Frequently Asked Questions

Most consumers look at online reviews for businesses before they choose a company to do business with. Make your advertising dollars go further while attracting new customers.

According to a Harvard Study, some businesses have reported up to a 20% drop in sales due to negative reviews. And for each star rating increase or decrease, businesses may lose or gain 5% to 9% in sales.

Review Driver turns happy customers into brand enthusiasts which increases your business’ sales. See real reviews from happy customers. Share great reviews on the review sites that matter the most. Increase your star ratings, build brand trustworthiness and get new customers in the door!

Review Driver is the only easy to implement end-to-end solution for organic reviews encompassing monitoring, collecting, and amplifying reviews. The Review Driver solutions cover an industry leading 500 Review Sites and connects with over 350 counterpart systems (CRM, Social Media, Help Desk, Newsletters), so we can customize a solution for your needs.

Any business that has online reviews. This works for brick and mortar locations, as well as service related businesses (dog groomer, contractor, etc.).

dividual product lines (i.e. books or electronics) sold in local stores, and single websites without physical locations.

Complainers are motivated to complain. Happy customers are less motivated to share positive information.

We track your online reviews across over 500 review sites with daily and weekly reports. You may receive daily reports of ratings and reviews on the review sites that matter for each of your locations.

Our system allows you to easily request feedback via email, text or through your company website. Customers can easily submit reviews and star ratings of your business. These can be branded, linked, and embedded into your website and Facebook business page seamlessly.

Yes. The Review Driver platform includes automated posting to social media channels, as well as social sharing tools that make it easy for your customers to recommend your company via email, Facebook and Twitter.

No. We respect your relationships with your customers.

Yes. Our platform integrates coupons to reward customers for their feedback. You can decide what offer you would like for the coupon, and when a customer can use it.

The system is configurable to work the way you want to work. The review is collected in real-time in our secure database. Our platform includes customer-sharing pre-filters to ensure that customers with positive feedback are asked to share on your behalf.

There are many other benefits, including: New Customers via Improved Ratings, Rankings and Reviews, New Customers via Local Search Listings, Verification and Monitoring, New Customers via Testimonials, Repeat Customers via Email List Building, Repeat Customers via Winning Over Unhappy Customers, Repeat Customers via Couponing, Repeat Customers via Social Media, Chain Management – Know the Reputation of Every Location, Improved online reputation can help you attract and retain solid employees

Yes. An instant alert for any internal review and star range can be set up, and immediately sent to the appropriate destination (email, webhooks, social media, help desk ticketing, CRM case, etc.).

Follow-up emails to the right customers. They are then asked to share their review on popular review sites that matter most to your business.

No. Certain review sites filter reviews that are poor quality. High quality reviews speak from a unique first person experience and are less likely to be filtered.

The dashboard allows you to filter and customize reports.

Upon signing up, we will give you a unique login and password to your Customer Portal to access anytime.

Review Driver can handle businesses with up to 50,000 locations. The user access can be infinitely sliced for regional and local access.

Monitoring and managing your online reputation is critical for your offline reputation. Reputation management searches though online reviews, blogs, news, forums and social networks to identify what others have to say about your company. Information provided in the reports can be vital to your social campaigns and help protect your company image.

Review Driver only encourages the sharing of real reviews from real customers, which is compliant with all review sites.

Upon signing up, we will contact you to help you setup, configure and customize your account.

Message credits is the number of credits allotted to your account monthly. When sending your SMS campaigns 1 contact = 1 message credit.

Roll over credits are unused message credits. Each message credit that goes unused rolls over to the next month.

Keywords are unique, identifying words that let you connect with your customers through your SMS marketing. When someone SMS texts in a keyword to one of our short-code numbers, their mobile phone number can be automatically added to your database of opt-in contacts

The billing cycle starts the day you sign up through 30 days. An invoice is provided monthly on your initial sign up day.

Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter

“The Works” package offers management of social media and sms text marketing. Please contact us if there’s additional services or if you would like to customize your own package .Can’t find the answer to your question? Feel free to contact us we are ready to assist you with answers!

Reviews are among the top 3 local ranking factors, alongside proximity and relevance. However, they work synergistically with other signals—great reviews can't overcome terrible website optimization, and perfect technical SEO won't save you from awful customer service. Think of reviews as amplifying your other local SEO efforts rather than replacing them.

Expect more AI integration for sentiment analysis, automated response drafting, and fake review detection. Video reviews will become more prominent, and integration with customer service platforms will deepen. However, the fundamentals remain unchanged: authentic customer experiences, thoughtful responses, and consistent engagement. Technology amplifies good strategy—it doesn't replace it.

