Reputation management
Use ratings strategically
Component of our module: LOCAL SEO
What is it all about?
Online reputation management refers to measures that maintain and protect your own image on the Internet:
Monitoring
of online reviews, comments and feedback published on various platforms such as social media, review portals and other online channels. The aim is to identify potential problems at an early stage and then respond appropriately.
Creation of positive online content
to manifest and enhance the reputation of a company or a person. This can be achieved through content creation such as blog articles, social media posts, online PR and other methods.
Ratings from a user and SEO perspective
Online reviews have long been more than just “nice words” – they are a decisive factor for trust and visibility online.
Helpful for interested parties
Most people obtain information online before using a service, especially in the sensitive field of medicine.
- Social confirmation:
Positive reviews strengthen the trust of potential patients. - Dealing with feedback:
How a company responds to reviews – whether praise or criticism – strongly influences the decision of many interested parties.
Helpful for Google & Co.
Search engines evaluate reviews as user signals in order to assess the relevance and trustworthiness of a company. Several factors play a role here:
- Number of reviews:
Many reviews signal to Google: This company is relevant. - Rating average:
Higher average values improve the ranking – especially compared to the competition. - Frequency of ratings:
Regular, evenly distributed ratings appear more natural and are weighted higher. - Quality of the ratings:
Detailed reviews with concrete statements count more than terse comments. Even better: reviews with your own photos. - Use of keywords:
If relevant terms (e.g. “dentist Berlin”, “friendly team”) appear in reviews, this strengthens the ranking for precisely these terms.
Where and how can you collect reviews?
Reviews can be collected in different places, depending on the type of offer and the target group.
Here is an overview of useful platforms and methods:
Local companies & service providers
Ideal for practices, studios, agencies or retail outlets with a physical location.
- Google business profile (formerly Google My Business):
Most important platform for local visibility via maps & local search. - Yelp, golocal, Tripadvisor:
Other portals for reviews in a local context (e.g. gastronomy). - Jameda, Sanego:
Specialized portals for doctors and medical services.
Online stores& products
Suitable for mail order, web stores, branded products or digital products.
- Trusted Shops, Trustpilot, ShopVote:
External platforms for verified reviews with high credibility. - Amazon, Otto, eBay:
Platform-internal reviews directly on the product.
Own website / blogs (recipes, guides)
Perfect for food blogs, DIY websites or online guides.
- WordPress-Plugins:
Extensions for star ratings with rich snippets. - Interactive evaluation forms:
Integrate your own evaluation systems (“How helpful was this tip?”). - Social media:
Instagram story surveys, TikTok comments or rating stickers for quick feedback.
Supplementary notes
1. valuations without a physical location
- Providers without a fixed location (e.g. online service providers, coaches, food blogs or digital magazines) can also make good use of reviews.
- For content such as recipes or tips, rating systems can be used directly on the website, for example via star plugins or feedback forms.
- These user signals increase trust and can even appear directly in Google search results via structured data (rich snippets).
2. legal aspects of incentives*
- If you use incentives such as discounts or small gifts for reviews, please observe the legal requirements: Reviews must be voluntary, honest and transparent.
- Pay attention to GDPR compliance as well as clear indications when an incentive is offered, for example by using the wording “We thank you for your evaluation with …”.
*Disclaimer: For legally binding information, please always consult your legal advisor.
Important rating platforms in Germany
Preliminary notes:
- The following lists are only examples (as of 2025) to give an indication of the many possibilities.
- The relevance of the respective platform depends on the business model. Not every platform makes sense for every company.
1. general (examples)
- Google business profile (formerly Google My Business): Most important platform for local visibility of visitable locations. Customer reviews appear directly in Google search and on Google Maps:
- Apple Maps (Apple Business Connect): Enables companies to manage their locations on Apple Maps. Reviews usually come fromUsually from third-party sources such as Yelp or Tripadvisor.
- OpenStreetMap (OSM): Open map project that is integrated into many apps (e.g. Komoot, Maps.me). No rating function of its own, but additional location information via services such as Mapillary or OSM contributors.
