Google Maps is a great way to share the best of your city and help others discover new things about the world around them. As a content strategist on Google Maps, food and travel writer, and former restaurant critic, I’ve spent my career thinking about what makes a good review. I revealed some of my best tips at Connect Live today, but now I want to share them with all of you.
Reviews are fun because you can highlight individual places you love: that cozy bookstore you found wandering around the city one afternoon, that street food stall where you eat lunch every day, that lovely hotel that you always recommend to visitors.
Here are some easy tips to make your reviews stand out to millions of people.
1. Be specific and back up your opinion with details
It’s great to know that a restaurant has a good burger! It’s even better to know that it has a good burger with a buttery bun and thick-cut bacon. Whenever you can, think about the small details that made the individual item or place stand out from the rest.
2. Talk about multiple aspects of the place
Mention a few topics to paint a fuller picture, like a restaurant’s food and its service, or hotel’s bed and its room service. You don’t have to overload your review with every single detail about your experience, but including a few aspects will make your review more useful to readers.
3. Tell the good and bad, but keep it constructive
Your reviews help people make decisions. It’s helpful to hear both sides—maybe you loved the cocktail bar’s retro atmosphere and didn’t love your cocktail. That’s OK. But stay fair. Keep personal attacks out of your review.
4. Use #hashtags to spotlight your favorite places and experiences
Think about the attributes that might help people find the best places in their city, like #dogfriendly, #brunch, or #sunset.
What’s the best restaurant review you’ve ever written? Link to it in the comments below!