Google Reviews
The Complete Guide to Google Customer Reviews (That Everyone Should Read)
May 10, 2023
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3 min read
Your business should collect reviews because they show future customers that you are trustworthy - quite often before they even reach your website.
But collecting reviews is only part of the strategy. Unless you publish your reviews in Google, nobody’s going to see them.
You therefore need a streamlined solution to collecting business reviews and getting them shown across Google and the web (including your own website, of course).
Reviews can appear in a number of places on the web, including your own website and platforms like Facebook, Tripadvisor, Amazon, Twitter, Yelp, Check-a-trade and many more.
But the glue that binds all these sources of reviews together is Google.
Once reviews are published across the web, Google can aggregate them by reading their content from those sites. It presents reviews in the form of organic or paid star ratings in Google search results - what we refer to as “Google Business Reviews.”
These are then shown to users searching with relevant queries, often before they even visit your site.
Search for a company name on Google, and you might see:
These stars come from Google reading the review data from those sites. It's a simple way of surfacing trust signals - and can heavily influence clicks and conversions.
In addition to standard search results, you might see a large box on the right-hand side of the screen when you search for a business by name. This is Google's Knowledge Panel, and it includes:
These only appear for companies that have set up a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) and categorized themselves as a local business.
A second kind of enhanced result is a text listing with a star rating - known as a Review Rich Snippet. These typically appear on internal company pages that rank well and have schema markup in place.
Note: Rich Snippets apply to Company Reviews, not Product Reviews, and can’t be added to a business home page.
Any business with a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) set to “Local Business” will be eligible for inclusion in Google Local Search - the map and swipeable list view shown for searches like “near me” or “best [service] in [city]”.
These local listings showcase:
This is one of the most powerful review placements: stars that appear in Google Ads. Known as Google Seller Ratings, these are only awarded when a business collects enough verified reviews (at least 100 in 24 months) via an official Google Licensed Partner like REVIEWS.io.
Seller Ratings:
If you’re advertising on Google Shopping, you’ll also benefit from having stars appear under your product listings.
Google sources Shopping Seller Ratings from the same licensed third-party providers and your product reviews, aggregated via your GTINs, MPNs, or SKUs.
Since 2020, Google has offered free listings in Shopping, so you don’t need to pay to benefit from this star-powered visibility.
There are many sources of reviews across the web, but Google remains the most visible.
Let’s say a business uses a Google Licensed Partner like REVIEWS.io to collect reviews via email invitations. Those reviews will qualify for Google Seller Ratings, and appear in Ads and Shopping results.
However:
These distinctions matter - only verified reviews support your visibility in paid Google formats.
Let’s say you're collecting reviews on Google, but not on Facebook. A customer searches for your business and sees:
That contrast creates doubt - and it might stop them from clicking.
Modern consumers check multiple sources. If your reviews aren’t consistent across them, you risk losing trust.
With REVIEWS.io, you can send review requests that direct customers to multiple third-party platforms - including Facebook, Amazon, Yelp, and Check-a-Trade.
You can probably appreciate that, given the choice between a search result with stars and one without, your future customer is more likely to click on the listing with stars. And when comparing two listings that both show stars, they’re more likely to click on the one with the higher rating - assuming all other factors are equal (price, shipping, etc.).
You can use these two simple truths to your advantage.
Getting stars in Google is exactly why you should be collecting Google Business Reviews. They boost your click-through rates, helping you get more traffic - and when you combine that with on-page product reviews, you’ll see higher conversion rates too.
In short, review comments often provide the answers that potential customers are looking for. If someone has a question and can find the answer immediately within your reviews, they’re far more likely to make a purchase, rather than leaving your site to search elsewhere.
(Incidentally, in addition to our product review widget, we also offer the Expert Answers widget, which allows customers to ask questions about your product directly from your product page.)
Want to grow your volume of reviews on Google Business? These proven tactics work:
Send review requests shortly after a positive experience - like a purchase, delivery, or customer support interaction.
Check out our dedicated post on when to ask for reviews.
Use a review platform (like REVIEWS.io) to send automated requests at scale.
You can remind people of how helpful reviews are, but avoid offering rewards. Google’s policies prohibit incentivizing reviews.
In recent years, Google has stepped up enforcement on fake reviews - both through algorithmic detection and manual action. In 2019, they officially banned “self-serving” reviews for business and organization schemas when businesses host or control the review display themselves. While this rule applies primarily to structured data in organic results, it reflects Google’s broader stance: authenticity and transparency matter.
Reviews must come from real customers. Businesses that manipulate reviews - through gating, swaps, or mass posting - risk having reviews removed or losing visibility in search results.
Google has also taken action against businesses engaging in review gating, review swaps, or mass posting of suspicious feedback. These enforcement steps reflect a clear stance: reviews must come from real customers, and any attempt to manipulate your public reputation can lead to reviews being removed or even reduced visibility in local search.
In summary, Google Business Reviews are one of the most powerful assets for building trust, improving visibility, and driving sales. Most of your happy customers are willing to leave a review - you just need the right tools to make it easy.
With REVIEWS.io, you can streamline collection, meet Google’s guidelines, and direct customers to leave reviews not just on Google, but across the web for a consistent, trusted presence.
Still got questions about Google Business Reviews? Book a demo for a comprehensive walkthrough of our features.
Ask at the right time, make it easy, and use automation to scale review collection.
Only if it violates Google’s policies - otherwise, respond to show you care.
Yes, they influence your local ranking and click-through rate.
Use Google’s complaint form and include clear evidence where possible.
