May 06 2010

How To Remove Consumer Reviews From Your Google Local Business Listing

Reputation management is becoming a much bigger concern through local business listing (or geo-listings) than in the past.  While consumers were open to use blogs, forums and other social community tools to post their experiences with a business, product or service, now consumers have the ability to post these reviews directly into a geo-listing.

Not only does this allow other consumers to read the reviews in a web search or a mobile search, but these reviews will impact your website’s search engine ranking position in the future.  For example, if your search engine optimization is 100% perfect and you’re in the top 10, but you have a large percentage of negative reviews in your geo-listing, then not only could you no longer we in the top 10, but you may not show up in search results on any page.

Managing these consumer reviews is important to start now.  Become an early adopter and embrace the process.  Fighting the inevitable will only cause your business more problems.  Here are some options with your Google Local Business Listing.

1.  Keep in mind that the consumer reviews in Google come from consumers, third party providers and other reviews collected by Google around the web regarding your business.

2.  If you’re concerned about a review that was submitted, click the Flag as inappropriate link found under the review, and submit a report. If the review is in violation of Google’s policies, they will remove it.

3.  If the reviews are coming from third-party source, you will have to contact the third-party source to have the information changed. Once the information has been changed at the third-party source, it will be updated on Google soon after the change has been made.

4.  Once you have your Google Local Business Listing displayed on your screen, under the “more” down arrow is a link to “Report A Problem”.  You can use this option to submit inaccuracies or concerns about your listing to Google.

The Internet has become a good marketing source for the local business dependent upon the local consumer for their revenue through web searches and mobile searches.  Tap into the power of geo-listings as you engage in geo-marketing!

This is a guest post by Melih Oztalay of SmartFinds that provides Local Business Listing Management Services. You will find SmartFinds Internet Marketing to be of great benefit to your time resources and the low cost service may eliminate your yellow page ad costs. Let the experts of over 15 years Internet marketing experience help you use this local business marketing tool properly.

13 Responses to “How To Remove Consumer Reviews From Your Google Local Business Listing”

  1. How To Remove Consumer Reviews From Your Google Local Business Listing…………http://bit.ly/arhDae

  2. Andy @ Firstfound says:

    I didn’t know that Geo Search was going to become part of the algorithm. Hopefully the advice you’ve provided will allow people to counteract any competitors using the local listings unscrupulously.

  3. Nicki Hicks says:

    I’ve found that negative reviews – falsely accused or otherwise – are best counteracted by reaching out. For example, responding to a negative review with “I want to apologize for your negative experience and personally promise this issue has been resolved. In return, we’d like to offer you a free [such-and-such] for your trouble.”

    More often than not, people will take advantage of a free product or percent off your services in exchange for their bad experience. I’ve seen negative reviewers leave a positive response in reply to such apologies/offers and, in some cases, even take down their negative review. While the initial review will still cause you to take a hit on Google, I see that back-and-forth between customer and organization as being far more powerful for potential consumers than deleting negative reviews altogether.

    (Obviously, spammy or untrue reviews should be flagged.)

  4. mbts-mbtshoes says:

    I didn’t know that Geo Search was going to become part of the algorithm

  5. Jonathan Bentz says:

    Flagging as inappropriate isn’t a bad idea… but how many third party sites that include review really remove reviews? I guess it’s not impossible – but it just doesn’t seem likely.

    Instead, perhaps a better solution may be to run an online reputation management campaign locally, or implement a link building strategy to local profile pages for local keyword phrases. Just throwing some ideas out there…

  6. ReviewBoost.com says:

    Removing bad reviews is not a good idea if the business really deserves bad reviews. I always think there has to be a review management system in place which brings out the positivity and negativity about a business in a fair manner.

  7. Photoshop Freelance Work Singapore says:

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    Thanks many for sharing the google local business important thing..meet again.

  8. Manual Kraeger says:

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  9. Vancouver Contractor says:

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  10. Memphis Personal Injury Lawyer says:

    Can the consumer even remove reviews. I had a guy who freaked out after 2 weeks assumed his case was dismissed and left a bad review. Cases take months.

    He also said I was fat which I don’t think belongs in a review.

  11. Matt Guest says:

    I have quite a few fake reviews posted by unscrupulous competition and have been trying to get Google to remove them for almost a year now. The same users that rated our company bad also rated competitors 5 stars out of 5 on the same day. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that customers don’t hire multiple moving companies to move them on the same day. However, Google would do nothing about it. Google is involving itself in slanderous and libelous actions by supporting such fraudulent reviews. If it is going to offer this service, it should be done in an open forum-like manner where the business can defend itself against such claims. Reviewers should have to provide proof of identity and that they actually interacted with the company they are reviewing. As things stand, Google is creating a forum for unwarranted reputation bashing and encouraging companies to do this. Eventually, all companies will have no choice but to post false reviews about their competition in order to level the playing field. What good is a review system where a huge portion of the reviews will end up being fake. I am hoping that somebody starts a class action against Google that I can join. Otherwise I will be forced to follow my competitions lead and contribute to flooding Google with false reviews.

  12. rajat says:

    Dont worry gys i will hel you all to remove all the bad reviews

  13. custom home Las Vegas says:

    It is important that consumer reviews be moderated because some may really spoil your hard earned reputation. Some people may be just out there to spoil your business and if you are not careful they might get to you with negative reviews.