- Trustpilot: Used extensively internationally – ideal for services and online stores with a broad target group.
- Trusted Shops: Very well known in e-commerce. Offers verified ratings, legally compliant widgets and a seal of approval.
- ProvenExpert: Especially for service providers, agencies and freelancers – with flexible integration on your own website.
- Amazon: The largest product review platform – reviews directly on the item.
- Yelp: Internationally widespread, but in Germany mainly relevant for gastronomy & wellness. Also used for Apple Maps ratings.
- golocal.de: German alternative to Yelp with a focus on local businesses.
2. industry-specific (examples)
For doctors
- Jameda:
Germany’s largest and best-known doctor rating platform. Particularly relevant for patient acquisition. - Sanego:
Established for reviews of doctors, clinics and medicines. - DocInsider:
Patient experiences and reviews about medical professionals. - Arzt-Auskunft:
Official platform of the PKV – trustworthy and objective. - MeineArztbewertung:
Smaller platform with a focus on doctor ratings. - Med-Kolleg:
Directory character with additional evaluation options. - Patientus:
Platform for doctors with a focus on video consultations.
For the hospitality and travel industry
- Tripadvisor:
Market leader for reviews in gastronomy and tourism – also indispensable for smaller businesses. - Booking.com:
Rating function for hotels, apartments and restaurants by real guests. - HolidayCheck:
A strong presence in Germany for vacation ratings, especially in the hotel sector. - Yelp:
Internationally widespread, but in Germany mainly relevant for gastronomy & wellness.
Our recommendations for action
Reputation management thrives on collaboration. We can support you with monitoring, analysis and materials, but direct communication with your customers is up to you.
The following suggestions are intended as a collection of ideas in order to better assess the scope of possible measures:
Increase positive ratings - how?
Positive reviews strengthen trust and increase the chance of acquiring new customers. If you ignore or do not respond to feedback, you quickly come across as disinterested or unprofessional.
- Keep an eye on review platforms:
Monitor all relevant portals regularly and actively respond to reviews: Thank them for praise, answer questions or criticism (see below). - Use social media:
Share positive reviews and stay in touch with your community. Also use posts and stories to actively ask for feedback. - Obtain targeted feedback:
- By e-mail,
after an appointment, purchase or download - With QR code cards or stickers,
e.g. as an insert or in the entrance area - Via rating buttons,
clearly visible on your website
- By e-mail,
- Show openness and quality:
Be open to criticism, set legal incentives (e.g. vouchers, GDPR-compliant) and convince through consistently good performance.
Answering negative reviews - How?
Criticism can also be helpful if it is dealt with confidently. A professional response can regain lost trust.
- Understand the content:
Read exactly what it is about before you reply. - Stay calm:
Remain professional and respectful even in the face of unfair criticism. - Do not escalate:
Avoid public discussions, they do more harm than good. - Apologize for mistakes:
Sincerity often has a stronger effect than justifications. - Offer a solution:
Show commitment and the will to clarify. - See criticism as an opportunity:
Use negative feedback for optimization. - Check deletion:
In the case of illegal content, deletion may be possible – we can help you find specialized lawyers.
Prevention - How?
Transparent communication creates trust – both internally and externally.
- Clear communication:
What you do and how should be openly comprehensible. - Take feedback seriously:
Keep the dialog open (on all channels). - Living data protection visibly:
Clear guidelines strengthen the trust of your customers. - Promote an open corporate culture:
Honesty begins in the team and has an external impact. - Show responsibility:
Act ethically, sustainably and customer-oriented.
How can TBA support?
- When it comes to online reputation management, TBA-Berlin can support your team by monitoring and suggesting solutions, even for very specific individual cases.
- Of course, only you can answer questions about specific incidents. However, we are happy to help youformulate factual answers and suggest further measures if required.
- We also support you with professionally designed print materials and handouts that you can use to actively ask for reviews, e.g. cards with QR codes or notices for your practice or business premises.