Automate notifications and basic acknowledgments, but personalize substantial responses. AI-powered templates can help with initial drafts, but authentic communication requires human touch. Consider automation for immediate acknowledgment ("Thanks for your review! Our team will respond within 24 hours") followed by personalized responses that address specific feedback.

Track leading indicators (review volume, response rate, average rating) and business outcomes (local search rankings, website traffic from reviews, conversion rates). Set up UTM tracking for review links, monitor phone calls mentioning reviews, and survey customers about decision factors. The most successful businesses can connect review improvements to revenue growth within 3-6 months.

Prioritize real-time alerts, multi-platform monitoring, response templates with customization options, and analytics that show trends over time. For multi-location businesses, location-level reporting and permission management become essential. Advanced features like sentiment analysis and competitor monitoring add value but shouldn't drive your primary decision.

Manual management works for single-location businesses with low review volume, but becomes overwhelming quickly. If you're getting more than 10 reviews monthly across multiple platforms, or managing multiple locations, software saves significant time and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. The cost of missed reviews or delayed responses typically exceeds software investment.

Make it easy and specific. Instead of "How was your experience?" ask "What specific result did you see from our service?" or "What would you tell a friend considering our business?" Provide prompts without leading: "Feel free to mention the specific team members who helped you, the timeline of your project, or the results you achieved."

Asking for feedback opens conversations and shows you care about improvement. Asking for reviews specifically requests public testimonials. Start with feedback requests to identify satisfied customers, then ask those customers to share their positive experiences publicly. This two-step approach improves review quality and reduces the risk of public negative feedback.

Timing and method matter more than the ask itself. Request reviews within 24-48 hours of positive interactions, use multiple channels (email, SMS, QR codes), and make the process as easy as possible. Personalize requests with specific service details: "We'd love to hear about your experience with the kitchen renovation" performs better than generic "please review us."

Quality over quantity, but consistency matters. Aim for 10-20 authentic reviews monthly for most businesses, scaling with your transaction volume. The key is steady growth rather than sudden spikes that look suspicious to platform algorithms. Focus on encouraging reviews from your most satisfied customers rather than trying to hit arbitrary numbers.

Tread carefully. Most platforms prohibit payment for reviews, but you can incentivize review requests (not specific ratings). Consider loyalty program points for participating in feedback, entry into drawings for reviewers, or small thank-you gifts for honest feedback. Always disclose incentives and never tie rewards to specific ratings.

A few negative reviews won't hurt your rankings if you maintain a strong overall rating and respond professionally. In fact, all 5-star profiles often look suspicious to both customers and search algorithms. The key is maintaining an average above 4.0 stars while showing how you handle problems through thoughtful responses to negative feedback.

Include relevant keywords naturally, but prioritize authentic customer service over SEO manipulation. Search engines are sophisticated enough to detect keyword stuffing in review responses. Instead, use industry-specific terms naturally when discussing your services, location references when relevant, and focus on providing value to the customer reading your response.

Yes, review responses provide additional keyword-rich content for search engines, demonstrate business engagement, and often include location-specific terms that boost local relevance. Well-crafted responses also encourage more customers to leave reviews, creating a positive feedback loop for SEO. Think of responses as micro-content opportunities that support your overall search strategy.

Reviews significantly influence local search through multiple factors: overall rating, review quantity, review recency, and keyword relevance in review content. Businesses with 4.0+ star ratings and consistent fresh reviews typically rank higher in local pack results. However, reviews work alongside other factors like proximity, relevance, and prominence—they're crucial but not the only ranking factor.

Yes, consumers show increased understanding of operational challenges, staffing issues, and supply chain problems. However, this leniency comes with higher expectations for communication and authenticity. Customers forgive mistakes more readily when businesses are transparent about challenges and show genuine effort to improve.

Younger consumers often check social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram before traditional review sites, value video content more highly, and are more skeptical of obviously curated feedback. They want to see real experiences, behind-the-scenes content, and responses that feel personal rather than corporate. Authenticity matters more than perfection.

Most customers (68%) form opinions after reading just 1-6 reviews, but 59% check multiple review sites before deciding. This means your first few reviews on each platform carry enormous weight. Focus on encouraging your best customers to leave early reviews on new platforms, and ensure your most recent reviews reflect your current quality standards.

53% of customers expect a response to negative reviews within a week, yet 87% of businesses fail to meet this expectation. Customers want acknowledgment, explanation, and ideally resolution. They're not necessarily trying to hurt your business—they often want to help you improve while having their concerns addressed.

