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.topB
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    1 year 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.topB
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    1 year 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.topB
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    1 year 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.topB
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    1 year 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.topB
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    1 year 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.