For a local business, reviews are both a ranking factor and a sales tool. Google lists review count and score among the signals of prominence in its local rankings. And when people compare three businesses in the local pack, the star rating and the most recent reviews are often what decides the click.
What matters in reviews
- Rating. Higher is better, but a perfect 5.0 from a handful of reviews can look less believable than 4.7 from 300.
- Volume. More reviews give more evidence and more detail for searchers to read.
- Recency. A steady stream matters. Reviews from three years ago say little about the business today.
- Content. Reviews that mention specific services and places (“fixed our water heater in Round Rock the same day”) help both customers and search engines understand what you do.
- Responses. Replies show the business is active and cares.
Why it matters for a real business
Brightside Dental has 4.9 stars from 41 reviews. A nearby practice has 4.6 from 380, with several new reviews each week. Both have well-optimized Google Business Profiles. The other practice ranks higher across more of the city and gets more calls, because the volume and recency of its reviews make it look busier and more established.
How to get more reviews, within the rules
- Ask every satisfied customer, at the right moment: after a job is finished, at checkout, in a follow-up text.
- Make it easy with a direct link to your Google review form.
- Ask everyone, not just the people you expect to be happy. Selectively asking only happy customers (“review gating”) is against Google’s policies.
- Don’t offer incentives such as discounts or prize draws for reviews.
- Never buy or write fake reviews. Google removes them and can restrict the profile. Since October 2024, the FTC’s rule on fake reviews also allows civil penalties for buying, selling or fabricating reviews.
Replying to reviews
Thank people for positive reviews, ideally mentioning what they valued. For negative reviews, reply calmly and briefly, acknowledge the issue, avoid sharing private details (essential for healthcare businesses), and offer to resolve it offline. Future customers read the reply more than the complaint.
Common mistakes
- Asking staff, friends or family to leave reviews
- Arguing with reviewers in public
- Ignoring reviews on other platforms that matter in your industry
- Reporting genuine negative reviews as fake
How to manage them
RankThat’s Local SEO tools bring in your Google Business Profile reviews so you can read and reply to them in one place. Reviews also support trust signals in E-E-A-T, especially for health and money businesses.