Trust remains high but more sophisticated. 85% of consumers trust online reviews, but they're getting better at spotting fakes and want more authentic, detailed feedback. Customers now prefer reading about real experiences—both positive and negative—rather than generic praise. Authenticity and detail matter more than perfect ratings.

Photos make reviews 70% more trustworthy and significantly boost engagement. Encourage customers to share photos of your work, their experience, or your location. Visual reviews also perform better in search results and social media shares. Make it easy by prompting customers to include photos when requesting reviews, and always thank customers who take the time to add visuals.

Absolutely. Video testimonials increase conversion rates by up to 32% and perform better in search algorithms. They're also much harder to fake, building trust with potential customers. However, don't abandon text reviews—they're still essential for search optimization and AI content analysis. Encourage both formats, but make video easy with QR codes linking to simple recording tools.

Facebook reviews integrate with social networks, making them more personal and shareable but potentially reaching smaller audiences. Yelp's algorithm is more aggressive about filtering suspected fake reviews, and their community values detailed, helpful reviews. Google reviews have the broadest impact on search and local discovery. Tailor your approach to each platform's unique culture and audience expectations.

Google first, others second. Google reviews impact local search rankings, appear in multiple Google products, and influence AI search results. However, industry-specific platforms matter too—TripAdvisor for hospitality, Yelp for restaurants, Trustpilot for ecommerce. Develop a primary strategy for Google, then adapt it for 2-3 other platforms that matter most to your industry.

Home services often involve significant investments and emotional decisions, making them targets for competitor sabotage. Plus, the local nature of the business makes it easier for bad actors to create believable fake reviews. Combat this by building strong relationships with real customers, encouraging detailed reviews about specific projects, and maintaining active social media presence that showcases real work.

Google filters reviews based on relevance, quality, and authenticity. Reviews from verified customers, detailed feedback, and responses from businesses typically get prioritized. Generic reviews, suspicious patterns, or reviews from accounts with little activity might be filtered. Focus on encouraging authentic, detailed reviews rather than trying to game the system.

Acknowledge the product concern while highlighting your service value: "We're sorry this product didn't meet your expectations. While we don't manufacture [product], we stand behind everything we sell. Please bring it back for a full refund/exchange, and let us help you find something that better fits your needs." You control the service experience, even when you don't control product quality.

Legal services reviews often involve emotional, high-stakes situations where clients may be frustrated with outcomes beyond your control. Respond professionally by acknowledging their experience without discussing case details. Emphasize your commitment to client service and invite private discussion. Your measured, professional response often speaks louder than the complaint itself.

Never include specific medical information or confirm/deny someone was a patient. Respond with generic acknowledgments: "We appreciate all feedback about patient experiences. Please contact our office directly so we can address your specific concerns while maintaining appropriate privacy." Focus on your commitment to quality care rather than case details.

Food businesses deal with highly subjective experiences—taste preferences, dietary restrictions, and timing expectations vary dramatically. Plus, bad experiences often happen during your busiest times when mistakes are more likely. Success comes from acknowledging that food is personal, showing how you've improved based on feedback, and demonstrating consistent quality through detailed positive reviews.

Correct politely and specifically. "We appreciate your feedback and want to clarify that [specific factual correction]. We'd love to discuss your experience further to understand where the disconnect occurred. Please reach out to us at [contact info]." Provide facts without calling the customer a liar, and always offer to continue the conversation privately.

Create response frameworks, not rigid scripts. Develop tone guidelines with specific examples for common review types, then train local teams on adapting these frameworks to their unique situations. Provide templates for frequent scenarios (thank you for positive reviews, addressing specific complaints) while allowing personality to shine through. Regular audits and feedback help maintain quality without stifling authenticity.

Keep compensation discussions private. Acknowledge the issue publicly, then say "We'd like to make this right—please contact us directly at [contact info] so we can discuss a resolution." This shows accountability without encouraging others to complain publicly hoping for freebies. Save the specifics of your resolution for private communication.

Getting defensive instead of getting curious. Defensive responses ("That's not true!" or "We never do that!") escalate conflicts and make you look unprofessional to future customers reading the exchange. Instead, acknowledge the customer's experience, ask clarifying questions, and focus on resolution. Even if the complaint seems unfair, your response shows everyone else how you handle problems.

Yes, but make it meaningful. Generic "thanks for your review" responses feel automated and waste opportunities to build relationships. Reference specific details from their experience, invite them back for specific services, or share how their feedback helps your team improve. Authentic engagement with positive reviews encourages more customers to leave feedback.

