Online Reviews for Septic Companies: The Complete Strategy

When a homeowner needs septic service, what's the first thing they do after finding a few companies? They check the reviews. A business with 200 five-star reviews instantly seems more trustworthy than one with 15 reviews and a 3.8-star average.

Reviews influence both your visibility in search results and whether customers choose to call you. They're one of the highest-ROI activities you can invest in—yet most septic companies leave them to chance.

This guide covers everything you need to know about building a review generation system that works consistently. Whether you're handling this yourself or working with a septic SEO agency, understanding the fundamentals is essential.

Why Reviews Matter for Septic Companies

Reviews Impact Search Rankings

Google uses reviews as a ranking factor for local search results. Businesses with more reviews and higher ratings tend to rank higher in the Map Pack. This creates a compound effect: more reviews leads to higher rankings, which leads to more visibility, which leads to more customers, which leads to more reviews. This is a core component of effective local SEO strategy.

Reviews Drive Click-Through Rates

When your business appears in search results, your star rating and review count are visible. Studies show businesses with higher ratings get significantly more clicks:

• 5-star businesses get 39% more clicks than 4-star businesses
• Businesses with 100+ reviews get 32% more clicks than those with fewer

Reviews Convert Browsers to Callers

93% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase decision. For home services like septic work, reviews are especially important because customers are inviting someone onto their property.

Strong reviews overcome objections before they form. "Is this company reliable? Will they show up on time? Will they do good work?" Reviews from other customers answer these questions.

Where Reviews Matter Most

Not all review platforms are equal. Focus your efforts on the platforms that matter:

Google (Primary Priority)

Google reviews appear directly in search results and Maps. They're the most visible and impactful for local businesses. Make Google your #1 focus.

Facebook (Secondary Priority)

Many customers check Facebook business pages. A strong presence here reinforces trust, especially for older demographics.

Yelp (Market Dependent)

Yelp's importance varies by market. In some areas, it's heavily used for service businesses. In others, it's an afterthought. Check if competitors have active Yelp profiles in your area.

Industry Directories

Platforms like Angi, HomeAdvisor, and BBB can generate leads directly. Reviews here help when customers come from these platforms.

Building Your Review Generation System

Getting consistent reviews requires a system, not sporadic requests. Here's how to build one:

Step 1: Create the Process

Review requests should be built into your service completion workflow, not treated as an afterthought.

Example workflow:

1. Technician completes service
2. Technician confirms customer satisfaction before leaving
3. Within 1 hour of service, office sends text with review link
4. If no review after 48 hours, send follow-up email
5. Track request-to-review conversion rate

Step 2: Time It Right

Request reviews immediately after service when satisfaction is highest. Waiting days or weeks dramatically reduces response rates.

The best timing:

• Best: Within 1 hour of service completion
• Good: Same day as service
• Fair: Next day
• Poor: Several days later

Step 3: Make It Easy

Every barrier reduces conversions. Send a direct link that opens your Google review page—don't ask customers to search for you.

Get your direct Google review link from your Google Business Profile dashboard under "Ask for reviews."

Step 4: Use the Right Channel

Text messages have much higher open and response rates than email for review requests:

• Text messages: 98% open rate, 45% response rate
• Email: 20% open rate, 6% response rate

Use text as your primary channel when possible.

Step 5: Keep the Message Simple

Don't overthink the request. A simple, direct message works best:

"Hi [Name], thank you for choosing [Company] today! If you were happy with our service, we'd really appreciate a Google review. It only takes a minute: [link]"

That's it. No lengthy explanations needed.

Step 6: Follow Up (Once)

Not everyone will respond to the first request. A single follow-up 3-5 days later can capture additional reviews:

"Hi [Name], just following up on our service last week. If you have a moment, we'd love to hear your feedback: [link]"

Don't send multiple follow-ups—that crosses into pestering territory.

What Makes Customers Leave Reviews?

Understanding motivation helps improve your conversion rates:

They want to help others: Many people leave reviews to help future customers make good decisions.

They want to thank you: A great experience creates goodwill people want to express.

They feel obligated: When you ask directly and they received good service, many feel it's the polite thing to do.

They had an extreme experience: People are most motivated to review after extremely good or extremely bad experiences.

