Getting your happy clients to leave a google review can be an amazing way to boost SEO/ organic visibility on your site. But leaving a review can seem daunting and convoluted to the less tech friendly.  Writing a Google review can really help a small company get great visibility. So if you like your local, hand made, ethically sourced, fair trade, artisanal ____________, then support them by writing a review!

Here’s how to leave a google review. (Or help your clients leave you one:)

For this blog post I am going to use one of my favourite clients Beluga Baby. Mama owned and operated, this is exactly the kind of business I love to help get optimum visibility!

You have two choices to leave a review: Google Maps, or Google Business Box. Oh, and google reviews on mobile are a bit different too, so I’ve listed instructions for that at as a third option down below.

Google Maps Reviews

This is by far the easiest route for people IMHO

Step 1:
Sign into your google account using gmail (yes you HAVE to have gmail to leave a review).

Step 2: 
Open google maps and put BUSINESS NAME (in this case Beluga Baby) in the search bar. Click the right suggestion.

Can’t see the pictures? Click on it and it gets WAY bigger.

You should get to a page that looks like this:

Step 3:
Scroll down on the left, until you get to reviews, and the button that says: leave a review

Click the button, and leave a review! It’s that easy.

Leaving a Google Review using the Google Business Info Box

Ok, a little more complex, but you can do it!

Step 1: 
Sign into your google account using gmail. This is mandatory.
Go to Google using whatever of the top 3 search engines you prefer: Safari, Firefox, Chrome.

Step 2:
Google the full proper name of the business. In this case “Beluga Baby” You should see the business info box on the right hand side as long as the company has a Google My Business page. If there are shopping ads the information box will be below those.

Step 3:
Scroll down, and click on the number of reviews.

It will open a pop up that looks like this. Click “write a review” and away you go!

You can also scroll down the page until you hit actual reviews, and then there is another “write a review” button.

How to leave a Google Review on Mobile

Whew! Ok almost done.

So on mobile things are a bit different again. You still need to be signed into gmail, but when you google the name of the company the information box is below rather than to the side.

Step 1:
Sign into Google using gmail. Using your mobile browser (one of the top three: Firefox, Safari, or Chrome) google BUSINESS NAME. In this case Beluga Baby

Step 2:
Scroll down past the ads and the organic searches until you get to the Google My Business info box.

Step 3:
Ok now here’s the tricky part…that bar that says: overview, updates, products? It scrolls to the right. Scroll that right, until you get to Reviews.

Step 4:
Click on Reviews, and then scroll down till you see 5 empty stars and a “rate and review on Google” prompt. Click the stars and write away. It will prompt you to sign into Google if you have forgotten.

Ok! So many choices, pick which ever one makes you happy, because life is too short of tech-rage;) Remember leaving Google Reviews is the best way you can help small local companies get an edge in the dog eat dog landscape of Google Search.

I just wrote a letter to the Vancouver Sun re: Ohm the Bridge in Vancouver

I have practiced Ashtanga yoga for over 20 years. I love yoga, and credit it for saving my life on more than one occasion. Yoga is an amazing physical practice of reconciliation; the reconciliation of the mind and spirit with the body and physical world. And in the spirit of reconciliation I would like to say that the best possible thing to do at this point, is to stop yoga/bridge day and to invite our First Nations peoples to celebrate their day on that bridge instead.

We so often get things wrong. It’s almost impossible to open your mouth and not insult someone, their culture, their heritage. It’s difficult to know how to be politically or culturally correct in the rapidly changing world we live in. But it is easy to admit you are wrong, and to extend your hand to the wronged.

Yoga doesn’t need a day.  Yoga is about clearing your mind and soul and body so you have the strength to help yourself and others. It is totally inappropriate to hold anything but an Aboriginal Celebration on that bridge on Sunday. Let’s do something right, as yogis, as humans, and admit our mistake and change this from an insult to a moment to reconcile.

Amanda Euringer

I used to be an investigative journalist; now I make play dough at home.

This is actually better than the stuff you buy at the store, and it takes five minutes, and you can do it with your kid.

4 tsp cream of Tartar
3 tblsps oil
2 cups water
2 cups flour
1 cup salt

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, then add to wet. This stops lumps and chunks. Cook in Saucepan on medium heat for 5-6 minutes while stirring occasionally. Knead for 5 minutes while still hot. Knead for one minute when cool, mixing crust with dough.

Add sparkles,colours, or scent…