Encouraging people to review my client's business on google places

[Ideas-Money-Art]

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

[MiriamEllis]

Sure thing!

[Ideas-Money-Art]

Thanks I will definitely take a look at that!!

[MiriamEllis]

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.

[Ideas-Money-Art]

Thanks for you responses!! That is really helpful

[MiriamEllis]

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.

[RobertFisher]

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,