Expert Reputation: Services, Pricing and How It Works

What is Expert Reputation?

Expert Reputation is an online reputation management company. In plain terms, it sells software and services that help a local business see what people say about it online, ask happy customers to leave reviews, keep its name, address and phone number correct on directory sites, and collect private feedback from customers.

The company's About page says it was "the first company to pioneer online review management specifically for doctors" and that it started in 2011. It says it later expanded into other markets, and today its menus list four industry groups: healthcare, alternative healthcare, home services (contractors) and automotive businesses. Its homepage says it is "Trusted by 1,000+ local businesses nationwide."

It also runs a referral program, a white-label reseller program for agencies, and a "Review Invites" text message program. The legal name on its terms and SMS pages is Expert Reputation, LLC. The terms also say the company was "previously dba EmpathIQ" and that its website was previously empathiq.io, so you may see that older name on some documents.

Who owns and runs Expert Reputation?

The About page names Jeff Shaffer as CEO. The site does not publish an ownership breakdown, so if ownership matters to you (for a vendor review, for example), ask the company directly.

The same page introduces a Customer Success team. It lists:

• Lainey Audet, Business Development Manager. The page says she has been with the company since January 2020 and built "a relationship-based team focusing on client priorities."
• Rachel Norton, Account Manager.
• Isabella Manning, Account Manager. The page says she started as a Customer Success intern in March 2022, became a full-time Account Manager in June 2022, and earned a B.B.A. in Business Economics and Data Analytics from the University of San Diego.

The company says it is headquartered in San Diego, and the About page adds that it is "Based in San Diego, California. Available nationwide." The website design page describes a wider production team of "designers, developers, content writers, quality assurance managers, and project managers" for web projects, without naming them.

Is Expert Reputation legit?

People usually ask this before signing a software contract or handing over access to their review profiles. Here is what can be checked on the company's own published pages:

• A named legal entity and street address. The terms name Expert Reputation, LLC at 9707 Waples Street, San Diego, California 92121, and say the agreement is governed by California law.
• A toll-free phone line and separate inboxes. The site lists (866) 407-6020, a sales inbox, a support inbox and, on the terms page, a billing inbox (accounting@expertreputation.com).
• Written terms and policies. The site publishes Terms & Conditions (updated December 13, 2021), a privacy policy with a cookies and analytics section updated October 6, 2026, and separate SMS Terms for its text message program.
• A history it states publicly. The company gives 2011 as its start date. One testimonial on the homepage, from Eric White, OD of Complete Family Vision Care Optometry, says he has used the service "for about 10 years."
• Named client testimonials. The testimonials page quotes named clients with practice names, including Cynthia Thaik, MD (Holistic Healing Heart Center) and Hannah Tillery (SportsMED Complete Orthopedic Care), along with before-and-after review counts that the company publishes for each.
• Its own published review score. The homepage shows a "Top Rated Service" badge from Trustindex with a 4.6 score, which the badge says is based on Google reviews collected over the past 12 months.

Those are the company's own statements and displays. If you want outside confirmation, ask for references from a business in your field and size, and ask to see a live demo of the dashboard before you commit.

What services does it offer?

The site groups its services into five products. The first three come together in the $119 monthly plan; the last two are priced separately.

The healthcare pages also mention an add-on "Enhanced WebMD Profile" service and "Reduced price for WebMD listings." The price for that add-on is not published.

ReviewIQ: review monitoring and review requests

ReviewIQ is the core product. The company describes it as "Review Monitoring & Generation" and says it gives you "complete control over your online presence" from one online portal. The features listed on its page are:

• Real-time review alerts. The company says it notifies you "when any new review is detected on one of your monitored review sites."
• A weekly review report card. A weekly email that tracks how your reviews are doing. A separate page on the site explains the grading scale it uses, in bands from 4.5 stars or higher down to 2.9 stars or below.
• Review requests ("Direct Link" or "Review Link Technology"). You send customers a link that takes them straight to the review site you choose. The industry pages say you can send the invite by text or email "as soon as they leave your business." The pricing page says you can "Send as many invites as you want," with "no per-message limits or hidden fees."
• A review microsite. A page that shows your reviews in one place, which you customize from the portal.

