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How to build, protect, and leverage your online reputation to win more customers and charge premium prices.
88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. For home service businesses, your star rating directly impacts your call volume. A jump from 3.5 to 4.5 stars can increase leads by 25% or more. Your reputation isn't just about looking good. It's a direct revenue driver.
The best time to ask for a review is right after completing a job successfully. Train your technicians to ask. Send an automated text message with a direct Google review link within 2 hours. Follow up with an email the next day if they haven't reviewed. Make it easy: one click, one platform (Google first, then diversify to Yelp and Facebook).
Respond to every single review within 24 hours. For positive reviews: thank them specifically, mention the service performed, and invite them back. For negative reviews: stay professional, acknowledge the issue, take the conversation offline, and explain what you're doing to fix it. Never argue publicly. Potential customers judge you by how you handle criticism.
Not every negative review is a disaster. A business with only 5-star reviews looks fake. A 4.6 with thoughtful responses to complaints actually builds more trust. If a review violates Google's policies (spam, fake, irrelevant), flag it for removal. For legitimate complaints, resolve the issue and then politely ask if the customer would update their review.
Don't just collect reviews. Use them everywhere. Feature testimonials on your website. Share great reviews on social media. Include review snippets in your Google Ads. Add review schema markup to your website so star ratings appear in search results. The best marketing copy is written by your customers, not your agency.
Set up Google Alerts for your business name. Monitor your reviews across all platforms weekly. Track your average rating over time. Watch for mentions on social media and local forums like Nextdoor. Reputation management isn't a one-time project. It's an ongoing process that compounds over time.
Our team specializes in executing these strategies for home service businesses. Get a free marketing audit and see how we can help.
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