Even before the pandemic hit, local businesses that didn\u2019t have an online presence were struggling to get customers through the door.<\/span><\/p>\n But COVID-19 has accelerated the need for small and medium businesses (SMB) to invest in their digital strategy, a key component of which is online reputation management and reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n This is especially true given <\/span>Salesforce found nearly 60 percent of consumers<\/span><\/a> will do more online shopping after the pandemic than they did before.<\/span><\/p>\n Overlay that with the following data <\/span>compiled by Oberlo<\/span><\/a> and a separate study by PowerReviews:<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The data underscores not only are more people buying products online, but they need to be happy with a local business\u2019s online reputation<\/a> and see fresh Facebook and Google reviews before making a purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n Vendasta Product Marketing Manager Paige Sutherland says she is receiving increasing feedback from agencies whose SMB clients are awakening to the importance of online reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re noticing more of our partners selling reputation management solutions than ever before,\u201d says Paige, who specializes in reputation management and customer voice services.<\/span><\/p>\n In the <\/span>Vendasta State of the Local Business Survey 2021<\/span><\/a>, online reputation management, along with website hosting and design, came up as the third most popular choice of digital tools adopted by SMBs since the pandemic. <\/span>Social media<\/span><\/a> and remote meetings took the top spots.<\/span><\/p>\n [et_pb_section global_module=\"113183 \"][\/et_pb_section]<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Pain points” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n For agencies, all signs point to online reputation management and sourcing quality reviews for SMBs is becoming an exciting growth market.<\/span><\/p>\n Read on to learn about pain points agencies should try to solve for SMBs in the context of online reputation management, why Facebook and Google are the go-to review platforms, and 11 strategies to get more online reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n Sutherland says a lot of small businesses don\u2019t know where to begin when it comes to their online reputation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSome of our partners\u2019 clients didn\u2019t even know people were posting reviews about them on various websites until an agency alerted them to that fact. Many don\u2019t have staff to monitor their online reviews,\u201d she adds.<\/span><\/p>\n Given the challenges, marketing agencies have an immense opportunity to position themselves as trusted local experts by advising SMBs on the best ways to boost their collection of Facebook and Google reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n Agencies examining this opportunity should aim to address the following pain points for local businesses:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/facebook-google.webp” alt=”facebook & google” title_text=”facebook & google” admin_label=”Image – Google versus Facebook” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” image_alt=”facebook & google” image_title=”facebook & google”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Google versus Facebook and Google reviews” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Online reviews are officially a big business. So much so that beyond Google, Facebook and Yelp, there are dozens of industry-specific review websites<\/a> for nearly every industry (more on this later).<\/span><\/p>\n But Sutherland recommends agencies begin with Google and Facebook for their clients. \u201cGoogle and Facebook are the kings of review platforms. They\u2019re the most important, and that\u2019s purely based on their popularity and the daily traffic they receive,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n The proof is in the data; ReviewTrackers <\/span>found 76 percent<\/span><\/a> of online reviews are submitted on either Google or Facebook, which rank among the top four review websites globally.<\/span><\/p>\n While Yelp and TripAdvisor are also popular, ranking as the second and third-most popular review platforms, they are known to be oriented towards the tourism and hospitality industries.<\/span><\/p>\n Google Business Profile (GBP) <\/span><\/a>is a free tool for businesses to manage their online presence across Google. Businesses must create a GBP profile and verify their information to complete registration.<\/span><\/p>\n Once a business has created a GBP profile, visitors can post reviews. Google reviews will show up in two prominent places:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Below is an example of what a Google reviews page<\/a> looks like. Pro Tip:\u00a0<\/strong>For a deeper dive into reputation management, read the following blog on how to improve Google reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Facebook reviews” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n For years, Facebook business pages featured traditional<\/span> online reviews<\/span><\/a> and ratings. <\/span><\/p>\n This changed in 2018 when the social network rolled out a series of visual changes and features that included \u201cFacebook Recommendations\u201d.<\/span> Now, a query field appears on a business page\u2019s \u201cRecommendations and Reviews\u201d section with the question: \u201cDo you recommend (business name)?\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Users can answer by pressing the \u201cYes\u201d or \u201cNo\u201d button (you will still be able to see ratings on older Facebook Business pages) and can add further context to their recommendations with tags, photos, and comments in the text.<\/span> Below is an example of what a Facebook reviews page looks like.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Remaining copy” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Now that you understand the impact of reviews on your clients\u2019 online reputation, search engine optimization (SEO) performance and, subsequently, their bottom line, it\u2019s time to work with them on getting more Facebook and Google reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n The strategies below, provided by experts, will help you do just that.<\/span><\/p>\n Emails and texts are a great way to source reviews, especially in cases where the shopping experience is conducted entirely on an ecommerce website and there is no way to ask for a review in person.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMost people check their emails and text messages. But again, make sure you pick the best possible moment to send that automated message requesting a review,\u201d Sutherland says.<\/span><\/p>\n In fact, agencies can work with their SMB clients to create a marketing automation strategy to source reviews, says San Francisco-based brand management company Brandy\u2019s Chief Executive Officer, Mindy Luck.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, customers could get an automated email or text when they purchase a product or after they receive their order.<\/span><\/p>\n Luck emphasizes review request communications must contain direct links or the steps (mentioned above) to make it easy for customers to submit reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMake it short and personalized by using their first name, and include a direct link to your Google reviews page.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The easiest way to get more reviews is to ask for them, Sutherland says.