Google ReviewsIf you have a Google My Business account, it’s important to know how to manage the reviews your page is receiving. Whether you want to respond to an existing review or flag something that may be deemed inappropriate, there are simple steps you can take to manage your page. First, be sure that you’re logged in to your account at https://accounts.google.com/Login. Then, simply open the page where the review in question is posted and select the “About” tab. Scroll down to find the review and you’ll have the option to either respond, flag or share the review.

1. Respond to Reviews.

Whether you want to answer a customer’s question or thank him for the great review he gave your business, responding to reviews is an easy way to communicate. Click on “Respond” in the bottom left section of the review and the dialog box will appear. You will then type in your response and hit “Submit”.* However, be sure to follow the Google guidelines when posting a response to a review. Google posting policy:

  • Don’t spam or post fake reviews intended to boost or lower ratings.
  • Don’t post or link to content that is sexually explicit or contains profanity.
  • Don’t post or link to content that is abusive or hateful or threatens or harrasses others.
  • Don’t post or link to any file that contains viruses, corrupted files, “Trojan Horses,” or any other contaminating or destructive features that may damage someone else’s computer.
  • Don’t post any material that violates the copyrights or other intellectual property rights of others.
  • Don’t impersonate any person, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity.
  • Don’t violate any other applicable law or regulation.
  • Don’t use comments as a forum for advertisement.

Here are some additional tips for responding to reviews:

  • Do keep it short and sweet — there’s no need to get too in depth within a review.
  • Be nice! For business owners, it’s important to remember that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
  • Do thank your reviewers because even the unpleasant ones can provide some valuable feedback.

Take a look at the way Allen Turner Hyundai responds to reviews and further promotes goodwill.  If you would like to learn more about how to properly respond to reviews, please visit: https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474050

2. Flag Inappropriate Reviews.

Of course, reviews were implemented so customers can give their opinion of your business and the service they received. However, sometimes these reviews can be inappropriate, abusive or fraudulent — therefore, it’s important for these to be flagged and then removed if necessary. To flag a review on your page, click on the small flag icon in the lower right corner of the review. This will then open a new tab in your browser where you’ll be able to submit your objection to the review. Next, you can simply fill out the form provided and click “Submit”. However, even after you’ve submitted the form, flagging a review doesn’t guarantee that a flagged review will actually be removed. Google’s parameters for acceptable content are very generous, but feedback is taken into consideration for the immediate issue. This will then contribute to the overall picture of what reviews should be acceptable.

3. Share Reviews.

When you receive an excellent review from a customer, you’re obviously going to want to share it for others to see! Google makes it easy for you to share reviews to your Stream for others to see. Reviews are found under the “About” tab on your Google My Business page. If you would like a specific review to show up in your “Stream”, click on the share icon in the lower right corner. You will then have the option to “Add A Comment” and select the audience you would like the post shared with. Simply complete the information in the dialog box and select “Share”. Then, the post will be immediately shared on your Stream. With these small steps, it’s easier for a business to maintain and understand their online presence through Google My Business. By keeping up with the customer reviews, it provides businesses valuable insight into what they’re doing correctly and what they could improve on.

* Since this post was written, we’ve started practicing a better way of responding. Open the dashboard of the page  where the review in question is posted.  Scroll down to the Reviews section and select Manage Reviews. Scroll down to find the review. Click on the “view and reply” button. Updated on 12/1/14.

Meet Mary Lane

Mary is the Local Search Director at Launch. When she's not helping clients be found online she's creating art with her glass blowing addiction.