.

Google has been fighting against fake reviews in a decades’ long battle to preserve its credibility for being the number one review platform. Similarly, Yelp has employed undercover operations in their attempt to expose and remove review spammers. Local businesses and SEO companies who get caught are subject to hefty fines and penalties. You don’t want to be found among them.

The trouble is, a fake review isn’t always easy to identify.

How to Weed Out the Fakes from the Factual

For starters, how do you tell if a review is fake? Here are some general guidelines:

  1. This review is the only activity listed in the account’s history.
  2. The account was created around the same time the review was posted.
  3. The review has no words or is vague and lacks personalized comments.

Keep in mind, while Google will evaluate the review after you’ve flagged it, the process will take time. If Google thinks the review is genuine, you might never see it officially taken down.

So, your best defense is a strong offense. Report suspected fake reviews when you’re convinced that they’re unlawful. But more than that, make sure you have a strong review generation strategy that’s on the straight and narrow.

Long-term, a legal, sound marketing strategy will go the distance. Fake reviewing, on the other hand, is a short sprint that will either peter out quickly or backfire.

Negative Reviews

There are two sides to the fake review business: they can be used to promote or sabotage a business.

A fake 5-star review on your competitor’s site is one thing. But what do you do when a competitor posts a malicious 1-star review on your profile?

Here are the steps you should take to safeguard your reputation.

Always Respond, then Report

Although it may not be your first instinct, you should respond to the negative review. Whether it’s legitimate or not.

There are two reasons for this. Firstly, one of Google’s ranking factors is business owner responsiveness. By replying, you’ll protect your ranking. Secondly, responding to a fraudulent review will showcase your professionalism to your client base.

For example, if you receive a suspect 1-star review with no specific information relating to their customer experience, you might reply as follows:

“Thank you for leaving a review. Our company appreciates customer feedback and seeks to resolve issues wherever we can. We’d love the opportunity to make things right. However, we’re unable to offer our help unless we have more information about your experience with us. If you’d like, please contact us at [insert contact information].”

A reply like this indicates that you care about the opinion of your customers while hinting to the fact the complaint may be disingenuous.

After you’ve responded, flag the review and report the violation to Google.

Resist Fake Reviews with a Solid Marketing Strategy

It’s never fun to be on the receiving end of a fake review. Make a habit of monitoring, responding to, and reporting counterfeits on your company’s profile. And don’t forget to counteract the attacks by building your own base of real reviews!

 

Would you like professional assistance managing your brand identity online? Contact the marketing strategists at LinkNow Media. Drop us a line at 1.888.667.7186 or email us at website@linknowmedia.com!

DIY Tricks to Get Rid of Bad Reviews (that SEOs Don’t Want You to Know!)

Bad Reviews? No Problem.

Sure, you can always get an SEO company to bury those pesky negative reviews. With the help of a professional targeted strategy, they’ll boost the right information to the top and allow the rest to go unnoticed. What most of these companies don’t tell you is that there are also simple actions you can take on your own to improve your online rep.

Most SEO companies don’t want you to know this – but I guess it’s a good thing we’re not most companies, right?

Read on to get insiders tips on DIY fixes for your online reputation.

Respond to Negative Client Reviews Calmly and Rationally

When someone leaves you a bad review, it’s easy to get heated. But wait. Take a deep breath. Collect your thoughts before sending an emotionally charged response. Instead, answer calmly and show that you value the client’s opinion.

Even if you’re not quite sure why they’re upset, it’s always best to apologize. The customer is always right, after all. Try to take an empathetic and understanding approach. If you’d like to go the extra mile, ask them to reach out in private to discuss the situation. There might be an opportunity to make things right, and they might even leave you a new positive review in return.

Take the Conversation Offline for More Effective Communication

You can’t control the reviews people leave, but you can control how you respond to them. After you’ve left a polite and professional public reply, leaving contact information can allow you and the dissatisfied client to hash things out in private if they so choose.

Taking the conversation offline can help you communicate more effectively, as tone and nuance are better conveyed over the phone. You might even find that the customer isn’t as unhappy as they seemed in the reviews—especially now that you’ve reached out to them.

Keep Track of What People Are Saying About You Online

Whether you like it or not, people are going to talk. And when you have a company, it’s important to be in tune with what people are saying about it, and where and how they’re saying it. With the help of online tools like Google Alerts, you can track individuals that mention your business online.

