Frequently Asked Questions

Review management is the ongoing process of monitoring, responding to, and growing your online reviews. It covers everything from asking happy customers to share their experience, to responding professionally when something goes wrong, to keeping an eye on what's being said about your business across Google, Facebook, Yelp, and other platforms.

Reviews are one of the strongest trust signals available to a local business. Over 90% of people read reviews before choosing a business, and your star rating directly affects how prominently Google shows your profile. More positive reviews means higher rankings, more clicks, more calls, and more customers walking through your door.

Yes — this is one of the highest-return activities a local business can invest in. A steady flow of fresh, positive reviews improves your Google ranking, builds instant trust with new visitors, and gives you an edge over competitors with fewer or older reviews. GroHound automates the hardest part — asking — so the reviews keep coming without you having to chase them.

Directly, yes. Review quantity, recency, and rating are all factored into Google's local ranking algorithm. A business with 200 recent reviews will consistently outrank one with 20 old reviews, even if their profiles are otherwise similar. GroHound's review generation strategy is built around this — getting you consistent new reviews, not just a one-time bump.

GroHound monitors your reviews across platforms, responds to customers on your behalf, sends automated review requests to your happy clients, flags fake or policy-violating reviews for removal, and provides regular reporting so you always know where your reputation stands.

Yes! GroHound writes professional, on-brand responses to both positive and negative reviews — saving you time and making sure nothing goes unanswered. Responding to every review (not just the bad ones) signals to Google and to potential customers that you're an active, engaged business.

Absolutely. GroHound gives you the tools and guidance to manage responses yourself if you prefer — we can provide response templates, flag reviews that need attention, and advise on how to handle tricky situations. Many clients prefer a hybrid approach: we handle the day-to-day and they step in for anything that needs a personal touch.

The most effective method is simply asking — at the right moment, in the right way. GroHound sets up automated review requests that go out to your customers after a visit or purchase, via email or SMS, with a direct link to your Google review page. Most customers are happy to leave a review when it's made easy for them; they just need a nudge.

GroHound handles this with automated follow-up messages sent at the optimal time after a customer interaction. We also provide QR codes and direct review links you can use in person — on receipts, at your counter, or in post-service emails. The easier you make it, the more reviews you'll get.

Everyone starts from zero. GroHound will identify your happiest existing customers and reach out with a personalized request. Even a handful of strong, genuine reviews can make a significant difference to your ranking and the confidence new customers have in your business. It builds from there.

Don't ignore it — that's the worst thing you can do. GroHound will draft a calm, professional response that acknowledges the customer's experience, provides any necessary context, and signals to other readers that you take feedback seriously. A well-handled negative review can actually strengthen your credibility.

Yes. Beyond the public response, GroHound can help you identify patterns in negative feedback that point to an underlying issue worth addressing. Sometimes negative reviews are your best source of honest business intelligence.

Yes — flagging fake, spam, or policy-violating reviews for removal is part of our service. We build the case for removal with supporting evidence and submit it through the appropriate channel. Whether a review is ultimately removed is the platform's decision, but we give it the best possible chance.

False reviews that clearly misrepresent your business — or were left by someone who was never your customer — violate most platform policies and can be flagged for removal. GroHound handles the reporting process and follows up persistently. In cases where removal isn't possible, we focus on generating new positive reviews to reduce the false one's impact.

Yes — by generating a consistent stream of positive reviews from genuine customers. We can't manufacture fake ratings, and we wouldn't want to (it violates platform terms and damages trust if discovered). But by making it frictionless for your happy customers to leave reviews, your average rating naturally rises over time.

GroHound monitors your reviews across all major platforms and alerts you when new reviews appear — so you never miss one. No more manually checking Google, Facebook, and Yelp separately.

GroHound primarily focuses on Google — where the most impactful local reviews live — along with Facebook and Yelp. If your business has a presence on additional review platforms, get in touch and we'll discuss what monitoring is available.

Yes. If there are platforms where your customers are leaving reviews — or where you should be building a presence — GroHound can help you set up and monitor them. We focus on the ones that will have the most impact for your type of business.

GroHound's Review Management service starts at $99/month, which covers monitoring, response management, and automated review requests. For businesses needing more intensive reputation work, get in touch and we'll put together a quote.

Get in touch with GroHound and we'll start with an audit of your current review profile — looking at your rating, review volume, recency, and any problem reviews that need attention. From there we'll recommend the right approach and get the system running. Most clients are up and running within a few days.