Full Transcript
Lauren: Okay so I was helping my neighbor look for a plumber last week. And the first thing I did — before I even looked at a website — was check the Google reviews. And the one with the most recent reviews? That's who she called.
Honor: Welcome to the 805 Web Minute with Lauren and Honor. We make website stuff make sense. Let's get into it.
Honor: That is exactly how most people make decisions now. Reviews come before the website. Before the phone call. Before anything. Your Google reviews are often the very first thing a potential customer sees about your business.
Lauren: And it's not just about having reviews, right? Like... I noticed some of those businesses had a bunch of reviews but they were all from two years ago.
Honor: That's the part most people miss. How recent your reviews are matters just as much as how many you have. BrightLocal did a study and found that 73 percent of consumers only trust reviews from the last 30 days. So your fifty glowing reviews from 2023? They're not doing nearly as much work as you think.
Lauren: Wow. So it's not like a one-and-done thing where you collect a bunch and you're set forever.
Honor: Not at all. People want to know you're still good right now. And it's not just about convincing customers either — Google uses your review count, your average rating, and how recently those reviews came in to decide where you show up in local search results. More fresh reviews means you rank higher.
Lauren: Okay so reviews matter a lot. But here's the thing... asking for them is so awkward. Like, cornering someone at the register going, hey, so would you mind leaving us a review?
Honor: It doesn't have to be awkward though. The whole trick is timing. You ask at the wrong moment and yeah, it's weird. But when the timing is right, people are genuinely happy to help.
Lauren: So when is the right moment?
Honor: When a customer is already feeling good about you. They just said thank you, or this looks great, or we love it. That's your window. Right there. Not two weeks later in a follow-up email they'll never open.
Lauren: So like... right after you finish a job and they're clearly happy. Or when they give you a compliment.
Honor: Exactly. And keep it casual. Something like — hey, glad you're happy with how it turned out. If you have a minute, a Google review would really help us out. I can text you the link. That's it. No speech. No pressure.
Lauren: I can text you the link. That's smart. Because honestly, half the time I don't leave reviews it's not because I don't want to. I just don't know where to go or I get distracted.
Honor: That's exactly the second piece of this. You have to make it stupid easy. Most people who don't leave reviews aren't refusing. They just don't know how. Or they start to and get distracted. Or they can't find your business on Google Maps.
Lauren: So how do you make it easy?
Honor: Step one — get your direct review link from your Google Business Profile. There's an Ask for Reviews section. Copy that link. It takes customers straight to the review box. No searching. No figuring out where to click.
Lauren: Oh so they tap the link and they're already at the write a review screen?
Honor: Two taps on their phone and they're done. And then put that link everywhere. Text it right after a service call. Add it to your email signature. Print it on a card you hand out with receipts. Make a QR code and stick it on your counter or your van or your front door. The fewer steps between sure I'll leave a review and actually leaving one, the more reviews you'll get.
Lauren: I love the QR code idea. Like at a restaurant you could put it right on the check.
Honor: Now here's the step most businesses skip entirely. And it's honestly the easiest win.
Lauren: What's that?
Honor: Responding to every single review. When someone takes the time to write a review and the business says nothing back? It looks like nobody's home. Like you don't care. Future customers notice that.
Lauren: I notice that! If I see a business that never responds to reviews, it does give off a vibe.
Honor: BrightLocal found that 88 percent of consumers would use a business that replies to all of its reviews, compared to just 47 percent for businesses that don't respond at all. That's nearly double.
Lauren: Wow. Eighty-eight versus forty-seven. That's huge.
Honor: And the responses don't need to be long or clever. Just genuine. Thanks Maria, glad we could help, see you next time. Done. If someone left a detailed review, acknowledge something specific they mentioned. Really glad the kitchen turned out the way you wanted, that tile choice was perfect. No copy-paste templates. People can smell those from a mile away.
Lauren: Write each one like you're texting a real person back. Because you are.
Honor: Exactly.
Lauren: Okay but what about the scary ones? Like... what do you do when someone leaves a bad review?
Honor: They happen. Even to great businesses. A customer had a bad day. A miscommunication. Something genuinely went wrong. The worst thing you can do is panic or argue.
Lauren: Because everyone else is going to read your response too.
Honor: Here's the thing that surprises people. A negative review with a thoughtful, calm response actually builds more trust than five generic five-star reviews. When people see you handle criticism with grace, they think — okay, this business owns their mistakes, I can trust them.
Lauren: So what's the move?
Honor: Respond publicly. Acknowledge their experience. I'm sorry you had that experience, that's not what we aim for. Then take it offline — I'd love to make this right, can you give us a call? And then actually fix the problem if they have a point.
Lauren: And what not to do — don't write a three-paragraph rebuttal defending yourself.
Honor: Even if you're right, you'll look bad to every future customer reading the exchange. And never ever buy fake reviews. Google is getting better at catching them and the penalties are real.
Lauren: Okay so let me recap. Ask at the right moment — when they're already happy. Make it stupid easy with a direct link. And respond to every single review. That's the whole system?
Honor: That's it. You don't need 500 reviews. You need 10 recent ones with real responses. Pick three customers this week who you know had a good experience. Text them the link. Respond to whatever comes in. That's the whole system.
Lauren: And if someone wants help getting their Google profile set up and managing all this?
Honor: That's what we do at YouGrow. We manage Google Business Profiles for local businesses here on the Central Coast. We help you build a review strategy that actually works. If you're not sure where your Google presence stands, or you just don't have time to deal with it — that's what we're here for. Local SEO starts at 99 dollars a month.
Lauren: Nice and simple. Alright, this has been 805 Web Minute. Thanks for listening.