At some point in life, every law firm has to deal with negative reviews on Google. However, there are some steps that you can take to get the review taken down. Furthermore, if the review cannot be taken down, there are a few things you can do to lessen the impact of that review.
A type of negative review is one star with no text. Unfortunately, it is the toughest to get taken down. Unless the account has a history of giving 1 start to almost all businesses, it will be tough to convince Google to remove the review.
In some cases, Google takes down reviews, especially when there is hate language is used. Other reasons for removing the reviews by Google can be posting personal information such as name, address, and contact info. Furthermore, the reviews intend to harass people are also removed by Google.
Response time of Google can take anywhere from 3 days to 4-5 weeks. If the review remains after flagging as well as reporting, it won’t be taken down by Google.
What to do if the review is not taken down by Google
Respond to them
If you or your legal team has made a mistake that sourced a negative review, a genuine apology can change the perception that your clients have of your brand. Keep in mind that these reviews are public for your potential clients. So when you respond politely, your potential clients perceive you as a responsible law firm.
Ask to delete
As the reviews are public, when your team responds to them, the client also doesn’t want to look like a villain. So when you interact with the client, ask them if they can remove the review. Connect with them using a private platform such as email. This way they don’t feel pressurized. However, be sure to remain patient and don’t sound demanding.
Solve the problem
Clients often post a negative review when some of their need remains unfulfilled. So ask them about the areas you can help. If there is any issue with the paperwork, get that resolved. It is vital to navigate the issue and take action to correct it. Make them feel that you care about their relationship with your law firm.
Follow up
Customer service experts say that 85% of customers believe reviews older than three months don’t create any impact. However, old reviews still contribute to the overall ratings of your law firm. And the overall rating is extremely important as clients don’t want to work with law firms having less than 4-star ratings.
So if the user who posted a negative review years ago is still active, try to connect with them and see if they can remove or edit the review. Offer them help for any legal matter again while asking for an updated review.
All in all
Waiting for Google to remove a negative review can be time-consuming. So the steps listed above can help you to respond to any negative review quickly. This also improves your relationship with the existing clients. Want to learn more? Get connected with the best law firm marketing services in Florida. The experts here will help your law firm to stand out using the most effective digital marketing techniques.