How Can I Have a Negative Google Review Removed?

 Posted on September 30,2020 in Reputation Management

In the online world, reputation is everything, and the reviews and ratings that a law firm has received are some of the key factors that can affect its reputation. Reviews can offer helpful information to prospective clients about whether an attorney can provide the services they need, and a high average rating can improve search engine optimization (SEO) by boosting a firm's position in search rankings.

However, just as positive reviews can provide benefits, negative reviews can harm a firm’s search rankings and overall reputation. Fortunately, it may be possible to have negative reviews removed, and other reputation management techniques can help a firm improve its average ratings and ensure that it maintains a positive reputation.

Flagging Reviews That Violate Google’s Guidelines

In some cases, a firm may be able to ask Google to take down reviews that are inappropriate. Typically, Google will remove a review that contains prohibited or restricted content or otherwise violates its guidelines for the types of information that users can share. Some types of reviews that Google may remove include:

• Fake reviews or spam - Reviews and ratings should be based on a person’s experience with a firm, and they should not be used to attempt to manipulate a firm's ratings or reputation. If one person posted identical reviews of multiple firms or businesses, or if identical reviews were posted from different accounts, these may be considered spam and deleted. Reviews may also be removed if it can be shown that they were based on false information, such as references to an employee who does not work for a firm.
• Offensive content - Reviews may be removed if they include profanity, obscene language, hate speech, threats, or harassment.
• Off-topic or misleading content - If reviews discuss issues unrelated to a firm or its services, they may be considered off-topic. Reviews may also be removed if they use deception, such as impersonating someone or speaking on behalf of a person or organization without the authorization to do so.
• Conflicts of interest - Current or former employees cannot leave reviews based on their experience working for a firm, and a person cannot post a review of a competitor in an attempt to harm their reputation. 

Responding to Negative Reviews

While reviews are typically left by customers, they may not necessarily be invalid if they were left by someone who did not actually hire or work with a firm. Anyone can leave a review based on their experiences with a firm, including phone calls, visits to an office, or interactions with employees. For this reason, there are times when it may not be possible to have Google remove negative reviews, but a firm may still have options in these cases.

In some cases, a firm may be able to reach out to a person who left a negative review and find out if they can address their complaints. In these cases, they may ask the person to update their review, change their rating, or delete the review altogether. A firm can also respond to a review publicly, offering potential clients an explanation of the situation and providing assurance that they strive to meet their clients’ needs.

Contact Our Reputation Management Experts

While working to remove or address negative reviews can help a firm avoid harm to their reputation, another good strategy is to obtain additional positive reviews and five-star ratings. At OVC, INC., our reputation management program helps attorneys reach out to their clients and ask for reviews, and we also work to have negative reviews taken down whenever possible. To learn more about our reputation management, SEO, and online marketing services, contact us at 630-635-8000.

Source:

https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114