The checkout page for the plan lists the included services as Review Report Card, New Review Alerts, Review Link Automation and Integration. The integration piece connects ReviewIQ to your practice management system or CRM, so review requests can go out automatically after a visit or job. The sign-up form asks which PMS or EMR system you use, which suggests the setup depends on it, so ask whether your system is supported.

The 14-day free trial covers ReviewIQ. The company says the trial emails you an Online Review Report Card and New Review Alerts, and lets you request reviews from your clients.

Listings Manager: directory listings

Listings Manager keeps your business information (name, address, phone number, hours and so on) consistent across online directories from one dashboard. The industry pages say it covers "35+ directory sites." Other pages on the site give higher figures, so ask the company for the current list of directories included in your plan.

The features listed on its page are:

• Data control. "Keep your information consistent and current across the web."
• Social postings. Create and schedule posts for future publication on Google, Facebook and "a variety of directories."
• Review responses. Reply to reviews from the same dashboard.
• Local SEO. The company says accurate listings help people find current contact details and can help a business appear higher in local search.

The site also offers a free listings scan: you enter your business name, address, phone number and email, and the company says it will show you "how you appear on the web."

SurveyHub: private customer feedback

SurveyHub collects feedback directly from your customers or patients, separate from public review sites. The company says it helps you "Gain insight into customer satisfaction and compare the performance of individual employees and business locations." Its listed features are:

• Instant customer feedback and customer satisfaction scores you can track over time.
• Employee ratings. You can add multiple employees and see feedback tied to each one.
• Facility performance. Compare locations to see why one is doing better than another.
• Text and email alerts. Alerts about positive and negative feedback, plus an optional weekly text summary of facility and employee results.

The SurveyHub page also states a response figure ("1 out of every 3 customers that engages with SurveyHub and leaves an online review"). That is the company's own marketing figure; ask how it is measured if it matters to your decision.

Custom website design

The website design page says "Hundreds of B2B and B2C businesses" have used the company for "Website Design, Development, and SEO setup." The process starts with a discovery questionnaire, and the company says it only develops "once you have approved a design."

Two published packages:

Timeline. The page says "Completion in just 3 weeks!" and its FAQ says a normal website takes "2-3 weeks on average." It also offers rush projects: "We can complete a website in 3 days (a rush fee will be added to the price)." The rush fee is not published. The published process runs:

1. Week 1: discovery questionnaire, homepage proposal, homepage review call.
2. Weeks 2 to 3: inside page proposal, inside page review, development.
3. Weeks 3 to 5: quality assurance, edits, launch and SEO optimization.

SEO packages

The SEO packages page says the company offers "Local and Organic SEO services" for healthcare and service businesses. Prices are listed as "Starting at," so your quote may be higher depending on scope.

The website design FAQ says SEO setup "takes up 2-3 months to implement (post-website launch), and another 3 month to track the results." Like any SEO provider, the company cannot control how search engines rank a site, so treat timelines as estimates rather than promises.

Which industries does it work with?

The site has four industry pages. Each recommends a slightly different mix of the same tools.

• Healthcare (doctors, clinics, dental, dermatology, plastic surgery). The page says "More than 1000 healthcare professionals use Expert Reputation" and recommends ReviewIQ, SurveyHub and the WebMD profile add-on. For practices, SurveyHub is described as giving "management teams deep insight into the health of their facilities and individual providers."
• Alternative healthcare (holistic health, massage, nutritionists, chiropractors). Same tools, framed around establishing credibility as a provider. The site's one long case study is a chiropractic practice in St. Charles, Missouri.
• Home services (landscapers, plumbers, housekeeping, contractors). Recommends custom website design, ReviewIQ and SurveyHub, with review invites sent "as soon as they leave your business."
• Automotive (auto repair, body shops, detailers, dealerships, towing). Recommends Listings Manager, ReviewIQ and SurveyHub.

The terms of service still describe the company as "a review monitoring and management service for Healthcare Professionals," which reflects where it started. In practice the current pricing page is written for local businesses in general.

How much does Expert Reputation cost?

These are the prices published on the site when we checked on 22 October 2026.

