Hiding names I Tracing I Is Gmail necesary? I Without Gmail I Flag reviews I
Google reviews are universally considered to be the most important reviews you can find on the internet. The influence Google has in the online space is so great, that reviews made through the platform can have a significant impact on consumer purchase decisions.
If you’ve ever tried out a local business or been on a trip and visited several restaurants and bars, then you might have found yourself wanting to leave a review. Yet, not everyone wishes to have their name associated with the review they write. If you want to leave an anonymous Google review, then read on to find out how you can do just that.
Anonymous Google Reviews: How to hide names on Google Reviews?
It isn’t possible to hide your name completely when you post Google reviews, but there is something you can do instead. There is a way that you can show just your first name when you leave a review on Google, which should put your mind at ease.
- First, you’ll need to go to your Google account, which you can do following this link: https://aboutme.google.com/u/4/?hl=en_US&pli=1.
- On this page, you need to click on the picture in the top right and then select ‘Manage your Google Account’.
- Now, there will be several tabs at the top of the screen, and you’ll need to select ‘Personal info’.
- Finally, select the row that says ‘Name’ and then all you need to do is remove your last name so only your first name will show up whenever you post.
Can an Anonymous Google Review be traced?
Yes, if you leave an anonymous Google review your IP address can be traced.
Google sees your IP address whenever you post a review, even if you hide your name when you do so.
The only way to prevent Google from detecting your IP address is through the use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network) which will conceal the address by rerouting to a server in a different country.
Is it necessary to have a Gmail account to leave a Google Review?
No, it isn’t necessary to have a Gmail account to leave a Google review.
In fact, many people leave reviews all the time without ever having created a Gmail account. This is something that business owners can use to their advantage.
If you run a business and offer a product or service to a customer base, then it’s in your interest to let the customers know that they can leave a Google review without owning a Gmail account.
Why?
Because many people don’t have Gmail accounts, believe it or not, which means you could potentially miss out on many reviews if they don’t think they are allowed to leave a review. The problem with missing out on so many reviews is that it decreases the potential online presence and visibility of your company, which could in turn have a negative impact on your overall sales.
Needless to say, Google reviews are the backbone of many businesses. If you have a GMB page, then it’s in your best interests to educate your customers on the possibility of posting a review without a Gmail account.
How you inform your customers is up to you, but it could be as simple as an email that goes out to everyone who has purchased one of your products or services. Reminding customers that it’s possible to leave a review without a Gmail account should be something that takes you less than 10 minutes, and the potential return for that 10 minutes can be monumental.
The key thing to remember with any types of reviews is that they provide a fantastic way for you to cash in on free marketing, so if you’re not looking to splash out hundreds or thousands on expensive marketing campaigns then invest the time and effort to boost the amount of reviews you receive – we promise you won’t regret it!
How to leave a Google Review without a Gmail account?
Leaving a Google review without a Gmail account is relatively easy to do and prevents the need to create an account just to leave a review. Here’s how you can leave a review without a Gmail account:
- First, open up a new tab and navigate to Google Maps.
- Now, search for the name of the business you want to leave a review for.
- Write the review and provide a star rating.
- Now is the important part, when it prompts you to sign in with your Google account, go down and press the ‘create account’ option where you will be able to use your own email address instead.
How can a business flag a review? Why is it important?
Not every review that is posted on Google is honest or authentic. Some reviews are spam, while others make false claims and attempt to sabotage the company’s sales.
It’s crucial as a business owner to address and root out these types of reviews, since they can have a hugely detrimental effect on your business’ reputation. If new customers aren’t aware of your business, and see an alarming number of negative comments about your services, then they might be scared off which could see you lose a potential sale or two.
So the question is, how can a business flag a review?
In order to flag a Google review, you need to be 100% sure that it is in violation of Google’s policies. If it’s just a review that you don’t like or makes a claim that you disagree with, then flagging it isn’t the correct response.
Once you’re sure that it violates Google policies, then you can flag the review which will ensure it is assessed by Google and dealt with accordingly. This assessment process usually takes several days, so Google recommends that you are patient when you are waiting for a response.
To flag a review, the process will be different depending on whether you are doing it from your account, Google Maps, or Google Search. As a general guide, though, what you’ll need to do is find your GMB profile, select the review you wish to flag, and then select the option that says ‘flag as inappropriate’.