Encouraging people to review my client's business on google places
-
Hello mozzers,
I would like to encourage visitors that come to my site's client to review their google places listings. In order to do so, I need the Google places badge or seal (if it exists) to place it on their website. Does anyone know if it is available or not?
If it sn't available what should i do to encourage Google places reviews?
Thanks
-
Sure thing!
-
Thanks I will definitely take a look at that!!
-
You are very welcome, Taysir. I care about this topic of user reviews quite a bit, and have written a couple of articles on in the last few weeks that you just might like to peruse if you're looking for further reading on this topic:
http://www.solaswebdesign.net/wordpress/?p=1273
http://www.solaswebdesign.net/wordpress/?p=1278
Thought you might enjoy those.
-
Thanks for you responses!! That is really helpful
-
Hi Taysir,
As Robert has mentioned, Google-based reviews are no longer coming through Places, but rather, Google+. Places still exists to a certain extent (and it remains in all of the help doc language because Google is on the fence about updating it, apparently) but now, users must be signed into a + account to leave your business a review. There has never been a badge. I have seen some website do a little graphic of the Google logo amongst others on an About or Contact page asking for a Google review.
It's important to go about review solicitation according to Google's guidelines. Definitely read these:
http://support.google.com/places/bin/answer.py?hl=en&topic=1656880&answer=187622
And I would further suggest that you read Mike Blumenthal's recent post on the topic of review solicitation:
http://blumenthals.com/blog/2012/09/24/asking-for-reviews-post-apocalypse/
Every review site has its own guidelines. In the Local SEO community, the census of opinion seems to be that it is okay to ask your customers to leave you a review, but it is not okay to ask them to leave you a positive review. That is the distinction most commonly arrived at from a study of the guidelines as well as Google employee comments on this topic.
Be advised that Google has ramped up their filtering of reviews in recent months. Another consensus of opinion is that it is safer to get reviews a little bit at a time, rather than in large blocks all at once, to avoid review take downs.
When it comes to encouraging reviews, methodology is dependent in part on your business model. If, for example, you are running a dental office, you might want to hold a staff meeting with your receptionists to educate them about the importance of gaining reviews over time. Then, you might make it company policy for the receptionists to mention to customers that you would appreciate a review, or, in taking care of billing at the time of service, they might include a little card encouraging the patient to leave a review. Another effort could involve acquiring the email addresses of customers and sending pre-qualified satisfied ones a follow-up email, after the time of service, requesting that they leave feedback about their experience. Be creative about this and come up with a way to encourage awareness of your appreciation of customer feedback without being pushy.
And, don't just focus on Google. I firmly believe it is better to put your eggs in many baskets on this. With Google and Yelp both having the ability to severely filter reviews that come it, it's important to have good words about your business in a variety of places on the web.
-
Taysir,
Google Places does not exist. I believe the effective date of the change was June 1. So, as to a badge or seal, there is none (for either).
As to encouraging traffic to the Google + for business for your client. For us, we set up ways for our clients to ask their customers to place reviews for them. An issue here is that if you are getting too many or you try to do the reviews via proxy, they will be removed.
I think you would be better served to put G+, FB like/share, Twitter, etc. buttons on the page in a conspicuous place and, possibly, put a slight amount of text or an image below asking them to click if they love you.
Hope it helps,
Got a burning SEO question?
Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
Google+ Local ranking for company with no website
Hi,
Image & Video Optimization | | Ant71
Im about to start helping a small business who has a facebook account but no website. Has anyone got any experience of getting a business ranking locally without a website? Just wandering if NAP details from a facebook / Google+ account helps with local citation building? Or whether a basic website is required? Antony0 -
Google + Business Listing created with lost gmail account
Hi I wondered whether anyone can give me some guidance on how best to tackle this issue. A client of mine has claimed their spot on google Maps and has created a very basic local page on google + but now has forgotten their password for the gmail account. A colleague of mine has tried unsuccessfully to retrieve the password and to claim the listing. Question I have is - would you suggest creating a new gmail account for the client and a completely Google + local and claim the duplicate? I am so wary of local at the moment as the guidelines seem to be constantly shifting. Oh and I am based in New Zealand so all the most recent changes announced for the US haven't meandered their way over as far as here yet! Any responses gratefully received
Image & Video Optimization | | AllieMc0 -
Google Places Creation
Hello, I am currently managing 200 clients for which I have to create Google Places. Can I create 200 different places for each client, and manage all them from one Gmail account? If one client doesn't want to continue the contract, can I transfer the managing of the place to another account?
Image & Video Optimization | | cvissi0 -
Google local
If you perform a search in Google maps for our company and you are not signed in, it returns our Google + page, with reviews, photos, directions and about tabs, which is fine but, when you click on any of the photos, there is a window that opens to the right where you can edit the location where the photo has been taken, a comment box, photo details and above all, right at the top, MY NAME! Why my name? This is the business page, I don't want people to see that. The snip is below. Thanks! g3OTPRp
Image & Video Optimization | | echo10 -
Using Facebook for Places page
I have been using Facebook for my website for some of my client, Previously it use to get ranked fast and I have one of my client of the very top for one of my clinets main keyword. I took another the same Nitch but in a different location, but they don't seem to be getting ranked.
Image & Video Optimization | | joeuglyhat0 -
Google images indexing on no-index html page?
Hi, I wonder if a image can get indexed, included in google images if it is located on a html page with a no-follow tag? Thanks for your help.
Image & Video Optimization | | wildnis0 -
Local SEO: What is the largest Google Places bulk upload you have ever done?
Hi All, One of my clients recently requested my team at our agency to do a bulk up load of business locations. We did the bulk upload and it came to around 652 or so locations in the form. I have done some serious bulk uploads in the past around 500 locations but never this high. My question is to SEO moz what is the largest bulk upload or single upload you have done on Google Places?
Image & Video Optimization | | JamesNorquay0 -
Is my Google Places page ok?
Hey everyone, Google Places is incredibly frustrating for me. One day we are listed, the next we are gone. If I am logged in to my Gmail we rank differently altogether. I have a few questions... http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1421&bih=726&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=pet+medical+center+of+las+vegas&fb=1&gl=us&hq=pet+medical+center+of&hnear=0x80beb782a4f57dd1:0x3accd5e6d5b379a3,Las+Vegas,+NV&cid=13431404354265657899&ei=wbQITujpFpSLsALbuenkDQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=placepage-link&resnum=1&ved=0CCoQ4gkwAA First off, does the page look to be optimized for the best results? Trying to rank for vet las vegas (ideally. Any tips or thoughts? Are there any sites that will track your rankings in Google Places for different listings? Is my places description ok? How often does Google Places update their listings - find new reviews, update their "find our more about this place" section, etc.? Anything else? Thanks for your help! Brant
Image & Video Optimization | | PMC-3120870