<\/span><\/p>\n Customers will likely be receptive to providing a review immediately after they\u2019ve completed their purchase in your store.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cA lot of people just overlook the simplest things. Ask your happy customers – and ask them at the right time. People are more receptive to leaving feedback immediately after a purchase,\u201d she says. \u2018\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSo if you can get the timing right, they\u2019re more likely to give you a positive review.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n While some business owners may be tempted to ask customers for a five-star review,\u00a0 Luck <\/span>cautions against<\/span><\/a> this approach.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNo one likes being told what to do, and if you\u2019re begging for a five-star review, you could leave a bad taste in your customer\u2019s mouth,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n Local businesses should emphasize that honest feedback in an online review is appreciated as it helps company owners and managers identify areas for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cExplain how reviews benefit them. Although reviews benefit you, the business, they also benefit the customer. Tell customers how their review can help you improve their experience next time around,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n It shouldn\u2019t be up to only business owners to ask for reviews. Sutherland suggests it\u2019s a good idea to bring employees into the online review sourcing process.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWork with your employees to facilitate asking for online reviews and create a plan on the best possible way or moment during the customer experience to ask,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n Some businesses pay staff bonuses for delivering excellent customer service and obtaining glowing Facebook and Google reviews.<\/span><\/p>\n But as Luck mentioned previously, this doesn\u2019t mean employees should badger customers for a good review. Instead, they should let customers know that a genuine review helps their employer know if they\u2019re doing a good job or not.<\/span><\/p>\n The fewer clicks it takes customers to get to your Google or Facebook reviews page, the more likely they are to complete it, Sutherland says.<\/span><\/p>\n Customers should also feel free to choose when they want to provide a review, as they may not have the time or desire to write it in your store or until they\u2019ve used the purchased product.<\/span><\/p>\n She suggests businesses employ a variety of methods to make it easy for customers, including:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Use the one-click Google reviews page hack<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Boston-based online advertising company WordStream suggests agencies and business owners ought to know how to create shortcuts<\/a> to help customers reach an SMB\u2019s Google reviews page instantly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLuckily, Google has a tool for creating a shortcut link that enables them to get to the review section of your Business Profile in just one step,\u201d Kristen McCormick, Senior Managing Editor at WordStream, says.<\/span><\/p>\n Go to your GMB account, click the Home tab, and find the “Get your first review” (or “Get more reviews”) card. Click “Share review form.”<\/p>\n Once you click on that button, Google will provide a one-click hyperlink that can take customers straight to your Google reviews page.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Simple steps to get customers to your Facebook reviews page quickly<\/b><\/p>\n For Facebook, unfortunately, there is no solution to get customers to your reviews page in one click. However, you can provide customers with the following simple steps when speaking to them or via a message.<\/span><\/p>\n For mobile:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For desktop:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a good idea to shorten the hyperlink for your Google or industry-specific website. That\u2019s because long links are an \u201ceyesore\u201d, McCormick says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Imagine if a customer saw the following in a text or email:<\/span><\/p>\n “Hi Fred, thanks so much for dining at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Company. If you wouldn\u2019t mind, please provide us with an online review on Google and let us know how we did.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Here\u2019s the link: https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?hl=en-CA&gl=ca&q=Chicago+Pizza+and+Oven+Grinder+Company,+2121+N+Clark+St,+Chicago,+IL+60614,+United+States&ludocid=12011494571160727471&lsig=AB86z5X5vlNoTe0kE_JNrwiTtzhE#lrd=0x880fd36ca1565dc7:0xa6b166ac3f916faf,3<\/a>“<\/em><\/p>\n The following services can be used to shorten URLs:<\/span><\/p>\n If a customer wants to leave a review for a local business, the first place they’re probably going to look is their website, McCormick says.<\/span><\/p>\n Agencies should help SMBs build a clear and clutter-free call to action that is intuitively easy to find, as with the example below:<\/span><\/p>\n While the above method works, McCormick says a better one is to create a dedicated landing page for online reviews on a business\u2019s website.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat the data says<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Online reputation is emerging as a big opportunity<\/b><\/h3>\n
What pain points should agencies try to solve for SMBs?<\/h2>\n
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Google and Facebook: The \u2018kings\u2019 of review platforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Overview of Google reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/b><\/p>\n![\"Google-Reviews-Page-Example\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/image2.webp\")
<\/p>\nOverview of Facebook reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Facebook-Recommendations-Page-Example\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/post-image-3.webp\")
<\/p>\n11 Strategies to Get More Online Reviews on Google and Facebook<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. Consider an email or text automation strategy to source reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Ask happy customers for a review<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Don\u2019t ask for five stars or a recommendation, just ask for feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Get employees involved<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Make it easy for your customers to provide reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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![\"Google-My-Business-Share-Review-Option\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/share-review-form.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"GMB-Request-Review-Link\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/request-reviews.webp\")
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6. Use a link shortening tool<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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7. Link out to your Google reviews on your website<\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Google-Testimonials\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/07\/customers-love-us.webp\")
<\/p>\n8. Create a dedicated web page for reviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n