These tools will monitor the web and notify you when your company name is brought up. This way, you can always stay in the loop, regardless of whether the conversation is good or bad.

View Common Complaints as Constructive Criticism

Are you seeing a pattern in the negative reviews you’re receiving? It might be time to lay down the groundwork for some change. Ultimately, you should be dedicated to customer satisfaction and always want to better your services.

So, pay close attention to what your clients complain about—especially if you often receive similar complaints. Take it as constructive criticism and an opportunity for improvement. If you put in the work, you can only go up from there!

 

There you have it, folks. The secret (not-so-secret-anymore) online reputation management tips that can help you turn those negatives into positives—all on your own. Still, if you find yourself needing more expert advice, or if you’d like to boost your rep even more, drop us a line at website@linknowmedia.com or call us at 1.888.667.7186.

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How to Fix a Bad Online Reputation

Do you feel like your online reputation has suffered a blow? If someone has left you a negative review, don’t panic! It isn’t the end of the world.

Understandably, someone slandering your business online can be frustrating. But before you stress out over it, it’s important to assess the situation and take a proactive approach!

Make an Assessment of the Damage to Your Reputation Online: Is It Even that Bad?

So, is your reputation really damaged? A snide, negative comment left by an unhappy customer or jealous competitor is a bummer, but is it really that big of a deal?

Think about the review that was left. Does it look like it could be spam? Google tries to filter out these types of comments as they don’t find them relevant. Does the reviewer have any credibility? Do they mention your specific market specialties in these comments? Without an actual history of leaving reviews, Google won’t take their word for it. Plus, a negative comment can be a bummer, but if they don’t mention specifics, the review won’t hold much weight with potential clients.

Once you have a good grasp of the situation, you’ll not only be less stressed, but you’ll be able to come up with a plan of action. Try applying a combination of the following strategies where you see fit.

Emphasize the Positive with Local Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a marketing tool used to help your business rank higher on Google and increase traffic to your web pages. It can also become an effective strategy to bring the positive and trustworthy information about your company upfront and centre. As a result, this will push everything else back, making it negligible and difficult find.

Encourage Your Clients to Leave You Reviews and Carefully Manage Them

Having good review management tactics in place can help you promote the reviews you actually want people to see all while properly dealing with the ones you don’t. Always encourage clients to leave you amazing reviews, especially if you’ve visibly impressed them. Before you know it, those negative, spammy-looking ones will seem irrelevant.

Create High-Quality, SEO-Optimized Content

One of the easiest ways to dramatically boost your online reputation is to have high-quality, professional content on your website. You can build amazing credibility like this in no time! Not only will people now find positive reviews when they search for you. They’ll also find engaging, well-written content from you that will overshadow any doubt that may have been cast by one measly bad review.

Hire a Trusted Online Reputation Management Service like LinkNow Media

In the end, it might not be the bad review that’s causing your reputation to suffer, but the lack of professional online presence. By enlisting a company like LinkNow Media to do the work for you, you’ll be allowing your business to flourish and keeping those untrustworthy reviews in the dark.

Do you need our help implementing online reputation management strategies? Want to learn more about Local SEO? For general inquiries, email website@linknowmedia.com. For more information on Local SEO, email mylocalseo@linknowmedia.com. Don’t forget to leave a comment!

Want to Run Your Business on Leads from Yelp? Here’s how!

Yelp is one of the best tools that small businesses have for marketing and generating local leads. Whether you’re using it to manage your online reputation or for local marketing, Yelp has transformed the way businesses are run in 2019. And best of all, it’s free.

So, if you’re a small business owner looking for an easy way to generate a ton of strong leads in your local area, this article will tell you everything you need to know. Read on and let us know what you think in the comments!

1. Complete Your Yelp Profile

First things first. If you haven’t created your listing already, you need to do that now! (Better yet, finish reading this blog first, and then go complete it). But it’s vital to complete all of it. Try not to leave anything blank or unfinished. Consider it this way – Yelp is asking your business these questions directly, and if you want Yelp to like your business, it’s in your best interest to answer them. Provide plenty of detail. Which leads us to our second tip:

2. Prioritize Text Over Photos on Your Yelp Listing

Pictures have their place on Yelp, but text holds more authority. And if you want to rank in Yelp searches, you need to build authority. Show Yelp that your business is relevant to its users by “programming” your profile with the right keywords.

