Mini: What to Do If You’re Hit with Fake Google Reviews

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 learnWhy 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 todayReport 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 takeawayDon’t panic. Flag the fakes, handle real feedback with grace, and outpace the noise with a steady stream of honest reviews.