The Google Reviews Filter raises the bar again

For longer than we care to think we have been banging the drum about just how vitally important it is to score well on Google; now Google have turned the screw by adding '4.5 and up' to their filter (the maximum score a user could choose was 4.0 until recently)...

...this means that any business scoring 4.4 or less will now not be shown - at all - to searchers that enable this filter (who - you and we might well ask - will select any other filter?).


Why have Google done this?

 direct from the horses mouth...

They are reacting to the significant upswing in the use of the qualifier 'best' in search strings ('best' plumber, 'best' estate agent) reported here last year. Google have realised that their users don't just want businesses that score 4 out of 5 - understanding, as they increasingly do, that this is likely to deliver a business that score 1 or 2 stars from up to 20% of its reviewers.


Look at the difference it makes - this time for estate agents...

...it is far from perfect (you might reasonably expect Chestertons to feature in the filtered search, for example), and we would like Google to think about factoring the number of reviews into their algorithm to add value (a single one star review next, and Imperial get filtered under this system - under a system that required a minimum number of reviews - say thirty* - few of these businesses would pass the filter, but the ones that did would have taken reviews seriously).


What more do I need to know?

This new benchmark - 4.5 - confirms what HelpHound has been saying for quite some time now: a business has to score in the high 4's to succeed. But still we meet business people that treat Google scores like an exam - '3 out of 5 is a pass' - no, it emphatically is not, and nor is 4. 4.5 is the new bar - and businesses must do everything in their power to clear that bar, staff training, effective CRM and - wait for it - professional review management.

This filter applies to all sectors and verticals now. Take action now.

*And a note on why we chose the number 'thirty' for reviews - it's at about that point that a savvy consumer begins to trust a business. Below that and the feeling that 'any business can get ten or fifteen friends and family to write a review' prevails.


Further reading

• Google introduce the Reviews Filter - over two years ago now
• 'Falling to 4' - the inevitable consequence of unmoderated reviews management

TripAdvisor - is their incentive a reaction to Google?

TripAdvisor are now offering your guests a £20 Amazon gift card if they write a review. 

Why?

As review managers our only loyalty is to our clients - who will ultimately be paying for this. We are inclined to think that this is a reaction to the increased traction Google are getting in the hotel reviews space.

So dominant in the world of hotel reviews for so long, TripAdvisor are becoming increasingly marginalised in almost all kinds of search for hotels and restaurants.

Google - on the other hand - have gained critical mass in terms of the numbers of reviews in popular centres and are making the most of their dominant position in search.

   Consumers have traditionally visited TripAdvisor to read reviews and see candid photos. With reviews and photos in numbers (which was not the case even a year ago)  - and a completely dominant position in search - many potential guests are satisfied with Google's offering now

Why?

Over the last year Google have massively refined their offering for those searching online for hotels. Adding features such as the Filter:

And 'Top Rated':

Our advice?

Consider very carefully where you would like your guests to be posting their reviews.  As Google becomes more sophisticated, so review management becomes an essential weapon in the professional hoteliers' armoury; helping you deflect negative reviews away from the public gaze and maximising positive comment on sites that matter.

HelpHound clients  

A HelpHound client should expect 25% more positive reviews on their agreed target sites (usually TripAdvisor and Google) and 75% less negatives across the board (on TripAdvisor, Google, Booking.com and all the OTAs that carry reviews).

As your professional review managers you have full-time access to a team that stays abreast of developments in the reviews space. If you are ever in doubt about strategy just speak to your HelpHound consultant.

Google FILTER for estate agents - it's here!

Don't say we didn't warn you! This weekend Google enabled its filter - until now only applying to hotels and restaurants - for estate agents. Not for all agents, not for all searches - yet.

  It is now even more important to a) have more than 5 Google reviews and b) score more than 4.0 - try this search for yourself with the filter applied and see how Savills St Johns Wood disappears (even though they are advertising)

 

Here's the same search with the filter applied (you can see it on the left just under the blue search box). Of course the logical solution for Google and consumers - if not for all businesses - is to automate the 4 star filter for all searches, allowing users to opt out rather than in. We await this development!

Don't be caught napping. As soon as consumers spot it, they will set it at 4 stars - why would they chose any other?

If any of your branches have less than five reviews or score less than 4.0 you are:

• going to be filtered out of search altogether 
• not a client of ours!