Yelp’s algorithm depends on words to find out what your listing and your business is about. In fact, we even recommend carefully title the images you upload, so that Yelp can use the file names to categorize your photos. In the real world, a picture may be worth a thousand words, but on Yelp, a picture certainly isn’t worth a thousand keywords.

3. Use Keywords to “Unlock” Yelp Leads

In the same way that you need keywords to rank in Google searches (and get leads from those searches), Yelp’s algorithm also works on keywords. Keywords are what your prospective clients type into search engines online. If your business listing doesn’t include them, new clients won’t be able to find you.

To find keywords that are relevant to your business, try typing a general one into the Yelp search bar. A drop-down menu will appear with other related keywords that, if they are relevant to your business, you should include in your listing to improve your rank!

 

 

However, a word to the wise: be careful not to overdo it. Your listing can get penalized for keyword-stuffing. For example, don’t write: “Our massage therapists perform massage services. If you want massage therapy, call our massage specialists at our massage spa.” Keyword-stuffing doesn’t look good to prospective clients or to Yelp.

4. Always Respond to Yelp Reviews

Never, ever, underestimate the power of reviews, particularly on Yelp. We can’t overemphasize how fantastic positive reviews are for your ranking – but it’s not only having them that counts. Encourage your clients to leave detailed reviews that accurately explain your services and why they were so good.

Plus, Yelp prioritizes businesses that are actively engaged with their customers. So, make sure to reply quickly to both good and bad reviews. Three 5-star reviews with prompt responses might be better off than fifteen 5-star comments that went ignored by the business owner. Be polite, professional, and concise. Sometimes, a well-crafted reply will even counterbalance the damage of a poor review! The bottom line is, always respond to your Yelp reviews.

5. Pat Yelp’s Back and Google Will Pat Yours

Okay, while this one isn’t exactly a Yelp strategy, it’s worth keeping in mind that in the online world, everything is interconnected. Your business listing on Yelp extends far beyond the scope of one directory. Google and Yelp have a longstanding virtual friendship and Google often ranks Yelp listings in their search results.

The old saying, “A friend of yours is a friend of mine” holds true, here. If you’re getting leads on Yelp, chances are you’re beefing up your ranking on Google at the same time. So, it’s in your best interest to make your Yelp listing as attractive as possible.

 

Want to leverage your Yelp listings to pull in even more leads? Contact the digital marketing professionals at LinkNow Media by leaving us a comment below or calling 1.888.667.7186!

5 Reasons that More Reviews Will Help You Crush the Competition

Good reviews are the bedrock of a strong reputation management strategy.

Having plenty of good, high-quality reviews can make the difference between appearing at the top of Google’s search results and being buried by your competitors. In fact, evidence shows that reviews are one of the most important factors determining your local search result rankings. And at LinkNow Media, we consider them one of the easiest and fastest ways to give your online marketing to boost it needs.

Here are five reasons why:

1.      Reviews Expand Your Web Presence

In the realm of online marketing, content is king. It’s the motor that drives your web presence and expands your reach. By pumping out lots of high-quality content, you show Google that you have something important to say. And that you’re an authority in your industry.

Online reviews serve a similar purpose. The more positive ones that you accumulate, the larger your online footprint becomes. From Google’s perspective, that means your information is constantly being updated and verified by your user base: a good prospect when they’re looking to recommend you over your competitors.

2.      Reviews Highlight Your Relevance for Local Search Results

A detailed review will often include information about the company, the service provided, prices, and customer service. These are all relevant details that tell Google more about your business in the form of keywords.

We’ve already discussed how getting keywords in your reviews can improve your online search results. For the purposes of this post, I’ll offer a brief summary.

For Google, keywords are like signposts. They’re carriers of information that indicate the purpose of a webpage. Essentially, they help Google sift through your site and determine whether it is relevant to a searcher.

By expanding your number of detailed reviews, you’ll naturally expand your keyword profile. What does that mean for you? As a result, you’re likely to see your website come up for a greater array of relevant search terms. You may even hone in on an extremely competitive keyword, such as affordable plumber in Dallas.

3.      Reviews Improve Your Search Rankings

The data is clear: the more positive (and detailed!) reviews you have, the better you’ll rank online. It’s as simple as that.

