Google is making it more convenient to post reviews for Google Local business. In the past, Google forced would-be reviewers to sign up for a full-blown Google+ account if they wanted to review a business. Most saw it as a ploy to get more users to sign up for the fledgling Google+ platform, which is like Google’s lamer version of Facebook.
One complaint businesses had with the previous requirement was that it took a while to sign up for a Google+ account which proved a prohibitive factor for people who liked a brand but didn’t want to spend more than a minute in order to post a positive review on it’s behalf. Conversely, when a consumer had a bad experience with a company, taking the requisite time to complete a Google+ account didn’t provide much of a barrier for those disgruntled individuals. When someone has a good experience with a brand, they may help it out if it’s convenient or if their experience with it blew them away. If a client feels that they have been slighted, they have proven over and over again to be more motivated to write negative comments in an effort to disparage the brand’s reputation. More motivation for the unhappy customers meant that companies were dinged if the set up process for their clients to leave a review required more effort.
Now, all you have to do to post a review is have a Google account, which can include an account in Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, and Google Docs etc. Many people are already signed into their Google accounts automatically but if you’re not, you’ll need to login. We’ve found that sometimes Google will ask you for your first and last name, which will be associated with your review, but other times it takes your name from your login information that you created when you established your Google account. Choose your star rating, write your review and that’s it! This new protocol removes the extensive steps in took to post a review and will make it easier for happy clients to review businesses they like.
At WebPunch, we pride ourselves on doing our own research and also staying up on the ever-changing world of online reputation management. We are the review experts that will help you knockout your competition.