Viera Social Media

🚨 Google Reviews just got smarter. Here’s what small businesses need to know.

Google has strengthened the way it detects fake or manipulated review activity.

The update is not about stopping businesses from asking for reviews.

It’s about identifying patterns that suggest reviews may not be completely organic.

For example:

A restaurant runs a contest:
“Whoever gets the most 5-star reviews mentioning their name wins a prize.”

Seems harmless, right?

But Google may see:
🔎 A sudden spike in reviews
🔎 Multiple reviews using similar wording
🔎 Customers being guided on what to write
🔎 Reviews connected to an incentive or internal reward

Those signals can make reviews appear manipulated, even when the customers are real.

What should you do instead?

✅ Ask every customer equally
✅ Let customers write in their own words
✅ Focus on consistent reviews over time
✅ Respond and engage with the feedback you receive

Google reviews are no longer just stars on your profile. They are part of your online reputation and how customers decide who to trust.

The goal isn’t to collect reviews faster.
The goal is to build trust that lasts.

Instagram just gave small business owners a better way to answer the question:

“Are my videos actually working?” 📲

If you are creating Instagram Reels for your business, the newest Insights updates are shifting the focus from just counting views to understanding why people watch, leave, or share your content.

For years, businesses focused on the obvious numbers:
Views.
Likes.
Followers.

But a viral video that doesn’t connect with the right audience is not always a win.

Your analytics are no longer just a report card. They are a roadmap.

A few Reel metrics business owners should pay attention to:

✔️ Skip Rate
Are people scrolling away in the first few seconds?

This tells you if your opening hook, first visual, or message is strong enough to earn attention.

✔️ Share Rate
Did someone find your video valuable enough to send it to someone else?

Shares tell Instagram your content is creating conversations and providing value.

✔️ Views Over Time
Did your Reel disappear after one day, or is it continuing to reach potential customers weeks later?

For Brevard County businesses, this is a huge opportunity.

Whether you are a restaurant showing your specials, a contractor sharing transformations, or a local expert answering customer questions, your goal should not just be to make more videos.

The goal is to make better videos.

Before creating your next Reel, ask:

➡️ Does my first 3 seconds stop the scroll?
➡️ Am I answering a question my customers actually have?
➡️ Is this helpful enough that someone would save it or send it?

Social media is moving away from vanity metrics and becoming a business development tool.

The businesses that grow will stop asking:
“How do I beat the algorithm?”

And start asking:
“How do I create content my customers actually care about?”

Nothing beats a day on the beach creating with an amazing team. We had the best time shooting with Aloha Sun today, capturing that effortless, sun-soaked vibe that makes their brand stand out.

Perfect weather, great energy, and content that’s going to turn heads 👀

This is just a glimpse… more coming soon.

Client win! 🎉

Congratulations to Albert Underwood of Aqua Blue Pools & Spa on receiving the 2025 Social Media Engagement Award from the Florida Swimming Pool Association.

Albert also serves as President of the FSPA Space Coast Chapter, helping keep the pool industry connected and informed across the region.

We are proud to support Aqua Blue Pools & Spa with their social media presence and help share the incredible projects and industry updates happening here on the Space Coast.

Well deserved recognition, Albert. 👏🏆

Congratulations to our owner, Albert Underwood, on receiving the 2025 Social Media Engagement Award from the Florida Swimming Pool Association.

Albert also serves as President of the FSPA Space Coast Chapter and is always supportive of keeping our industry visible and connected online. This recognition highlights the importance of sharing the work happening across our pool community and engaging with customers and fellow professionals.

We’re proud to see that effort recognized at the state level. Congratulations, Albert. Well deserved. 👏🏆

They say growth comes from failure.

Public speaking has been my stretch zone for a while now. Every time I step on stage, I still battle the noise in my own head. I replay sentences. I critique pauses. I question whether I said it the way I meant to.

This time, I spoke about something I live every day in my business: one message, two algorithms. How you can adapt content for Facebook and Instagram without reinventing the wheel. How each platform serves a different audience with different behaviors, and how small businesses can scale smarter by understanding what actually performs instead of just posting more.

It is strategic. It is practical. It is the work I do every day.

And still, I get nervous.

But here is what I am learning. Courage is not the absence of nerves. It is showing up anyway.

If Eva Marlow could believe in me while facing real fears of her own, then I can keep believing I will get there too.

So I will keep stepping up.
Keep refining.
Keep growing.
Not quitting. 🙃