What Are Google Reviews?
Google Reviews are what people say about your business on your Google Business Profile. When someone searches for a service, they often see your reviews before they even click on your website.
These stars and comments help others decide if your business is good, trustworthy, and worth checking out.
But here’s the big surprise: Google Reviews don’t just help people — they help your business show up higher on Google too! That’s called SEO, or Search Engine Optimization.
What Is SEO, and Why Does It Matter?
SEO is how your business gets found on search engines like Google. When someone types “best bakery near me” or “plumber in Las Vegas,” businesses show up in a list. The top ones get the most clicks and calls.
In fact, 75% of people never go past the first page of Google (HubSpot). That means if you’re not near the top, you’re missing out on customers.
Now here’s the cool part: Google uses your reviews as a major ranking factor.
How Reviews Help Your Google Ranking
Let’s keep it simple. Google is like a robot trying to give searchers the best answers. If your business has lots of positive, recent reviews, Google sees you as:
- Popular
- Trusted
- Helpful
That means you’re more likely to get shown to people searching for businesses like yours.
📊 Little-Known Stat:
Businesses with more than 25 recent reviews show up at least 108% more in local searches than businesses with fewer reviews (BrightLocal, 2023). That’s a huge jump!
What Google Looks For in Your Reviews
Google doesn’t just count how many stars you have. It looks at:
- Total number of reviews
- Star rating (4.5 is ideal)
- How recent the reviews are
- The words people use
- If you reply to reviews or not
Did you know that reviews with keywords (like “pizza in Dallas” or “best dentist”) actually help your SEO more? Yep — keywords in reviews are indexed by Google, which means they help you show up for those terms!
Review Response = More Trust + Better Ranking
Google also likes when you reply to reviews — especially the bad ones. It shows you care.
According to ReviewTrackers, 53% of customers expect businesses to reply to negative reviews within a week, but 63% say they’ve never heard back.
When you reply to reviews (even a simple “Thank you!”), Google thinks:
- This business is active
- This business cares
- This business is engaging
All of that helps your ranking.
Negative Reviews Won’t Ruin You — If You Handle Them Right
Nobody’s perfect. Even the best businesses get bad reviews. But here’s a fact: a mix of good and bad reviews looks more real to customers AND to Google.
A business with 100% 5-star reviews can actually seem fake.
What matters most is how you respond. A kind, helpful reply can even turn a negative into a positive. Plus, 67% of customers will give you a second chance if you respond well (Podium, 2022).
The Secret Sauce: Review Velocity
Here’s a stat most people don’t talk about: Google likes to see a steady stream of new reviews.
If you got 50 reviews five years ago and nothing since, Google won’t be impressed.
But if you get 2-3 new reviews every week, Google sees you as active and growing. That helps you climb the ranks!
👉 Pro Tip: Ask for reviews right after you help a customer. That’s when they’re happiest.
The Numbers Speak: Why Reviews Are a Must
Let’s recap some powerful stats:
- 91% of people read reviews before choosing a local business (BrightLocal)
- 84% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (Local Consumer Review Survey)
- Google Reviews impact your local ranking more than any other review platform (Whitespark, 2023)
- Businesses that respond to reviews get 35% more clicks (Google)
What You Can Do Right Now
You don’t need to be a tech expert to get more Google Reviews and boost your SEO.
Here are 5 easy steps:
- Ask for reviews via text or email
- Put a Google review link on your website and emails
- Reply to every review — good or bad
- Use keywords in your review replies (like your service + city)
- Make it easy with a QR code or review card
How We Help at Business Solutions Marketing Group
At Business Solutions Marketing Group, we make review building easy and stress-free. We’ve helped small businesses all over the country:
✅ Ask for reviews the right way
✅ Remove fake or damaging reviews
✅ Boost Google rankings with reputation management
✅ Keep a steady flow of happy customers saying great things online
We also offer Review Builder Pro, a hands-off system that automates the review process for you. You just focus on your business — we handle the rest.
Final Thoughts: Your Reviews Are Your Reputation (and Your Ranking!)
In 2024 and beyond, Google is smarter than ever. It wants to show users the most trustworthy businesses — and reviews are how it decides.
If your business has strong, recent, keyword-rich reviews and replies, you’re not just building trust with people — you’re climbing the Google ladder too.
Want help doing it all? Let’s talk.
