Reviews

Reviews are the ratings and experiences customers share publicly about your business, product or service. They appear on your Google Business Profile, on review platforms, on social media or directly on your website. For many people, they're one of the first things they look at before getting in touch or making a purchase.

Reviews work on two levels at once. They persuade potential customers who have already landed on your profile, and they give search engines and AI systems information about how reliable and relevant your business is. That's why they're a standard part of local SEO.

What role do reviews play in Google?

Google itself states that reviews and ratings play a part in local search results, under the heading of "prominence". Google doesn't disclose the exact weight, but it's likely that the number of reviews, how recent they are, the average score and the content of the text all play a role. A profile with regular, detailed reviews also looks more trustworthy in the local pack, where people compare star ratings side by side.

Reviews and AI search

If you ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity to recommend a good hairdresser in Manchester, the answer often draws on information from online sources, including reviews. AI assistants sometimes summarise what customers say about a business, such as "known for fast service" or "friendly but a bit pricier". So the content of your reviews can help determine how your business is described in an answer like that. Exactly how each system weighs reviews isn't public, but consistent, concrete feedback seems to offer more to go on than a few vague star ratings.

How to build up reviews honestly

1. Ask at the right moment. Just after a successful handover or delivery, a customer is most willing to write a review.
2. Make it easy. Send a direct link to your review form by email or text message, or put a QR code on your invoice.
3. Ask about specific experiences. A customer who mentions which service they received and in which town provides a richer review, which is also more useful for other readers.
4. Respond to every review. Say thank you for positive feedback and respond calmly and constructively to criticism.
5. Stay consistent. A steady stream of reviews is more credible than a sudden spike.

What you'd better avoid

Never buy reviews and don't write them yourself. Google prohibits fake reviews and sponsored ratings, and consumer protection rules also ban misleading reviews. Selectively inviting only satisfied customers, also known as review gating, isn't allowed under Google's guidelines either. An honest picture with the occasional critical note is also more credible than a perfect five out of five.

A plumber in Leeds who systematically asks for feedback after every job and replies to every review gradually builds stronger authority in his area. Curious how your review profile compares with other businesses in your sector? With insight into your competitors, you can see where you're ahead and where you can still gain ground.