Senior Living 101: Google Reviews 

A practical guide to harnessing the power of reviews for your community

by Jim Dudley, Director of Strategy

Whether you like it or not, one of the very first things people do when they begin researching any new product or service, including senior living, is turn to Google. And in the results, right there as part of your Google Business Profile, will be a powerful set of stars tied to your Google review history.  

While there are a number of referral platforms online attempting to capture traffic searching for senior living communities, your Google Business Profile is and will remain one of your first touchpoints with prospects beginning to learn about your community. And that can mean the difference between calling to learn more or scheduling a visit to your community, or moving on to the next name on their list.  

Google reviews are not something you can opt out of, so your options are to do what you can to encourage positive reviews, or bury your head in the sand and hope for the best.

Taking an active role: encouraging reviews  

The very best time for someone to review your community on Google is immediately following a positive interaction. It could be after a really nice event organized by your staff. It could be following a smooth transaction like a completed deposit or a stress-free move to a new apartment home. This means that your entire staff—not just senior leaders or the marketing team—need to be on the lookout for opportunities to encourage people to review your community on Google.

Who should ask for reviews (and how to do it)

Ideally, the team member who directly interacts with the potential reviewer should make the ask. The team member should explain how powerful the reviews can be and how easy they are to complete. That’s it. Keep it simple and never, ever be pushy.  

You can get the word out via email, by printed materials or direct mail, by text, or even by including a link in your email signature inviting people to leave a review on Google’s platform.

Make it easy as 1-2-3 

One key to getting more reviews is making it seem as quick and painless as possible. Sharing a link (in digital communications) or QR code (in printed) that directly brings up your reviews is ideal. It’s helpful to give short instructions for how to leave a review too.

Responding to reviews 

As much as is possible, respond to all reviews in a timely manner, whether they are positive or negative reviews. Thank positive reviewers for their kind words, and address any negative feedback professionally and carefully. Avoid language that feels defensive. Most people don’t expect perfection—but how you respond can be as important or even more important than the review itself. Even if something wasn’t great, your response can show readers that you truly care.

Compliance: things NOT to do 

Google has a clear policy: you cannot offer incentives to get reviews. And you also cannot ask directly for positive reviews. You can be selective of who you ask to leave a review, and you can say that you hope the person had a great experience, and if they would like to leave a review, here’s how to do it. But you can’t directly say “Please leave us a positive review.”

It’s also important to avoid fake reviews. For starters, it’s unethical. Plus, people are smart and they’ll begin to discount positive reviews overall if some of them feel canned. If employees, contractors or other business contacts leave reviews, they should be clear about their relationship to your community as they explain why they enjoy working at or with you.  

Getting better: learning from reviews  

Reviews aren’t just for others to see, they’re also an invaluable source of direct feedback for your team. Pay attention to key words used in reviews. If you see patterns leading to negative feedback, take it seriously and work to solve the problem. Educate employees on the importance of reviews. Share great reviews with your team—we all enjoy knowing that the work we do is making a difference in people’s real lives.