In 2025, your potential customers are looking at your stars before they look at your menu. 93% of consumers say online reviews influence their purchase decisions.
For Perth restaurants and cafes, your Google Business Profile (and its review count) is your most important digital asset—more important than your Instagram, significantly more important than your Facebook page.
Review management isn’t just about ego; it’s a critical Local SEO strategy.
The 3 Pillars of Review Strategy
1. Acquisition (Asking for it)
Most happy customers forget to leave a review. Unhappy ones remember. You need to bridge that gap.
- QR Codes on tables: “Scan to leave feedback” (direct link to the Google Review form, pre-filled with 5 stars if possible via link tools).
- The Payment Moment: Train staff to say, “If you enjoyed that, we’d love a review on Google.”
- Email Follow-up: If you have a booking system (OpenTable, SevenRooms), automate an email 2 hours after their reservation.
2. Monitoring (Listening)
You need to know when reviews happen.
- Set up Google Alerts or use the Google Maps app to get push notifications instantly.
- Monitor TripAdvisor (still relevant for tourists) and Facebook recommendations.
3. Response (Engaging)
This is where the magic happens. Your response is public marketing.
The “Perfect Response” Framework
Responding to GOOD Reviews (The SEO Boost)
Don’t just say “Thanks.” Use the opportunity to reinforce keywords.
- Customer: “Loved the food!”
- Bad Reply: “Thanks!”
- Good Reply: “Thanks Sarah! So glad you enjoyed our signature wood-fired pizza. We hope to see you back in Leederville soon!”
- Why: You just told Google you serve wood-fired pizza in Leederville.
Responding to BAD Reviews (Damage Control)
The goal isn’t to win the argument; it’s to show future customers that you are reasonable and professional.
The “HEARD” Method:
- Hear: Acknowledge the specific complaint.
- Empathise: “We are so sorry your experience didn’t meet our standards.”
- Apologise: Say sorry, even if you think they are wrong.
- Resolve: “We have addressed this with the kitchen team.”
- Direct: Take it offline. “Please email us at manager@venue.com so we can make this right.”
Never:
- Call the customer a liar.
- Blame the customer.
- Write a 500-word essay defending yourself.
Reviews and Local SEO
Google loves data. Reviews provide user-generated content that tells Google what your business is about.
- Attribute extraction: If 10 people mention “Best coffee in Perth” in their reviews, Google starts associating your business strongly with that phrase. You will rank higher for “Best coffee Perth.”
- Freshness: A steady stream of new reviews signals that the business is open, popular, and trustworthy.
Dealing with Fake/Spam Reviews
It happens. A 1-star review with no text from a profile called “PlayerOne123”.
- Flag it: Use the “Flag as inappropriate” tool in Google Business Profile.
- Reason: Select “Spam and fake content.”
- Respond anyway: “Hi, we don’t have a record of your visit. We take all feedback seriously—could you please provide more details so we can verify this?” (This shows genuine customers that this review is likely fake).
Is your online reputation reflecting your real-world quality? Amplify Creative Lab helps hospitality businesses maximise their Local SEO and reputation management. We can set up automated review generation systems to get those 5 stars rolling in. Chat with us today.