What do reviews change for a local business?
Your place in the results, first. Google Business Profile Help ("Tips to improve your local ranking on Google") lists review count and score among the things that make up prominence, and says more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking. That is about as direct as Google gets about any ranking signal.
Then the choice. A person looking at three barbers in the map results sees three star ratings, three review counts and a line or two from recent reviews. A 4.9 from 14 people and a 4.7 from 180 people read differently, and the recent comments often say the thing the person cares about: was I seen on time, and would I go back.
Where is the line on asking for reviews in Australia?
Asking for reviews is allowed. Rewarding people for them, or writing them yourself, is where the trouble starts. Google's policy for content on Maps ("Prohibited and restricted content") forbids offering payment, discounts or free goods in exchange for a review, and forbids content that does not reflect a genuine experience. It allows a business to ask customers for genuine reviews, without incentives and without trying to influence what they write.
The Australian Consumer Law covers the same ground from the other side. The ACCC's guide for business, "Online reviews: a guide for business and review platforms", says fake reviews can mislead consumers in breach of the law, including reviews a business writes or commissions about itself or a competitor, and that removing or hiding genuine negative reviews can mislead too. If your situation is not clear-cut, take it to a lawyer.
How did a Bathurst barber go from 23 reviews to 140? (example figures)
A barber shop in Bathurst with three chairs had 23 reviews and a rating of 4.4, several of the reviews from years ago. The owner put a small card with a QR code at the counter, linking to the profile's review form, and asked every customer the same way at the end of a cut: "Would you mind leaving us a Google review? It helps us a lot." Every review, good or bad, got a short reply within two days.
| March | September | |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews on the profile | 23 | 140 |
| Average rating | 4.4 | 4.8 |
| Calls and bookings from the profile | about 70 a month | about 110 a month |
| New clients a month, from the booking system | 38 | 61 |
Asking everyone moved the rating, because most customers of a decent barber are satisfied and had simply never thought to say so. At an average cut of $45 and a regular coming back about eight times a year, each month's 23 extra new clients are worth about $8,280 a year if they stay, for the price of a printed card.
How should you answer a one-star review?
Briefly and in public, written for the next reader as much as for the reviewer. Thank them, say what you will do or have done, offer a way to talk offline, and stop. Arguing the details in public reads badly even when you are right. Google's own help suggests replying to reviews because it shows customers you value their feedback.
When do reviews become part of your CoraVision plan?
CoraVision treats reviews as a project when your plan calls for one. If being found and chosen locally is a strategy, collecting reviews becomes a project with an action plan, and Cora teaches each step, from finding your review link to writing replies, on your own screen. Google Analytics 4 visits by channel, which CoraVision reads each night, show whether more people reach your website from Google as the count builds.
Questions
Can I get an unfair review taken down?
Only if it breaks Google's content policies, for example if it is spam, off topic, abusive or from someone with a conflict of interest. You can report it from your Business Profile. A genuine customer's bad opinion is not grounds for removal, so the reply is your best tool.
Can I offer a discount to customers who leave a review?
No. Google's policy for Maps content does not allow businesses to offer payment, discounts or free goods or services in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing one. Asking every customer to review you, with nothing offered, is allowed.