We will keep you updated as the filter rolls out, but if you have yet to address this issue our firm advice is to do so immediately. Those businesses with few reviews should not relax completely - the extension of this logic is to apply the filter to businesses with less than 10 say, or less than 20; it's all about Google adding value in search.

Oh - and our next prediction? That Google will rank businesses in order of their scores. It's obvious when you think about it - what do consumers want from Google in any given local search? The best business, not just a random list. Watch this space!

An important PS: 

Never mind the Google Filter - which would you prefer your business to look like?

Ultimately the solution is very simple: do as Greene & Co have done - then your business will be ready for all eventualities - filter - ranking - scoring - whatever Google throw at you, now and in the future.

To see an article written expressly for businesses that have no - or less than 5 - Google reviews, click here.


  

Are you going to be FILTERED in Google search?

Google introduce their review filter - and businesses disappear from search - instantly.

NB: While we are illustrating this with examples from the hospitality industry, all our clients should take notice - Google will certainly apply the filter to any search where, in their opinion, it stands to enhance the user experience - who would not want to filter out plumbers or estate agents with scores lower than 4.0?

At the top right of selected Google searches in mobile* you will see an innocent word displayed in block capitals: 'FILTER':

This is a half-way move towards ranking by Google. 'Let's allow our users to filter out all but the best businesses.'

Can you imagine anyone choosing any but the highest (currently 4.0) filter? Nor can we.

Here's the same search, but with the filter applied:

Do you think One O One Restaurant is happy? Not only does it on longer appear in the top three in local search, it does not appear in infinite search - it has effectively been edited out of local search altogether.

And here's the more refined filter that Google is offering users searching for hotels:

 

A search on 'Hotel Kensington' saw 51 out of 97 hotels eliminated from mobile search when the 4.0 filter was applied. That's eliminated, not pushed down or parked somewhere else - eliminated.

It does not take a genius to see where Google is headed here: they will roll out the filter to all businesses (why would they not want to offer their users this facility when they are searching for mortgage brokers or financial advisers?).

Businesses affected:

Firstly - the obvious - any business scoring less than 4.0 

Secondly - and perhaps less obvious - businesses without a Google score (businesses with less than five reviews).

Never has it been so important to get (and maintain) a great Google score.

Action needed:

• Businesses with no reviews (or less than five reviews): adopt a proactive review management strategy urgently - get five reviews with a score averaging 4.5+

• Businesses with more than five reviews scoring 3.9 or less: adopt a proactive review management strategy urgently - aim for a score of as near to 4.5 as possible

• Businesses with more than five reviews scoring 4.4 or less: adopt a proactive review management strategy - aim for a score of as near to 4.5 as possible

• Businesses with more than five reviews scoring 4.5 or more: well done, but don't rest on your laurels - the Google score is purely mathematical, so a clutch of 1* reviews still has the potential to drive your score down - keep the great reviews coming

And finally:

Are you ready - for when Google apply the filter to your sector?

There are six businesses returned in this search; one looks great, one looks OK, the rest have no reviews - when Google enable filtering they will all disappear. You probably already know that Winkworth are clients of ours.

• Businesses in sectors where the filter has yet to be applied: Google have put you on notice - make the best of this advance warning: adopt professional review management and make sure you look great before the filter is applied to your sector.

*Here's the desktop version:

Yelp really doesn't do itself any favours - Botto's Bistro

The amount of blog inches filled with comments about Yelp's filter continue to boggle. But it is the most powerful review site on the planet, so we must continue to take them seriously.

This time it's an article in the Northwestern about a tactic adopted by an Italian Restaurant...

Fed up with having good reviews filtered, the owner began inviting diners to write one star reviews on Yelp, he even offered free meals. And it worked: he got the one stars and (he claims) business is on the up.

But that's not why we're adding to the noise. If Yelp are so proud of their filter, why is Botto's listing choc-a-bloc with reviews (of all ratings) that are obviously written by people who have never visited Botto's (and in several cases never visited California)?

Like these:

If you would like to see hundreds more like them, just go to Botto's listing on Yelp. If anyone thinks Yelp's review filter needs tweaking, tell them, not us.

P.S. To see how helpful Yelp and Yelpers have been for this Washington D.C. eatery when it was visited by an NBC reporter who had recently returned from Liberia go here.