One of the key areas where reviews matter is in what’s called the local pack: the top section that Google displays whenever a user enters a search for a local service. It looks like this:

Your chances of showing up in the local pack improve enormously with consistent, high-quality reviews—especially ones with keywords in them. According to one study, having keyword-heavy reviews was the single most important factor for getting included in the local pack.

Why does Google lend so much weight to reviews? Well, because…

4.      Google Trusts Reviews (More Than They Trust You)

Google likes businesses they can trust. Unfortunately, the Internet sometimes makes it difficult to find such establishments. After all, a company can say anything about itself that it wants. You can claim to be the best pizza joint in NYC all you want. It doesn’t make it true.

What businesses can’t control—at least not completely—is what others say about them. That’s why Google takes reviews so seriously: because they are a comparatively reliable source of information. Sure, some reviews may be disingenuous, solicited, or falsified. But taken as a whole, they’re an effective tool that allows Google to “cross-examine” information and find the most trustworthy businesses to recommend.

5.      Consumers Trust Reviews (More Than They Trust You)

Like Google, consumers find reviews much more persuasive than what any business owner has to say about themselves. One survey found that a whopping 93% of consumers consult online reviews before making a purchasing decision.

Ultimately, the goal of your marketing campaign is to convert your target audience into a loyal customer base. Getting plenty of positive reviews will help you achieve that aim. In the eyes of potential customers, it’s the most persuasive argument you can provide.

A lot has changed since the digital age. Especially for small business owners, the Internet has revolutionized the way we do business. Nevertheless, one thing remains the same: a good recommendation goes a long, long way.

Need Help Generating Reviews? Give the Team at LinkNow Media a Shout!

With over 10,000 clients, it’s safe to say that we at LinkNow know a thing or two about managing an online reputation. We’ve helped garner hundreds of rave reviews, building a strong web presence for ourselves. Not to mention for our customers, too.

If you need help coming up with a solid review-generation strategy, consider giving us a shout! Leave a comment below, email us at website@linknowmedia.com, or call us at 1-888-667-7186. After all, we’re here to help

Improve Your Google Ranking Fast with Keyword-Optimized Reviews

As we’ve written elsewhere, it can take a long time to start ranking for new content. Google’s timelines can be really frustrating! So, what do you do if you want to improve your Google ranking fast?

Research has shown that there’s a strong connection between keywords in reviews and improved local search results. One study named it the number one way to boost local SEO. Not NAP clean-ups. Not GMB posts. Not a 5-star score. Keywords.

So, getting them is a great way to improve your search results. But should you do it? Should you start telling your clients to write “best plumbing repair service Atlanta” in their review?

Well… not exactly.  You don’t want to force your customers into writing something they otherwise wouldn’t say. It may, however, be wise to steer them in the right direction.

Do I Need Keywords in My Reviews?

Keywords are like signposts: they point people (and search engines) in the right direction. From Google’s perspective, keywords show that a text (reviews, website content, blog posts, etc.) is relevant to searchers. When a Google user enters a search term, Google wants to display the most relevant results at the top of the page. Keywords help Google sift through and find them.

This goes for the landing pages on your website, as much as for the reviews on your GMB listing. Google likes it when a review includes keywords. It shows that your landscaping company actually provides the landscaping services you advertise. And that someone out there really believes they are the “best landscaping company in San Diego!” Who wouldn’t want to rank for a keyword like that?

Should I Ask My Clients to Use Keywords in Their Reviews?

At LinkNow Media, we do not recommend that business owners ask their clients to include specific keywords in their reviews.

Why not?

  1. It’s inauthentic. You want your reviews to be truthful. Google does, too. If you ask your clients to use specific phrases and keywords, their reviews will feel scripted. Forced. Fake.
  2. It’s unconvincing. Positive reviews are supposed to be convincing. They should show that you are an authority in your industry—a professional that consumers can trust. By asking clients to follow a script, you’re limiting the potential of your reviews. Ultimately, they’ll be far less convincing than if they felt natural.
  3. It’s risky. Google doesn’t like SEO trickery. They’ve clamped down on previous SEO “hacks,” and they’re bound to do the same for future ones. If you try to game the system by shoehorning keywords into your reviews, you risk being penalized by Google down the road.

The bottom line is that Google values keyword-optimized reviews because the business owner has no control over them! They’re spontaneous, authentic, and truthful. They’re the perfect reference.

