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The Complete Guide to Review Management for Local Businesses

15 min read

Build a 5-star reputation that closes deals before you even pick up the phone

1

Why Reviews Matter More Than Ever

Reviews are the new word-of-mouth. 93% of consumers read reviews before choosing a local business. They impact your Google rankings, click-through rates, and conversion rates. A strong review profile can be the difference between a full schedule and empty bays.

Key Insights
  • 93% read reviews before buying
  • 72% trust reviews as much as personal referrals
  • Businesses with 4.2+ stars get 70% of clicks
  • Review quantity and recency both matter
2

Setting Up a Review Generation System

Random review requests get random results. You need a system that automatically asks every satisfied customer for a review. The key is timing, ease, and consistency.

Key Insights
  • Ask within 24 hours of service completion
  • Use text + email for maximum response
  • Make the link one-click—no searching required
  • Train your team to mention reviews at job completion
3

Crafting the Perfect Review Request

Your request should be personal, grateful, and easy to act on. Thank them for their business, mention the specific service, and include a direct link to your review page. Keep it short—people are busy.

Key Insights
  • Personalize with their name and service
  • Keep the message under 100 words
  • Include one clear call-to-action
  • Send from a person, not "noreply"
4

Responding to Positive Reviews

Every positive review deserves a response. It shows appreciation, encourages future reviews, and adds more content to your profile. Thank them specifically, mention details about their service, and invite them back.

Key Insights
  • Respond within 24-48 hours
  • Mention the specific service they received
  • Use their name to personalize
  • Keep it genuine—avoid canned responses
5

Handling Negative Reviews

Negative reviews happen to every business. How you respond matters more than the review itself. Acknowledge the issue, apologize sincerely, offer to make it right, and take the conversation offline. Future customers are watching.

Key Insights
  • Never argue or get defensive publicly
  • Acknowledge their frustration first
  • Offer a specific resolution
  • Provide contact info to continue offline
6

Monitoring and Displaying Reviews

Set up alerts for new reviews across all platforms. Display your best reviews on your website with widgets or testimonial sections. Use review highlights in your marketing materials and proposals.

Key Insights
  • Monitor Google, Yelp, Facebook at minimum
  • Set up Google Alerts for your business name
  • Add a review widget to your homepage
  • Include review scores in ads and proposals

Your Checklist

Review request system configured
Text + email templates created
Direct review links generated
Team trained on asking for reviews
Response templates for positive reviews
Response protocol for negative reviews
Monitoring alerts set up
Review widgets added to website
Monthly review metrics tracked
Competitor review analysis completed

Common questions

Yes! Google explicitly encourages businesses to ask customers for reviews. Just don't offer incentives—that violates their guidelines.

Never buy or fake reviews. Google is getting better at detecting them, and the penalties can include profile suspension. Build real reviews from real customers.

You can flag it for Google's review. Click the three dots on the review and select "Report review." Provide evidence if you have it. Google may or may not remove it.

Need help implementing this?

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Complete Guide to Review Management for Local Businesses