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What Small Businesses Need to Know About the Google Review Policy

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A sizable <a href="https://www.podium.com/state-of-online-reviews/">93% of consumers</a> revealed that online reviews sway their purchasing decisions, and the internet’s most-visited website is an excellent place to discover local small businesses and how customers feel about them.
If you’re unfamiliar with Google Reviews, pull up <a href="https://maps.google.com">Google Maps</a> pronto and find a local business to explore. Clicking on a location will reveal basic details about that business, including their address, operating hours, website, and phone number. You&#8217;ll also find reviews, images, and videos submitted by customers. 
There’s a good chance your business qualifies for a listing, too. The first step is ensuring you meet the criteria laid out in the Google Review policy and then signing up for a <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/claim-my-business-on-google-2/">Google Business Profile</a>. Their robust platform has <a href="https://www.google.com/business/resources/">plenty of resources</a> available to help your customers post reviews and put your business on the digital map.
<h2>Why Google Reviews Matter for Small Businesses</h2>
There&#8217;s no denying the potency of Google&#8217;s popularity. This search engine helps you increase the visibility of your brand by positioning it directly in front of Google Maps users who are searching for local shops and services. 
On top of boosting brand recognition with an entry on this platform, displaying a handful of reviews will also help you build up the sparkling reputation customers demand. And if the feedback you receive is less than stellar, instead of falling to pieces, unpack what those customers have to say and get to work correcting whatever is holding back your business.
With <a href="https://learn.podium.com/rs/841-BRM-380/images/2017-SOOR-Infographic.jpg">81% of shoppers</a> using Google Reviews in the past year, it’s definitely time to get on board if you’ve been sleeping on this one. No matter how you look at it, if you have your own business, using this mega-popular search engine’s toolset is a surefire way to drive up web traffic and gain new leads.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-24504 size-large" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-1024x896.png" alt=" woman leaving a review" width="640" height="560" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-1024x896.png 1024w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-300x263.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-768x672.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-571x500.png 571w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-360x315.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-160x140.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-350x306.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-100x88.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review-392x343.png 392w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/woman-leaving-a-review.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />
<h2>Google Prohibits Certain Types of Content</h2>
Let’s start off on the right foot by understanding the Google Review policy. We recommend familiarizing yourself with Google Maps’ <a href="https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114">list of prohibited content</a>, even if you’re optimistic about avoiding controversy. 
The current categories of prohibited content include several entries within:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Civil discourse</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deceptive content</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mature content</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Regulated, dangerous, or illegal</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Information quality</li>
</ul>
Keep in mind that disallowed content refers not only to the reviews but also to any images or videos included in a submission. Content running afoul of these policies will not be published on your <a href="https://www.google.com/business/">Google Business Profile</a>, nor will any information that is deemed irrelevant, such as items tagged to the wrong listing. If you suspect any reviews posted are violating the rules, <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/how-to-delete-google-review/">you can report them</a> for removal.
Ultimately, like every other aspect of their search engine, Google strives to provide information that is accurate and helpful to a wide range of demographics. They will not endorse harmful activities and avoid displaying adult content within reviews.
Keep in mind that Google’s review policy continually changes, and it’s your responsibility to stay up-to-date on their policies from official resources. 
<h2>You Can—and Should—Ask Customers to Leave a Review</h2>
One of the best ways to gain more reviews is <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/how-to-ask-for-reviews/">stepping up and asking</a>. It may surprise you that plenty of satisfied customers will be happy to help when invited to share. We found <a href="https://learn.podium.com/rs/841-BRM-380/images/2017-SOOR-Infographic.jpg">77% of customers</a> will write reviews upon request, with impressive results via email or text message (just make sure you have their permission to contact them first).
The best time to ask for a customer review is immediately after completing a sale. Allow enough time for delivery, if applicable. The key is to catch your customers while the transaction is still fresh in their minds. A lengthy delay could decrease your response rate and lead to inaccurate recollections.
We recommend keeping your review requests short and to the point too. Here’s a basic template you can copy and customize:
[CUSTOMER NAME], thanks for choosing us! We want to hear from you 👂🏻 Would you mind leaving us a review of your experience with this link? [LINK]
Be prepared to accept whatever responses you receive because the Google Review policy doesn&#8217;t allow review gating. This is a practice where a business seeks to selectively solicit positive reviews publicly while requesting negative reviews remain private. You&#8217;ll earn customer trust with transparency, which requires showing the full picture.