How the company frames its price. The pricing page compares its $119 plan with two unnamed competitors at $249 and $299 a month plus $500 and $1,000 setup fees, and says this means annual savings of "$1,500+." It adds that "Competitor pricing and fees are based on typical published rates and may vary." If you are switching, compare your current invoice line by line rather than relying on any typical figure.

Multiple locations. The checkout page says that to add more subscriptions to an account (for other locations) you email support@expertreputation.com. Per-location pricing is not published.

Payment. The terms say customers are charged by credit card unless they previously paid by invoice, and that charges appear as "EXPERT REPUTATION or a related entity name."

Referral reward. If you refer a business that signs up, the company says you get a $100 gift card of your choice (the form lists Visa, Ulta, Target, Lululemon and REI).

Contracts, cancellation and refunds

The homepage and pricing page advertise "No contracts. Full features. Cancel anytime," and the FAQ says there is no long-term commitment. The Terms & Conditions page (updated December 13, 2021) sets out the formal billing rules. The main points it lists:

• Pre-paid subscriptions (billed annually, semi-annually or quarterly) have a minimum contract length of 12 months.
• Cancellation is by written notice to support@expertreputation.com. Cancellations take effect 30 days after the company receives the notice, and the terms ask for 30 days' written notice before the renewal date.
• Refunds: "All purchases and pre-paid subscriptions are non-refundable."
• Late payment: the company may suspend service when payment is 45 or more days late, may charge 1.5% a month on overdue amounts, and may send balances of $50 or more to collections.
• Price increases: the company reserves the right to raise fees by 5% a year after the first year, or by more with 30 days' notice.
• Disputes: governed by California law, in California courts.

The terms page was last updated in 2021, before the current pricing page. The practical step is simple: before you pay, ask for the agreement that applies to your plan and billing cycle, and keep a copy. Confirm in writing how to cancel and when the cancellation takes effect.

How it works, step by step

Pieced together from the sign-up, demo, trial and pricing pages, a typical start looks like this:

1. Check where you stand. Run the free listings scan, or request a free demo. The demo page says someone will contact you "within 24 hours" and that submitting the form unlocks a short video of the dashboards while you wait.
2. Try ReviewIQ, or sign up. Start the 14-day ReviewIQ free trial, or go straight to checkout for the $119 plan. The order form asks for your business name and address, business phone, your PMS or EMR system, a notification email and links to your review profiles (Google, Facebook or others).
3. Setup and migration. The pricing page says "We migrate your data and launch your account" with no setup fees, and the FAQ says that if you switch from another provider, the company will "handle your migration and data setup for free."
4. Connect your systems. The plan includes integrations with PMS and CRM systems so review requests can go out after appointments or jobs. The pricing page says you can connect them "in minutes."
5. Start sending review requests. Customers get a text or email with a direct link to the review site you pick. Under the company's SMS terms, a customer gets at most one invitation and one reminder per visit.
6. Watch the results. You get new review alerts, a weekly report card, SurveyHub feedback and alerts, and a dashboard covering listings and reviews.
7. Get help. Support is by email (support@expertreputation.com) and phone ((866) 407-6020). Support hours are not published.

HIPAA, text messages and privacy

HIPAA. Because many clients are medical practices, this comes up often. The company's HIPAA page says it is HIPAA compliant, that it follows HIPAA rules "to safeguard individually identifiable health information," and that all of its employees maintain HIPAA certification. The pricing page lists "HIPAA & Privacy Compliant" as a feature. These are the company's statements. If you are a covered entity, ask whether it will sign a business associate agreement (BAA) with your practice.

Review Invites text program. The SMS Terms (effective December 13, 2021) say Expert Reputation, LLC operates a program called Review Invites from short code 86138, sending feedback invitations "on behalf of healthcare practices and other businesses you have visited." Key points:

• Up to 2 messages per visit: one invitation and at most one reminder, sent only if the first was not opened.
• Recipients can reply STOP (or END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, QUIT, OPT OUT) to stop, START to re-subscribe, and HELP or INFO for help, or call (866) 407-6020.
• The company says consent to texts "is not a condition of receiving care, goods, or services," and that opt-in data is not sold or shared for third-party marketing.
• Message and data rates may apply; the company says it does not charge recipients.