How Do I Get Keywords in My Reviews?

You want keywords in your reviews. But you also want your reviews to sound natural. What can you do?

The best course of action: ask your clients to leave detailed reviews. Give them some guidelines. For example, if you’re a plumber, you may want to ask your customers to leave reviews that mention:

  • The service you provided
  • The time it took for you to respond and complete the job
  • Pricing information
  • The quality of customer service.

By doing so, keywords will naturally appear in your clients’ writing. Plus, it’ll sound more convincing for readers.

Consider the following two reviews from LinkNow Media’s Google My Business listing:

Pretty bare bones. Not a whole lot of information. Let’s look at the second one:

Notice the keywords: SEO services, company’s web presence, design assistant, as well as our company name. The client was not asked to use these terms. Rather, they came out naturally because the reviewer provided ample detail. Plus, it also makes the review much more convincing for reviewers.

In short: Ask your clients to leave reviews. But give them more to go off. Ask them to provide details of the services you provided, how long it took, so on and so forth, and you’ll see keywords naturally arise in your reviews. That way, you’ll help build a solid online footprint—and trustworthy reputation. Two birds with one stone. We like that.

Need Help Managing Your Online Reputation?

With over 10,000 clients, we at LinkNow Media know a thing or two about reputation management. Over our many years, we’ve built a strong online presence—not just for ourselves, but for thousands of business owners across North America.

If you need help proving your worth to the world and drumming up business, give us a shout at website@linknowmedia.com, or at 1-888-667-7186. Oh, and don’t forget to comment below!

5 Reasons You Need Reviews on Your Website

In the age of digital marketing and Search Engine Optimization, there’s no shortage of ways for small businesses to attract customers. You can create an easy-to-navigate website, submit it to search engines, implement Google Analytics, and create a slew of social network business profiles.

But at the end of the day, the most significant determinant for whether a client will waltz into your store or walk on by isn’t something a savvy marketing agency can buy. It’s the customer review.

Here at LinkNow, we’re firm believers that every business owner should embrace the power of the customer review and its persuasive powers.

1. Consumers Trust Other Consumers

Studies show that 84% of consumers trust a company’s online reviews as much as a recommendation from their own friends.

This might surprise you but trust us when we say it’s true. And it makes sense. When a customer posts a review online, they don’t have any agenda other than to share their own experience. Clients trust this, and it shows.

2. Show, Don’t Tell: A Customer Review Shows Other Consumers How Great You Are

Any company in the world can say they’re the best at what they do. In fact, every single company says that, don’t they? When you look at these over-the-top claims from the vantage point of a consumer, they seem a little generic and fluffy, don’t they?

Consumers are smart, and they know that it is in your best interest to say you’re the best plumber in the area. What they want is proof that this is true. And what’s better proof than a 5-Star review from a satisfied customer?

3. When You Embrace Customer Reviews, You Are Embracing Honesty and Transparency

74% of consumers polled in a 2016 study show that positive reviews make a business seem more trustworthy. Transparency is incredibly important to customers these days. And when you ask clients to leave reviews for your business and share reviews on your website, you’re embracing transparency to the fullest. You’re letting those who have first-hand experience with your company do all the talking (and advertising!) for you.

4. Online Reviews Have a Positive Impact on Your Revenue!

A 2016 Harvard Business School study reveals that as your Yelp rating rises, your revenue follows suit.

To not promote your Yelp and Facebook page—and those many glowing reviews—through your website would be a major oversight.

5. Good Reviews Inspire Good Reviews

Lastly, we tell all our clients that there is no shame in politely asking a customer to share their experience on Yelp or Facebook. Everyone does it and most customers are happy to oblige.

However, if clients happen to come across your business profile online, they might feel inclined to leave a review on their own volition—especially if everyone else already seems to be doing it.

Want Reviews on Your Website—LinkNow Media Can Help!

The customer review is the greatest asset in the world of marketing. If you’re sitting on pages of positive reviews you’d be foolish not to place them front and center for the world to see!

Already have a LinkNow website? Why not ask your web designer to add some reviews to it? Don’t have a LinkNow website yet? Why not speak to an SEO specialist and get the leads you need to succeed!

Give us a call at 1-888-667-7186 or send an email to website@linknowmedia.com. And if you have a comment or question, leave a reply below!

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