Within 24-48 hours maximum. Speed demonstrates that you care about customer experience and are actively monitoring feedback. However, quality trumps speed—a thoughtful response tomorrow beats a defensive reply today. Use the time to gather facts, craft a professional response, and determine if a private follow-up is needed.

Document everything first—screenshots, timestamps, patterns in language or timing. Report systematically to the platforms and consider engaging a reputation management service for serious attacks. Focus on generating authentic positive reviews to dilute the impact while you work on removal. Remember, obvious fake negative reviews often backfire when real customers can spot the inconsistencies.

Each platform has specific reporting mechanisms, but act quickly and systematically. On Google, use the "Flag as inappropriate" option and provide detailed explanations. For persistent fake review attacks, document patterns and submit comprehensive reports to platform support teams. The more evidence you provide about coordinated fake review campaigns, the faster platforms typically respond.

Absolutely. The FTC's new rules, effective October 2024, allow fines up to $50,000 per fake review that consumers see. Fashion Nova paid $4.2 million for manipulating their review system. Beyond legal risks, platforms like Google and Yelp will mark your business as unreliable, suspend listings, or remove you entirely. The business cost far exceeds any temporary benefit fake reviews might provide.

Current studies show approximately 14% of reviews across service industries contain AI-generated content, with fake reviews comprising up to 30% of all feedback on some platforms. However, major platforms are cracking down hard—Google's AI systems now detect and remove suspicious reviews faster than ever. The key is focusing on generating authentic reviews that clearly outweigh any fake ones targeting your business.

Platform response times vary dramatically. Google's new AI systems can detect and remove obvious fake reviews within hours, while complex cases may take weeks to investigate. Amazon typically removes fake reviews within 100 days, though some are caught immediately. The best strategy isn't waiting for platforms to act—it's building such a strong foundation of authentic reviews that fake ones become irrelevant noise.

The hybrid approach wins every time. Local teams handle day-to-day responses because they know their customers and community context. Corporate provides oversight, manages brand consistency, and handles crisis situations. This model gives you authentic local engagement while maintaining professional standards. Think of it as local execution with corporate coordination.

Focus on metrics that drive business results: average rating trends, response time by location, review volume growth, and sentiment analysis. Create location scorecards that highlight both top performers and locations needing support. The best multi-location businesses use these insights to identify training opportunities, replicate successful practices, and address systemic issues before they spread.

Treating every location identically. Each location serves different customers, faces unique challenges, and operates in distinct local markets. Cookie-cutter responses feel robotic and miss opportunities to connect. Instead, establish brand standards while encouraging location-specific personalization. A downtown restaurant and suburban family location should sound different—authentically different, but clearly the same brand.

AI-powered search engines are now pulling from your reviews to answer commercial searches about your business. When someone asks "What do customers think about [your business]?" or "Is [your company] worth it?", these AI systems analyze your review sentiment, common themes, and specific feedback to provide comprehensive answers. This means your reviews aren't just influencing direct customers—they're shaping how AI describes your business to potential customers who never even visit traditional review sites.

LLM optimization ensures your reviews work harder for your business growth. When AI systems like Google's AI Overviews or ChatGPT Search cite your business, they're more likely to reference clear, well-managed review content. Businesses with consistent, authentic review profiles see 32% higher visibility in AI-generated responses. This isn't just about SEO anymore—it's about being the answer AI gives when people ask about your industry.

While AI search is growing—17% of users now prefer AI answers over traditional search—Google still dominates with 90% market share. Smart businesses prepare for both futures. The same strategies that make reviews effective for traditional SEO (authenticity, consistency, detailed responses) also make them AI-friendly. You're not choosing between old and new—you're building reviews that work everywhere.

Focus on encouraging detailed, specific reviews that tell complete stories. AI systems favor reviews with concrete details, metrics, and clear outcomes. Instead of generic "great service" reviews, prompt customers to share specifics: "The team resolved my issue in 15 minutes" or "Increased our efficiency by 40%." These data-rich reviews become the content AI systems cite as authoritative sources.

Multi-location review management requires systems, not heroics. Successful brands use centralized dashboards to monitor all locations while establishing clear response protocols. Set up automated alerts for new reviews, create location-specific response templates that maintain brand voice, and designate local champions who handle routine responses while escalating complex issues to corporate. The goal is consistency at scale, not perfection at every location.

Yes, AI-generated fake reviews are a growing concern—they now make up nearly 14% of all online reviews in service sectors. The good news? Major platforms are fighting back with advanced detection. Google removed 240 million fake reviews in 2024 alone using AI detection systems. Your best defense is generating authentic reviews consistently, which makes fake ones stand out like red flags to detection algorithms.