Do These if You Don't Want Google Reviews:
Error #1: The Lazy Daisy
You've seen the signs hanging or sitting on front desks everywhere with a request like "How was you visit? Please write a review on Google." Who are we kidding? The last thing we remember is a passive and insincere request for interaction. The only people this might work on are the ones who received above and beyond service, but then again they are probably going to leave a raving review anyhow. Two years after moving to Orlando, I finally found a barber worthy of my time and money. He didn't ask me to leave a review at all. I just liked my haircut that much. The first thing I did sitting in my car... write a review. If it was a regular cut then I wouldn't have wasted my time.
Error #2: Verbally Request Google Review
"It was a pleasure serving you, Would you be willing to write a review on Google?" Don't get me wrong, asking is better than not asking and it is more effective than the coach potato sign, but chances of fishing a review and catching one is low. With all the information we take in everyday, this one can be filed at the bottom of the patient's stack along with exercising and flossing. You know what I'm talking about. Its good practice to get your office staff soliciting reviews, but the best approach is to offer a direct link for them to visit.
Error #3: Email Invoice/Reminder/Follow Up
Increased chance to get Google reviews here. However, the biggest blunder you can make is either making them find the page on their own, sending them to your Google map listing, or sending them to your Google+ page. I still don't know where the review section is on Google+ because it is impossible to find, and the "Write a reveiw" button on listings can be indiscernible from the rest of the page for many people. You have to be determined and dedicated to leave a review to go through all of that. Dont worry,this step by step process will quide you through using your patients to get Google reviews and how to fix the errors above.
Setting Up Your Unique URL
Step 1: Create the Link
Google My Business support has given us this nifty resource to
create a link directly to the Google review form. Here you will find the following URL: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=
<place_id>. Remove the <place_id> and replace it with your own unique Place ID that you will find from step 2.
Step 2: Find your Place ID
Once again, Google makes life easy by giving us a tool to find our
Place ID with ease. Just search your practice name and select it from the list. Copy the unique Place ID and add it to the URL from step 1 so it reads
https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJi_12Q0DTRIYRz7t6Cwsl73Y.
Step 3: Shorten URL
That URL is long and bulky so we want to trim that down to make it easier for patients. There are several services you can use to shorten a URL, but some of them are confused with untrusted sources so its best use
Google URL Shortner on this one.
Additionally, if you sign in to Google when creating, you can keep track of all the short URL's you make and get analytics data for each. Simplify your link by pasting your custom URL in the shortner and you end up with something like this:
https://goo.gl/XUZe2g. As mentioned before, these Short URL's gather analytics data for you
on clicks, who refers your links, what browsers were used, which countries clicked and the platforms used to find it. To view the analytics data, just click on the 3 vertical dots on the right and chose Analytics Data. 
So we’ve gone through and created our unique URL to get Google reviews and it is a beauty!
Now how do we use it? Consider that statistics show internet users are favoring their mobile devices more every year. In fact, Google has incorporated whether or not a website is mobile friendly into their algorithm for SEO. Knowing people spend an obscene amount of time on their phone can be used to our advantage by targeting that usage. Most practices have some sort of Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM). Many CRM’s have a built in SMS text message feature that all too often goes under utilized. Using the Google review link in conjunction with the CRM text feature allows you to reach your patients right in the palm of their hand. Some CRM’s will send review requests to patients and filter would-be negative reviews out while prompting patients with positive interactions to choose a site to leave their review. If you don’t have the software feature, this direct link to the review window gives you the same functionality and makes it super easy and convenient to increase google reviews. CRM’s can format messages differently so send a test to yourself before mass messaging your contacts. We suggest the following format in your message:
Line 1: https://goo.gl/XUZe2g
Line 2: Thank you for being a part of the "Insert Practice Name" family! We value your opinion. Review us on Google to help others find us!