What Google says
Google ranks local results on relevance, distance and prominence. Reviews are named as part of prominence: the number of reviews and the rating both count. Google also says that replying to reviews shows you value your customers.
The parts of a review that matter
- The count. More reviews, compared to the businesses around you, helps.
- The rating. Higher is better, but a believable 4.7 beats a suspicious 5.0.
- How recent they are. A steady flow tells Google and customers the business is active.
- What they say. Reviews that mention the job and the suburb give Google more context about what you do and where.
How to get more useful reviews
You can't tell customers what to write, and you shouldn't try. But a light prompt is fine. When you send your review link, add one line: "If you can, mention what we did and the suburb." Plenty of people will.
Do reviews help your website rank?
Mostly they help your Google Business Profile, which is what shows in the map pack. Reviews shown on your website help visitors trust you, but they won't push the site up the normal results on their own.
Where reviews sit in the bigger picture
Reviews won't save a profile with the wrong category or one that's 30 kilometres from the searcher. Get the category, services and service area right first. Then reviews become the thing that separates you from the businesses that got those basics right too.
Don't want to chase reviews yourself? Our review management asks every customer at the right moment, with your direct link, and replies to what comes in.