Website privacy. The privacy policy lists the analytics and advertising tools on the company's own website (Google Analytics, Google Ads, Hotjar, LinkedIn and X tags, and a Typeform quiz), and describes CCPA and GDPR request rights. The terms also say the company may use anonymized, aggregated client data for statistics and benchmarking, and may name subscribers as customers in its marketing.

How it compares with other options

We don't name other companies. Here is how Expert Reputation's model compares with the general kinds of options a local business has.

Who it suits

Questions to ask before you sign up

1. Does it integrate with my system? Name your PMS, EMR or CRM and ask how review requests are triggered.
2. What contract applies to my plan? Ask for the written agreement for monthly or annual billing, the notice period, and whether anything is refundable.
3. Which directories does Listings Manager cover? Ask for the current list and whether Google, Apple, Bing, Yelp and the directories important in your field are on it.
4. How many locations or providers does $119 cover? Ask what each extra location or provider profile costs.
5. Will you sign a BAA? Essential for HIPAA-covered healthcare practices.
6. How do review requests treat unhappy customers? Google's Maps content policy says it does not allow merchants to "Discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers," and it bans incentives for reviews. Ask how the review links and SurveyHub work together, and make sure every customer you invite gets the same chance to post a public review.
7. What happens to my data if I leave? Ask whether you can export your review history, survey results and contact lists.
8. Who is my account contact? Ask who handles setup and support, and how fast they respond.
9. For websites: who owns the site, domain and content after launch, and what hosting costs after the 3 complimentary months.
10. For SEO: what exactly is delivered each month, and how progress is reported.

How to get started

1. Run the free listings scan or call (866) 407-6020 to talk to sales.
2. Request a free demo to see the ReviewIQ, Listings Manager and SurveyHub dashboards.
3. Start the 14-day ReviewIQ free trial, or sign up for the $119 monthly plan.
4. Ask for your written agreement and confirm integration with your PMS or CRM.
5. Connect your review profiles and start sending review requests.

Agencies that want to resell the tools under their own brand can use the "Partner with Us" form; the company says "You can white label our services to match your branding and manage multiple businesses."

Visit Expert Reputation

Glossary

• Review generation / review requests: asking real customers to leave a review, usually by text or email with a direct link.
• Direct Link: the company's term for a link that takes a customer straight to the review form on a chosen site.
• Review report card: the weekly email summary of your reviews and grade.
• Listings / citations: your business name, address and phone number as they appear on directory sites. Consistent citations help local search.
• PMS / EMR / CRM: practice management system, electronic medical record, customer relationship management system. The software your business already uses to track appointments and customers.
• Short code: a 5 or 6 digit number used to send business text messages. Expert Reputation's is 86138.
• BAA: business associate agreement, the HIPAA contract between a healthcare provider and a vendor that handles patient information.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All pages checked on 22 October 2026.

1. Homepage and pricing: expertreputation.com, expertreputation.com/pricing/
2. About Us: expertreputation.com/about-us/
3. ReviewIQ: expertreputation.com/review-iq/
4. Listings Manager: expertreputation.com/listings-manager/
5. SurveyHub: expertreputation.com/survey-hub/
6. Custom Website Design: expertreputation.com/website-design/
7. SEO Packages: expertreputation.com/seo-packages/
8. Industry pages: Healthcare, Alternative Healthcare, Contractors, Automotive
9. Plan selection page: expertreputation.com/plan/
10. Plan checkout (ReviewIQ, monthly): order page
11. How we grade: expertreputation.com/how-do-we-grade/
12. Testimonials: expertreputation.com/testimonials/
13. Contact, demo and scan: Contact, Request a Demo, Free Listings Scan
14. Referral and partner programs: Refer a Business, Partner with Us
15. Terms & Conditions: expertreputation.com/terms-conditions/
16. Privacy policy: expertreputation.com/legal/
17. SMS Terms: expertreputation.com/sms-terms/
18. HIPAA Compliance: expertreputation.com/hippa-compliance/
19. Google Maps user contributed content policy, Fake engagement and rating manipulation: support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114