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How can you keep good reviews on your Google page?

How can you keep good reviews on your Google page?

 

How to master Google My Business in 2025: customer reviews, e-reputation and sales

If your establishment doesn't have a Google review, it's like leaving your neon sign off: nobody notices, even if the food is exceptional. In 2025, the Californian search engine will still be capturing almost 90 % of research worldwide - a domination that relegates Bing, Yahoo! and others to the rank of extras. Worse (or better, depending on your point of view): four out of five Internet users say that trust online reviews as much as recommendations from a friend. In other words, your Google My Business (GMB) page has become your first venue; your reviews, your digital word of mouth.

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Why Google is still the best place for your reviews

Despite the rise of conversational AI, niche social networks and delivery apps, Google is still three steps ahead:

Omnipresence of ecosystems

Chrome, Android, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, Waze: each product silently feeds the Mountain View database. A customer searches for a recipe for soft-boiled eggs on YouTube? The algorithm remembers that he likes French cuisine and, on his next trip, will spontaneously suggest bistronomic restaurants.

Focus on real-time local search

Since the update Vicinity (December 2023), Google will weight distance and geographical relevance even more finely. If it's raining in Paris on a Sunday evening, a user typing in «fish tasting menu» won't just get restaurants in the neighbourhood: Maps will also take into account traffic jams, disruptions on the RATP and the availability of VTCs. As a result, the algorithm automatically eliminates establishments that are inaccessible in less than fifteen minutes.

E-reputation displayed even before the first click

Le Knowledge Panel delivers, straight to the point, your rating, your prices, your services (terrace, vegan options, cigar cellar), your photos, your Google Posts and visitors' questions and answers. This showcase is displayed within 0.3 seconds of the query, well before the user has time to look at your Instagram stories or browse your responsive site.

Case study The «Les Chênes Verts» bistro (Lyon Croix-Rousse) was stagnating at 4.1 ★ and 38 reviews. After a six-week GMB project - NAP cleaning, photo shooting, automated review requests - it rose to 4.7 ★ and 311 reviews. The direct bookings/platforms ratio fell from 40/60 to 68/32, saving 17 % in commissions in twelve months.

Google My Business: your digital identity card

Fill in each field with the precision of a master sommelier

A chef doesn't leave the cooking of a turbot to chance; apply the same rigour to the data in your form.

  • Name
    Use the same version everywhere: shop window, website, social networks, invoices. The slightest deviation («Restaurant Le Jardin» vs «Le Jardin Restaurant») confuses the algorithm and dilutes your reputation.

  • Category
    Select the most refined: «French gourmet restaurant» rather than «Restaurant». The right micro-category will position you in relation to the relevant competition, so you won't have to battle against the local fast-food outlets.

  • Short description (400 characters)
    Be concrete, sensory and experience-oriented:

    «Authentic wood-fired cuisine, ultra-local products, 600-strong wine cellar. Panoramic view of the Loire.»
    Avoid empty adjectives («exceptional», «incredible») and think about geographical keywords.

  • Contact details
    - Click-to-call telephone.
    - Dedicated e-mail address (contact@nomduresto.fr).
    - URL leading directly to the booking page; avoid the home page if it requires four extra clicks.

Proof through images: tell your story without a filter

A file rich in meticulous visuals captures up to 35 % additional clicks. Structure your gallery like a visual tasting menu:

  • Façade, day and night
    Reassure people that the area is accessible and safe.

  • Room
    Frame the atmosphere rather than empty tables: low light on a bouquet, the reflection of crystal glassware, the silhouette of a waiter.

  • Signature dishes
    Priority to natural light or indirect flash, never saturated Instagram filters. The product comes first, the style follows.

  • Team
    A smiling chef at the pass, a concentrated brigade: the human touch reassures and creates a bond.

Field tips - Plan a quarterly two-hour photoshoot before the service: the kitchen in full swing, preparation, a masterful shot. In this way, you can feed your website, Instagram and the local press all in one go.

Trigger a flood of five-star reviews

In gastronomy, as in music, it's all a question of tempo. Ask, remind, thank: three movements for an e-reputation symphony.

The right moment: emotions still running high

The guest has just left the table, and the taste buds are still quivering: send a personalised text message within the hour, including a short link. Most catering CRMs (SevenRooms, Zenchef, TheFork Manager) trigger this message automatically when the bill closes.

Discreet but recurrent reminders

  • QR code on the note or coaster.

  • E-mail D+1 thank-you note: «We'd love to hear what you think in 30 seconds».

  • Instagram Story of the following day: Boomerang of the chef preparing a dessert, swipe-up to the «Leave a comment» area.

Set aside a weekly slot to check that each link is working. Nothing is more frustrating than a broken CTA.

Reward without corruption

Legally, you cannot buy a review. However, you can reward commitment:

  • Signature dessert on next visit.

  • Access to an «hors carte» menu (private club effect).

