Reputation Management & Google Reviews in Lafayette, LA
Abode Marketing provides reputation management for Lafayette, LA businesses: an honest, automated system that asks every customer for a Google review, replies to every review, and stays inside Google’s and the FTC’s rules.
One client per niche · Month-to-month · You own everything
Or email me directly: kayce@abodetheagency.com
Kayce Sadler, founder. You work with me directly.
Kopfler & Hermann, Personal Injury Lawyers · #1 on Google Maps and organic for “car accident lawyer Houma” & “truck accident lawyer Houma”
30A Valley Wellness and Physical Therapy · Top 2 on Google Maps for “pelvic floor therapy Santa Rosa Beach” & “postpartum physical therapy”
Louisiana & Gulf-Coast service businesses · rankings checked Oct 2026
In Lafayette, word of mouth still runs a lot of business, but even a referral gets checked on Google first. If your last review is years old, or an angry review sits at the top with no reply, that referral can quietly go elsewhere.
Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking (more in our post on whether Google reviews affect ranking). Customers look further: how recent the reviews are, what people say about the work, and how the owner responds when something goes wrong. Reviews that keep coming in often look more trustworthy than a big pile that stopped two years ago, so the goal is a steady monthly flow, not a one-time push.
How the review engine works
We build this inside GoHighLevel, the same platform behind our marketing automation and CRM work, so it runs whether or not anyone remembers to ask.
A request after every job
When a job is marked complete or an appointment ends, the customer gets a short, friendly text or email with a direct link to your Google review form.
One gentle follow-up
One reminder a few days later, then we stop.
Every customer gets the same ask
We don’t screen people first or send only the happy ones to Google. More on why below.
A reply to every review
We draft a response to each new review, positive or negative, for your approval.
A simple dashboard
New reviews, your average rating, and how you compare to nearby competitors.
Reviews feed directly into your local SEO in Lafayette and your Google Business Profile, so this service usually runs alongside those.
The rules we stay inside
Most review shortcuts can get reviews removed or a business in legal trouble. Here’s where the lines are.
No incentives
Google’s review policy says businesses can’t offer payment, discounts, free goods, or services in exchange for reviews. No gift card drawings, no “10 percent off for a five-star review.”
No review gating
Google’s policy says businesses may not discourage negative reviews or selectively ask for positive ones. That rules out having customers rate you first and sending only the happy ones to Google.
No fake or bought reviews
Google removes reviews that were paid for or posted by the business or people working for it. Reviews from employees, family, or anyone with a conflict of interest aren’t allowed either.
The FTC rule
The Federal Trade Commission’s final rule on consumer reviews and testimonials took effect October 21, 2024. It bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones and reviews from people who never used the business, along with buying reviews, paying for positive or negative reviews, undisclosed reviews from insiders, and using threats or intimidation to get negative reviews taken down. The FTC can seek civil penalties against businesses that knowingly break it.
Licensed professionals may also face their licensing board’s rules on testimonials, so we keep requests and replies general and private. For attorneys, see our law firm marketing in Lafayette page.
Handling negative reviews
Every business gets one eventually. What matters is the reply, because future customers read it more closely than the review itself.
Respond calmly and quickly
Acknowledge the concern, skip the argument, and offer to talk offline.
Protect privacy
Never confirm someone was a patient or client or share details about their case or job.
Flag what breaks the rules
Reviews that are spam, off-topic, or clearly from someone who was never a customer can be reported to Google. Some come down. Some don’t, and we’ll be honest about that.
We’ll never pressure anyone to remove an honest review or threaten legal action over one. That’s exactly what the FTC rule targets.
How we work
Review audit
We look at your count, rating, recency, reply rate, and how you stack up against nearby competitors.
Setup
We connect the request flow to how your jobs or appointments actually end and write messages in your voice.
Ongoing
Requests go out automatically, we draft replies, and we watch for problems.
Monthly report
New reviews, rating trends, and the gap between you and your top competitor.
Results depend on how many customers you serve and how they feel about the work. We make asking consistent, but nobody can promise a number of reviews. For more tips, read how to get more Google reviews. And because we take one client per niche per area, we’re not running the same system for the competitor down the road.
Areas we serve
We run review systems for businesses across Lafayette, Youngsville, Scott, Broussard, Carencro, and the rest of Acadiana. See our areas we serve page for the full list.
Find out where your reviews stand
Our free visibility audit includes a review comparison against the businesses you compete with on the map. Pricing depends on your scope and is quoted after the audit. Or email Kayce directly at kayce@abodetheagency.com.
Keep exploring.
Reputation management in Lafayette: frequently asked questions
Can I offer customers a discount for leaving a review?
No. Google’s review policy prohibits offering payment, discounts, or free goods or services in exchange for reviews, and reviews posted because of an incentive can be removed. The FTC rule also bans paying for reviews that express a particular sentiment. A simple, well-timed request works without the risk.
What is review gating, and is it allowed?
Review gating means screening customers first and only asking the happy ones to post on Google. Google’s policy says businesses may not selectively solicit positive reviews or discourage negative ones, so gating isn’t allowed. We send the same request to every customer.
Can you remove a bad review?
Only Google can remove a review, and it generally does so only when the review breaks its policies, such as spam, off-topic content, or a conflict of interest. We can flag those for you. For honest negative reviews, a thoughtful reply is usually the best response.
How many reviews will this get me?
That depends on how many customers you serve each month and how happy they are. Automated requests usually make a noticeable difference compared to asking by memory, but we won’t promise a specific number. We track it monthly so you can see the trend.
See where you stand.
Our free visibility audit shows how you appear on Google, the map pack, and AI search, and what to fix first.
Month-to-month · 30 days’ notice · You own everything we build
Or email me directly: kayce@abodetheagency.com