This is why service quality is the foundation of review generation. No amount of asking will get reviews if the service is mediocre.

Responding to Positive Reviews

Always respond to positive reviews. It shows appreciation and demonstrates that you're engaged with customer feedback.

Good Response Elements

• Thank them by name
• Reference specific details from their service if possible
• Keep it genuine, not template-sounding
• Be concise—2-3 sentences is enough

Example Responses

"Thank you, Sarah! We're glad the pumping went smoothly and that Mike was able to answer all your questions about maintaining your system. We appreciate you trusting us with your septic care."

"Thanks for the great review, John! It was our pleasure helping with your inspection before closing. Congratulations on the new home, and don't hesitate to reach out when you need your first pumping."

Handling Negative Reviews

Negative reviews will happen eventually. How you respond matters more than the review itself. For a detailed walkthrough on this specific challenge, read our complete guide to handling negative reviews for septic businesses.

Response Framework

1. Respond quickly: Within 24 hours if possible
2. Stay professional: Never argue, get defensive, or attack the reviewer
3. Acknowledge the concern: Show you heard them
4. Apologize appropriately: Even if you don't agree, express regret for their experience
5. Take it offline: Offer to discuss and resolve directly

Example Response to Negative Review

"We're sorry to hear your experience didn't meet expectations, Mike. We strive to provide professional, timely service to every customer, and we clearly fell short here. I'd like to make this right—please call me directly at [phone] so we can discuss. - [Owner name]"

What NOT to Do

• Don't argue about facts publicly
• Don't reveal private details about the service
• Don't blame the customer
• Don't ignore it and hope it goes away
• Don't offer bribes to remove the review

Can You Remove Negative Reviews?

Google will only remove reviews that violate their policies (spam, fake reviews, off-topic, etc.). Legitimately negative reviews won't be removed just because you disagree.

Your best strategy is to bury negative reviews under a volume of positive ones. A single 1-star review among 150 five-star reviews has minimal impact.

Avoiding Fake Review Penalties

Google actively detects and penalizes fake reviews. Don't risk your listing:

Never buy reviews: Purchased reviews often come from fake accounts that Google detects. The penalty can include suspension of your entire listing.

Never review your own business: Google can detect when reviews come from your IP address or employee accounts.

Never have friends/family leave fake reviews: Reviews from people who weren't actual customers violate Google's policies.

Never offer discounts for reviews: Incentivizing reviews violates most platforms' terms of service. It's fine to ask for reviews, but not to pay for them.

Review Monitoring and Management

Stay on top of your reviews:

Set up alerts: Configure Google Business Profile to notify you of new reviews.

Check weekly: Set a recurring task to review your profiles across platforms.

Track metrics: Monitor your review count, average rating, and monthly review volume. This should be part of your overall marketing ROI tracking.

Targets to Aim For

Review goals depend on your market and competitors, but general targets:

• Minimum: 50+ Google reviews to appear competitive
• Strong: 100+ reviews with 4.7+ stars
• Dominant: 200+ reviews with 4.8+ stars

Monthly review velocity: Aim for 5-10 new reviews per month minimum. More is better, but consistency matters more than occasional spikes. Adjust your approach during different seasons as customer volume fluctuates.

Tools That Help

Several tools can automate and scale your review generation:

Review request platforms: Services like Birdeye, Podium, and NiceJob automate review requests via text and email.

CRM integrations: Many CRM systems can trigger review requests after job completion.

Review monitoring: Tools that aggregate reviews from all platforms and alert you to new ones.

These tools cost $100-300/month typically but can significantly increase review volume and save time.

The Compound Effect

Reviews compound over time. Every review you collect:

• Improves your search rankings
• Increases click-through rates
• Builds trust with new prospects
• Provides social proof that lasts for years

A business that systematically collects 10 reviews per month will have 120+ new reviews per year. Over 3-5 years, that adds up to a dominant position that competitors can't easily match.

Start today. Build the system. Execute consistently. Your future self will thank you for the reputation asset you're building. If you need help implementing these strategies alongside your Google Ads campaigns or Local Services Ads, consider working with specialists who understand the septic industry.

Frequently Asked Questions