  • Invitation to a food and wine matching workshop.

The important thing is to offer the same consideration for a detailed review - whether complimentary or critical - in order to remain within the bounds of the conditions of use.

google advice
google advice

Handling negative reviews like an orchestra conductor

The pianissimo of an acerbic comment can quickly cover the whole score if left unanswered.

The 90-minute rule

Answer within an hour and a half. No hasty justification, but a three-step structure:

  • Empathy : «We understand your disappointment with the cooking of the sea bass.»
  • Responsibility : «It seems our standards weren't met that night.»
  • Solution: «I invite you to come back and try our tasting menu, pearly cooking guaranteed, accompanied by a complimentary wine pairing.»

A calm, factual tone reassures the silent audience, who read the answers but never write.

Turning a complaint into an opportunity to shine

According to BrightLocal, 68 % of customers revise their rating after a satisfactory response. Remind them: «If your perception is different after your next visit, don't hesitate to update your review». This shows your confidence in your capacity for continuous improvement.

Staying above 4.5: loyalty first and foremost

Out of 1,000 records analysed, a score of less than 3.5 ★ will scare you away 60 % prospects. But maintaining a 4,6 ★ is not just a contest of likes; it's a virtuous circle.

5.1 Ambassador programme

Loyalty + challenge: an «Ambassadeur Maison» badge is awarded after three visits and three detailed reviews. In exchange, you get priority booking for truffle evenings and an early tasting of the new arrivals. The regulars see it as a role-playing game, while you gain consistency and authenticity.

5.2 Weekly Google Posts

  • Monday: announcement of the new homemade sourdough bread.

  • Thursday: food and wine pairings devised by the sommelier.

  • Saturday: backstage photo of the morning's fishing.

These micro-narratives feed the algorithm and remind subscribers that the company is innovating.

5.3 Quarterly audit & continuous improvement

  • Measure Track CTR, «Itinerary» clicks, call requests, table conversions.

  • Analysis Identify the seasonality of negative reviews (summer service, new autumn menu).

  • Action Training the team, adjusting the map, modifying the processes.

  • Review Communicate publicly «What we have improved thanks to your comments». Humility is empowering.

30 days to tame GMB« action plan»

Week 1: audit & optimisation

  • Check NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency on all platforms.

  • Rewrite the description and include your top three keywords (e.g. «Nantes gourmet restaurant»).

Week 2: visual production

  • Natural light photo shoot + 15-second vertical videos for Reels and TikTok.

  • Select 10 shots for the GMB page, 20 for Instagram and 5 for the local press.

Week 3: automation of requests for advice

  • Set up SMS + post-visit e-mail with short link.

  • Test the route on an internal number before general distribution.

Week 4: public engagement

  • Respond to all notices (old and new).

  • Publish a Google Post «White truffle menu» with an availability date.

  • Analyse the increase in «Itinerary» or «Call» clicks using the integrated statistics.

Focus ROI - A restaurant in Bordeaux with 48 covers applied this plan: in 30 days, it went from 4.3 to 4.7 stars, gained 112 new reviews and 18 % in additional direct bookings, reducing its dependence on commissioned platforms.

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Beyond 30 days: anchoring performance over time

Week 1: audit & foundations

  • Check NAP On-site consistency, networks, GMB, directories.

  • Description Integrate geolocation («Nantes île de Versailles»), concept, culinary signature.

  • Reservation shortcut /reserve activated; test the route on your mobile.

Week 2: visual arsenal

  • Photo shoots 60 shots, including 20 for GMB, 10 for maps and 30 for networks.

  • Vertical video 15 second teaser for Reels/TikTok, reused in Google Post.

  • 360° tour Street View Trusted photographer, cost amortised in three months through increased consultation time.

Week 3: automation of notices

  • Set up SMS + e-mail + QR.

  • Write three scripts (family, business, gastronomic).

  • Integrating a segment field in the PMS (couple, business, event) to adapt the message.

Week 4: commitment & follow-up

  • Responding to 100 % reviews, old and new.

  • Publish a Google Post «Equinox menu» photo + description.

  • Use Google Insights: check the «Brand queries vs. discovered queries» curve. Target: +20 % of queries discovered in three months.

Conclusion: the digital shop window that works while you're on duty

A great restaurant orchestrates the smallest details: tablecloths, polished silverware, service temperature down to the degree. Your Google My Business listing should reflect the same quest for excellence. Properly managed, it becomes your virtual butler: it welcomes, reassures, advises, converts, builds loyalty... and all this 24 hours a day. Neglect it, and you'll be letting your competitors prepare their finest dishes in the minds of your prospects.

Would you rather spend your mornings tasting smoked butter than responding to opinions? Entrust us with your digital reputation. We'll handle algorithms, scripts and KPIs like you handle pans, thermometers and siphons.

Request your free audit - The only thing it will cost you is a shared espresso, and maybe a chocolate chip for the road.

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