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This Is How To Remove A Fake Google Review…In 3 Easy Steps

How Can A Local Business Owner Remove A Fake Google Review?

 

By having a review generation & monitoring system in place, by responding to every review, and by taking the appropriate steps to remove the fake review while also cultivating positive reviews from existing customers, with consistency.

We’ll examine that review system and the steps involved in more detail below, but first I want to point out how having your blinders on about reviews won’t protect you from becoming a victim of a fake – or many fake – reviews.

Are local business owners really victims of fake reviews on Google? Is the problem really that bad?

Yes, it’s not #fakenews – it’s #fakereviews – and sadly it’s just a fact of doing business in the social, mobile, digital world.

As for it being a systemic issue that is really that bad or not, ask yourself how you would feel if you saw some fake 1-star bullshit review pop up on your Google My Business listing.
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Facebook News Feed Updates: What It Means for Local Businesses

Facebook’s News Feed Has Changed…Again

 

What do the recent News Feed updates mean for local businesses on Facebook?

Same shit, different day.

Really, and not really, depending on the quality & relevance of your Facebook content at present.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has announced changes to its News Feed, and it probably won’t be the last.

But there’s no need for local business owners on Facebook to panic. Adapt yes, panic no.

In the past few months since the announcement by Facebook of its News Feed updates, we’ve noticed little change in member business page engagement metrics – likes, reactions, comments, & shares.

More on that later.

Let’s first explore what changes to the Facebook News Feed business owners can expect to notice, why Facebook is doing it, and what you can do about it in order to continue using Facebook to achieve customer referral, review, retention & reactivation goals. (more…)

5 Ways Your Business Can Dominate Google Maps

How Can Your Business Dominate Google Maps?

 

Google Maps leads new customers to your local business every single day – whether you know it or not.

But in order for local businesses to dominate Google Maps, there are certain things you must do to make sure Google can find your business when people around you go a searchin’.

Listing your business on Google Maps is the start, but it doesn’t end there.

In order to dominate Google Maps, you need to claim more than your Google My Business listing.

Local SEO starts with an owned, verified & optimized Google My Business listing, it’s a great – free – way to get your business in front of new customers.

Most searches these days take place on a mobile device, this is one primary reason why Google is going to a mobile-first index by July 2018.

Google found that 4 out of 5 people surveyed used search engines to conduct local searches. used smartphones and 84% used a computer or tablet.

Mobile-first means Google will be ranking the mobile version of your website, before the desktop version.

Takeaway: you shoulda been mobile-friendly as of April 21st, 2015. (more…)

Google My Business Descriptions Are Back…Again

Google Adds Business Descriptions In Google My Business & Local Knowledge Panel

 
Are you a local Carlsbad business owner concerned with what your Google My Business listing says about you?

Not the descriptors, reviews, office hours, categories, or other such important attributes of your Google My Business listing, no.

We’re talking about the ‘Descriptions‘ field that disappeared back in 2016, but has been reappearing in some Google My Business listings in the past week or so.

It wasn’t that long ago when Google removed the capability to describe your business in Google My Business, that was back in 2016.

And don’t think that this Description field can possibly disappear from your Google My Business listing in the future. Google is notorious for launching, then removing many things….which positively & negatively affect your local business digital footprint.

Business owners will likely soon have – if you don’t see it already – the option to write and edit descriptions that show up in your Google My Business listing, and in Google’s local knowledge panel. (more…)

How Your Carlsbad Business Can Get Voice Reviews on Google

Writing Reviews Is a Pain, Ask Customers to Tell You How They Really Feel

 

For a lot of Carlsbad business owners, generating customer reviews at a consistent clip can be somewhat of a challenge.

But it doesn’t have to be, and it certainly doesn’t have to be an expensive proposition – whether you’re a doctor or dentist using reviews & retention software or a local eatery offering a more grass-roots approach.

Google tends to get most of the reviews attention, but best practice is to offer your customers options.

Maybe some prefer Facebook, or Yelp (eeeek!), or even Angieslist.

Instead of asking your customers to write a review on Google, ask them to talk into the microphone and give you a voice review.  (more…)