The #1 SEO Strategy that crushed Google Rankings

[00:00:00]This business went from ranking horribly on Google to number one in just a few weeks.

[00:00:07]>> And it wasn't ads. It was not a website change. It was one move that shocked us.

[00:00:12]And it might shock you, too.

[00:00:14]>> It's a little brilliant, a little risky, and totally real.

[00:00:18]>> For most of the keywords we were tracking, they were nowhere visible in the local pack on Google.

[00:00:23]>> We're talking like bottom of the page invisible. Then suddenly, boom, they're ranking number one across almost their entire city.

[00:00:34]>> This jump is insane. I've never seen anything like it. So, naturally, I started digging and here's what we found. In a single month, their Google reviews jumped from 431 to 503.

[00:00:46]>> That's around 70 new reviews, which is a 17% increase, all in one burst.

[00:00:52]>> Now, they didn't keep up with that review volume. After that month, their review numbers were practically non-existent, >> but the rankings they stayed.

[00:01:00]>> Five months later, they are still crushing it.

[00:01:04]>> So, what caused the huge spike in reviews? Because something tells me this wasn't random.

[00:01:09]>> Definitely not. So, when I looked into it, I discovered that this particular business had a booth at a local community event. Kind of like a festival.

[00:01:17]>> They are a personal injury lawyer. So, what do you think they were giving away?

[00:01:22]free bicycle helmets for kids.

[00:01:24]>> Okay, brilliant. That aligns perfectly with what they do.

[00:01:28]>> So, my assumption is that after they handed someone a helmet, they were politely asking them to leave a review.

[00:01:33]Otherwise, the volume they were getting just makes no sense. They also appeared to be asking for photos as many people left them. They were these adorable photos of kids with their helmets, which obviously we're not going to show.

[00:01:44]>> Just protecting the children.

[00:01:46]>> To me, this feels like genius marketing.

[00:01:49]There's a huge community impact, tons of engagement, and it even aligns with their service. Everyone's happy.

[00:01:56]>> No, sorry, Joy, but I'm going to have to disagree. I think this enters guideline gray territory fast. These people didn't use the legal service. They never hired the law firm. And to be honest, these reviews are probably considered off topic anyway, >> but it is a real interaction with the business.

[00:02:14]>> Okay, sure. but not the service that this actual listing represents. And Google could just remove them all if they get reported.

[00:02:21]>> Uh yeah, but they haven't. And the thing is, this burst of reviews didn't just help them temporarily. It held for five straight months. How much money do you think that law firm made as a result of being number one for that long? I also just have to say Google's policy enforcement on this is all over the freaking place. If someone happened to flag them, >> boom, gone. Well, maybe. You're right.

[00:02:49]Google is definitely inconsistent when it comes to enforcing their policies.

[00:02:53]I'll agree with you there.

[00:02:55]>> We even asked Google what they thought about this case. Shocking. They tell you not to do it. They pointed to their guideline for off-topic reviews.

[00:03:03]>> So, what you're saying, Joy, is right.

[00:03:07]>> Uh, no.

[00:03:08]>> But for now, it's working. Is it risky?

[00:03:12]Yes. Is it genius? Okay, fine. Also, yes.

[00:03:16]>> And that is exactly why we are not telling you to go do this >> or not do it. We need you, our viewers, to weigh in on this one. Was this brilliant community marketing >> or is it a dangerous line that could result in your reviews getting flagged and removed?

[00:03:29]>> Whose side are you on? Team Colin >> or team joy? And yeah, there's only one right answer here, >> and that is team Colin.

[00:03:36]>> No. Drop your comment below. We honestly want to hear opinions from people that are doing this every day.

[00:03:42]>> And hit that subscribe button if you want more wild SEO case study and controversial conversations.

[00:03:48]>> All right, that is it for today. Wild strategy, huge debates, but obviously no easy answers.