Google adds 'view' numbers to reviews

Is this the end of denial as we know it (for those new to this blog 'review denial' is when a business receives a negative review but says 'No-one will see it/read it/believe it')? 

We will let you decide. This week an estate agent in Exeter called in the receivers - now there are bound to be a myriad complex reasons leading up to this sad event, but the one thing we now know for sure (because Google has just introduced the number of views next to every review) is that an awful lot of people had seen and/or read the following two reviews...

We have edited out the text of both reviews (aside from the first line) because the point we are making here is not about what the reviewers have said (although that was certainly unhelpful for the business) it is to show you just how many people are seeing those reviews when they conduct any relevant Google search. 

The lesson is obvious - we hope - and that is to take Google reviews very seriously indeed, because they are being seen, being read and being taken notice of. Employ a review management system that includes moderation, so you have a chance to defend your business against unfair or inaccurate reviews before they make it to Google.

Here's the flip-side...

The number of people that are seeing and reading a business's positive reviews.


How to find these numbers?

They are appearing - so far - only on mobile and only on the reviewer's stream there. So you will need to click on the reviewer's name and then search down their list of reviews until you find the one for your business. Under that you will see the number of views.


Further reading...

• Moderation - and why it is so vital -  the only way a business can prevent unfair or inaccurate reviews appearing