As approximately one-fifth of local searches start with Maps, particularly Google Maps, improving your local SEO performance is essential to your overall SEO and business success. One of the most effective ways to improve your local SEO is by gaining more Google Reviews.
Google Reviews are ratings out of five, accompanied by comments that prospects or customers can leave on your Google Business Profile based on their experiences with your brand. The more positive reviews you receive, specifically those rated 4/5 or 5/5, the better it is for your local SEO, and the greater the likelihood that your Google Business Profile will rank higher on Google Maps and in the Local Pack.
Learn how to build and manage a Google review strategy that works in 2025—helping your business grow, rank, and convert more customers.
Google Local Pack
Google Maps
Google Reviews Your Business Want to Gain
Generally, you want to gain reviews that include text mentioning the product or service the customer experienced with your brand. Avoid 5-star reviews with no or minimal text, as they may appear spammy to Google and could be deleted.
Reviews should mention specific details about the service, such as:
- The experience they had with your team
- The results of the service
- The name(s) of the employee(s) they worked with
- Photos of the job
The main benefit is that review justifications (snippets from reviews) are eligible to appear in search results, adding a genuine trust factor when someone searches for a specific service.
Another benefit is a potential ranking boost for keywords mentioned in the review. For example, if a review includes the phrase “business lawyer,” that mention can help your Google Business Profile rank better for that keyword.
Encourage Photos in Google Reviews
Having your customers add photos or videos to their reviews can significantly increase their impact.
Visual content adds authenticity and credibility to reviews. Google Reviews that include photos also tend to remain at the top much longer than those without.
If you want positive reviews to stay visible at the top, try encouraging more customers to include photos in their reviews.
Make Sure to Respond to Negative Reviews
While businesses generally don’t want to receive negative reviews, they can actually be a good thing because they make your overall review profile appear more authentic. Perfection is nearly impossible, so if you receive a few negative comments here and there among a sea of positive reviews, your Google Reviews may look more trustworthy in the eyes of consumers.
According to some studies, users tend to trust businesses more when they see a rating below 4.8 or 4.7 stars on Google.
Don’t be afraid of negative reviews—see them as an opportunity to show your human side by responding thoughtfully and, when appropriate, with a sense of humor.
How to Gain a Steady Flow of Google Reviews
Incentivize Employees
Businesses can and should motivate employees to ask for Google Reviews from satisfied customers.
Employees should also be asking for photos along with that review.
If an employee gets mentioned in a Google Review or gets a customer to post a review with a photo, reward your employee by giving them:
- A gift card
- A cash prize
- Something that the employee specifically wants
Remember to keep this activity fun and rewarding!
Automate text messages and emails
Sending a link to the Google Reviews section via email or text makes it easier for customers to leave a review. You can also personalize the message to increase the chances that customers will write a review.
Ask Other Businesses or Vendors Your Company Has Worked with to Write Google Reviews
You can also ask other organizations or vendors you’ve worked with to leave a Google Review. Any positive reviews will help improve your brand reputation and local SEO!
If you have any questions about building a Google Review strategy or improving your local SEO, feel free to reach out! Our team would be more than happy to help!