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<h2>Offering Money for Reviews is a Huge No-No</h2>
Paying for reviews goes against Google&#8217;s deceptive content policy, and this rule exists for a reason. Feedback might be less genuine when motivated by money or other valuable rewards. Honest reviews shouldn’t have any strings attached, so skip the freebies and discounts.
If getting banned from Google Reviews doesn’t steer you away from paid reviews fast enough, you should know that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also has <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/advertising-marketing/endorsements-influencers-reviews">strict regulations regarding disclosure</a> whenever reviews are incentivized. Breaking the rules just isn’t worth the unpleasant repercussions.
Instead, stay within the boundaries of the Google Review guidelines by encouraging your customers to provide candid feedback so you can gain valuable customer experience insight. Emphasize how their evaluations will help you make meaningful improvements based on data rather than guesswork.
<h2>Charm Customers by Responding to Every Review</h2>
Your customer carved out the time to express their impressions of your products or services, so acknowledging their review <a href="https://www.podium.com/article/responding-to-reviews/">with a response</a> is not only polite, but often expected. ReviewTrackers found that <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/52-customers-expect-your-brand-respond-their-reviews">52% of customers</a> expected a response to their reviews within a week, and pressure rose if the feedback skewed in a negative direction.
Show some spirited gratitude for the positive reviews and remorse when you failed to meet expectations. In the latter situation, you’ll earn back points by attempting to correct the issue. And not just with the customer who complained, but also with anyone else taking a peek at how your business handles its misadventures.
When you show empathy and attempt to fix poor impressions, a couple of negative reviews are less likely to hold back your brand. Surveys show that it’s actually off-putting when a company lacks disparaging reviews altogether because it’s <a href="https://spiegel.medill.northwestern.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/04/Spiegel_Online-Review_eBook_Jun2017_FINAL.pdf">less believable</a> that every consumer had a perfect experience. Handle criticism with grace and you may gain admiration instead of spite.
<h2>Never Ask Employees to Provide Positive Reviews </h2>
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is asking your employees to leave glowing reviews to boost your public perception. Not only do these fake reviews go against Google&#8217;s review policy, but, similar to incentivized reviews, biased opinions can distort reality. 
Employees have a vested interest in the success of their paycheck provider, so promoting related products often requires disclosure of their affiliation and should never occur within review or rating systems. Plus, whenever companies are caught bumping up their review scores, the press has a field day raking them over the coals for this conflict of interest. Don’t risk your reputation or the prospect of landing on the FTC’s well-tuned radars.
If your employees are eager to support the company via public channels, don&#8217;t let them post fake reviews. A better plan? Provide detailed guidelines for when, where, and how employees should endorse your brand with full disclosure of their association to avoid cringe-y backlash.
<h2>Don’t Miss Out on Google’s Brand Resource Center</h2>
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the Google Review guidelines, drop by their <a href="https://about.google/brand-resource-center/">Brand Resource Center</a> for some straightforward recommendations, including <a href="https://about.google/brand-resource-center/guidance/user-reviews/">how to add</a> official Google Review logos to your website. It’s important to represent yourself and Google the right way to avoid misleading viewers.
After collecting all the facts, grab a <a href="https://marketingkit.withgoogle.com/">marketing kit</a> stuffed with shareable templates, stickers, and posters. Use these digital goodies across social media platforms to gather more reviews from your current and future fans.
<h2><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-24506 size-large" src="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-1024x896.png" alt="man typing a review on mobile" width="640" height="560" srcset="https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-1024x896.png 1024w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-300x263.png 300w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-768x672.png 768w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-571x500.png 571w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-360x315.png 360w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-160x140.png 160w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-350x306.png 350w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-100x88.png 100w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile-392x343.png 392w, https://cms.podium.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/man-typing-a-review-on-mobile.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></h2>
<h2>Collect More Customer Reviews with Podium</h2>
Collecting reviews is necessary to stay competitive today, and the good news is that you don’t have to do this on your own. We built Podium so small businesses like yours can become more productive without pulling all-nighters. Our communication-centric platform helps companies gain the <a href="https://www.podium.com/reviews/">customer reviews</a> needed to build authority in an increasingly online world. 
Take advantage of our <a href="https://www.podium.com/free-trial/">free 14-day trial</a> and see why our tools are a reputation game-changer. We’ll help you collect customer feedback on the top review sites, including Google, Facebook, and more. No pesky hoop-jumping required!

What Small Businesses Need to Know About the Google Review Policy

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