Google My Business is the center of attention of any business that wants to succeed in digital marketing and that Google recognizes it. However, it is likely that receiving a negative review on Google through this tool can damage the image of a business. We explain how to delete them.
Negative reviews can have a significant impact on the popularity and trust a business provides to its customers. Receiving one or more can mean a significant loss of future clients or it can simply be a starting point to learn something new. Remember that by pointing out a weakness in your company you can work to improve it.
However, most companies prefer to do everything right from the start and avoid these types of reviews at all costs. And even so it is possible to receive some, but… Can you delete a Google review? We explain it in more detail below.
Legal changes to Google My Business reviews
Fake reviews hurt the . This is so since the consumer attaches so much importance to the opinions of customers on the Internet. Although we may think that negative reviews are nothing more than the result of a customer dissatisfied with the service, the truth is that there is a well-organized industry behind these events.
Because they are so important to other consumers and affect purchasing decisions, the authorities have set out to regulate them.
In July 2021, the Council of Ministers met to reform the Law for the Defense of the Rights of Consumers and Users, which regulates what companies must do to respect the rights of consumers. If everything goes as agreed, fake online reviews and surreptitious advertising on social media will be banned.
Who can and cannot comment on Google My Business reviews
What you want to achieve is that it is the online stores and ecommerce themselves who guarantee that the users who are giving their opinion about a product or service are really people who have bought or consumed said product or service.
In addition, the law also intends to put limits on search engines to show what parameters they follow when positioning comments, asking them to guarantee a certain neutrality when applying these controls.
This law also preserves the power to sanction those companies that commit infractions related to false reviews, even if they do not have a fiscal domicile in Spain.
Now that you know all this, we are going to tell you if it is possible or not to delete a negative review on Google.
Can a negative review on Google My Business be deleted?
Many people who receive negative reviews on Google My Business seek to delete them as their first option. The real problem is that Google is not very flexible when it comes to removing a review and it is quite difficult to achieve.
Surely you want to know what the alternatives are and what is the reason why we have created this article. In order for you to know what are the steps to follow when receiving a negative review towards your company and prevent it from damaging the image.
Since many customers decide to learn about other customers’ experiences first before taking a service, it is common for them to go by reviews. And upon finding one or more negative reviews on a company or business, they are likely to choose to go with a more trustworthy competitor.
To avoid this kind of situation, there are methods that help Google identify reviews that are false. So that you can remove them.
Steps to try to delete a negative review on Google My Business
Considering that it is not easy for Google to eliminate negative reviews, since it is important to build trust among users, it is a long process. And you must start by knowing the veracity of the review and identifying if it is a fake review. Remember that for different reasons, many people may try to harm a business.
- To do so, you can visit the user’s profile and find out what reviews they have left. If it is an account that leaves constant negative messages, then it may be a user who is dedicated to that. If instead, the user has only left a review on your business, it may be something more personal or an error.
Negative reviews with few details too they are usually indicative that it is a person who has not been a client.
- Mark the review as “inappropriate”. The intention is to inform Google of the error or the false review. Select the three dots next to the review and mark it as inappropriate for Google to handle a review. However, it might not remove it.
- Contact Google My Business customer support. Choose to contact tool support to manage a negative review. And the best thing is to get all the information required to prove that it is a fake review. This will make the process much faster when they contact you.
If it is not achieved, then what to do in the face of a negative review on Google?
As we have already mentioned before, it is very difficult for Google to take care of deleting a review. Since for this search engine they are essential to learn more about the experiences of users in a business or company. In case the review could not be deleted on Google, it is still possible to follow a series of steps that help to deal with it:
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Check all the reviews you receive
The first thing is to verify each of the reviews you receive, whether they are negative or positive reviews. You can simply access the user profile that leaves them to find out if it is a person who has focused solely on harming your business or not.
Considering that there are many competitors in the different sectors that your business can be dedicated to, it can be a review written by the competition. However, your duty will be to identify whether or not it is a fake review and look for evidence that verifies it for Google.
Reviews are mostly fake if the user lacks a photo, hasn’t left other reviews on other businesses, or all of their reviews are bad. Always check the information they provide through such a review and if possible, contact the user to find out more.
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Respond to negative reviews you receive
Did you get one or more negative reviews? Answer each of them with complete courtesy and provide the opportunity to provide solutions. Although the review may or may not be false, it will allow you to approach the user for evidence or help improve the review with solutions.
This may be beneficial, as other potential customers will be able to see that you are a trustworthy business. Considering that you show interest in guaranteeing solutions and preserving the good image that you already have.
Use real negative reviews to improve your services and help the customer get the best possible experience. Remember that the customer has the power to remove said review if you offer the means to help improve their experience.
As we mentioned before, solutions can make the difference between staying with a negative review or having it deleted by the customer. If it is a real bad experience, the customer will settle for efficient solutions and you will create more trust among customers.
If your company or business is really dedicated to providing a good service, it will provide the solutions just by contacting the user.
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Communicate with the user through a private channel
If you really want to learn from negative reviews, it’s best to use a private channel to contact the user. We know that no business is perfect and an apology can make a big difference. In addition, you can offer the opportunity to guarantee solutions if it is a management that is within your reach.
A negative review on Google can be fixed in the interest of constantly improving the customer experience. Not only does this help maintain a brand’s reputation, but it helps the customer feel trusted and cared for despite any mistakes.
How to get positive reviews?
If you already have enough problems with negative reviews, we also offer you the proper methodology to acquire more positive versions. Not everything is bad and in this case, it turns out to be quite simple if you guarantee that the customer experience is ideal.
Everything is based on customer service, the quality of your products and services. Whenever you want to acquire a positive review, it is necessary to have that approach to guarantee these aspects. Put yourself in the customer’s place and visualize what the perfect service from your business would be like.
This way you can take into account all the details that are needed so that you acquire a better quality of customer service. These efforts can help improve your Local SEO, attract more people to your website and generate more conversions. Which implies a gain in the short or long term. Additionally, you can:
- Ask for your reviews from the most reliable and returning customers.
- Use a review link on your website or social networks.
- Send an email to a customer at the end of their purchase as a thank you and ask them to leave a review.
- Make sweepstakes based on the most creative user when creating a review and give away your most requested product, service or attention.
Once you do, remember to respond to all reviews and you can help build more trust with your customers.
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