Want to know what review gating is and how to comply with the Google reviews policies? This article explains what review gating is and how Customer Radar handles it.
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What is review gating?
Review gating is when a business chooses who they ask to post a Google review depending if they know they are happy or not.
It typically works like this:
Happy customers are given the option to leave a Google Review
- Unhappy customers are not given the option to leave a Google Review
The motivation for the business is to keep negative reviews off Google. The problem is that Google prohibits it, and so do consumer protection laws in most countries.
Google's position is straightforward: all customers should have the same opportunity to leave a review, regardless of their experience.
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What are the risks of review gating?
If you are found to be review gating, Google may remove some or all your reviews or suspend your profile entirely. In some serious cases companies have been fined by consumer protection authorities.
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Does Customer Radar review gate?
No. Customer Radar does not review gate.
Here's how Customer Radar works: when customers submit feedback they are taken to a thank you page. On that page, every customer is given the option to leave a Google Review. There is no filter or restriction based on their score. Everyone is given the opportunity to leave a Google review.
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Build trust and authenticity
It's also worth knowing that if you get a low rated Google review, responding to them promptly and professionally is one of the best ways to build trust with potential customers. Studies have found that consumers actually trust businesses more when they have a less than perfect score. The goal should be to have authentic reviews which truly represents your business, so the occasional low review responded to well, is more trustworthy than a perfect score.
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If you have further questions about review gating or how Customer Radar handles Google Reviews, get in touch with the Customer Radar support team at support@customerradar.com.