I’m considering starting a small business. One of the first things I’m analyzing is getting lots of 5 star reviews to give legitimacy.

I see a lot of companies in my area with 20 or so reviews. Some just a few. The biggest might have 500

Does google only show a % of the reviews or something? I imagine I could get 20 reviews incredibly easily

  • shed1@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    You might think so, but in our early days, I couldn’t even get friends and family members to leave reviews. We’re rolling now, and reviews are a big reason for it, but getting that first 50 or 100 takes a while.

  • Solid_Bob@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I’ve been in business for about 3 full years, full time in video production. I only have roughly 10 reviews, all 5 star.

    2-3 from previous work turned social friends that saw be ask for reviews when starting. 5-6 from clients I felt like I really killed it with and politely asked for a review at the end of the project. 1-2 unsolicited.

    I would love more but I don’t want to heavily push it or it to feel solicited.

    I did once receive a 1-star from a inquiry that I didn’t respond to with 24 hrs (I was on a 10hr shoot). I responded later that day and said politely I wouldn’t be able to take on their project and the review disappeared.

  • Senior-Dot387@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Not many businesses have a process in place to get good reviews and majority of the ones that do are pushy, thus damaging word of mouth.

    I think the way to go about it is to simply do a great job and have a small print out that has a QR code to your google review page. You can simply say to the client “if you’d like to leave a review, i’d greatly appreciate it”.

    Also, customers don’t generally know about the importance of 5 stars so on your print out you could have something that mentions how appreciated 5 stars are or something like that.

    Give your customer the choice and make it easy for them.

  • AllLensNoCap@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    Starting my agency and i’m currently doing is offering complimentary work to some clients in exchange for referrals and google reviews, good for SEO and brand authority

  • jameschowler321@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    You are correct. To put is simply many business just simply don’t ask for them, and if you don’t ask it’s highly unlikely the client will bother.

    I run a physical therapy practice, every time a client emails me with good news or it’s their last session I have an email template I send them politely asking for the review with a link.

    I’m not convinced it massively helps with SEO but definitely improves click rates!

    For your first 20 you can get friends to leave reviews to get the ball rolling.