One thing I wanted to add but couldn't because of the character limit for my first review…read more..
This is not me trying to diss Google reviews or act like Yelp is perfect. Yelp has its own issues too. But in my experience -- especially with law firms, mechanic shops, rental-related services, healthcare specialties, and other service-based businesses -- Google reviews can be very misleading.
Some businesses have nearly perfect Google ratings, but when you look closer, some of the reviews feel like bots, fake reviews, or paid reviews. Then you check Yelp and the picture looks completely different.
For example, I came across a law firm with nearly perfect Google reviews, but on Yelp, that same firm averaged around 3 stars. Other locations for the same firm were closer to 1-2 stars, with detailed complaints that sounded much more like real customer experiences.
Another tip for fellow Yelpers searching for lawyers: if a law firm has no negative reviews anywhere -- not on Google, Yelp, Avvo, Facebook, or any other platform -- that's a red flag to me.
You really think they met every client's expectations? Every single time? Yo..let's not be naive lol.
That doesn't mean every negative review is fair, and it doesn't mean every positive review is fake. But I've learned to actually study the content of both. What are people complaining about? What are they praising? Would those issues matter to you?
And honestly, this applies to a lot of services -- not just law firms.but mechanics, doctors, therapists, contractors... oh yes, contractors are a big one. I'll have to write a whole separate review for the contractors I've used while remodeling and flipping houses. Different day.
So no, I don't blindly trust Google reviews. I'm not saying Yelp is perfect, but Yelp gave me a better sense of the full picture. I hope this helps a mom, a dad, or a family, because some of these services and reviews we rely on are not as simple as finding who has the best tacos.