HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
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Mini: What to Do If You’re Hit with Fake Google Reviews
Marketing From X 2 Z: Digital marketing strategy and tips to help you grow your small business
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Getting “Google-bombed” with sudden, illegitimate 1-star reviews? In this quick mini episode, Mike and Liz walk through what to do right away, how to reply when a review is real (but negative), and how to rebound with a steady, ethical review flow that restores trust.
You’ll learn
- Why fake review spikes happen—and why they’re so damaging to small businesses.
- The fast triage: how to flag/report illegitimate reviews inside Google Business Profile.
- Responding to legitimate negatives: professional, calm, and clarifying (no arguments).
- How to recover momentum: a simple, ongoing process to source more real reviews.
- Relevancy tips that help good reviews rise: use plain-language keywords and, when appropriate, photos.
Quick steps you can do today
- Report obvious fakes from your GBP dashboard (flag, explain how it violates guidelines).
- Reply to any real negative review with empathy, facts, and next steps.
- Activate a review routine: ask recent happy customers, make it easy, never incentivize.
- Coach lightly: suggest they mention what you did and the result; photos help relevancy.
Key takeaway
Don’t panic. Flag the fakes, handle real feedback with grace, and outpace the noise with a steady stream of honest reviews.
11 episodes