Your reputation is already online, whether you manage it or not. For most people, it starts with a quick search. They see your name, your location, and your Google Business rating. Those stars tell a story before you get a chance to speak. They shape perception instantly.
A five-star average signals reliability. A handful of recent positive reviews makes you look active and engaged. A string of old or unanswered complaints creates doubt. People trust other people, and reviews give them a shortcut to deciding whether you are worth their time. [Read more…]
Most business owners think of Google Reviews as a trust tool, not a search tool. They picture customers glancing at the stars, maybe reading a few lines, and then deciding whether to call. That part is true, but it’s only half the story. Reviews can influence how you show up in search results, and the way you display them on your own site can make that effect stronger.
Some business owners have moved on. They chase TikTok trends, pay for placements in curated directories, and ask customers to leave reviews on niche platforms most people have never heard of. Yelp gets love from restaurants. TripAdvisor still holds sway for travel. But somehow, Google gets treated like old news. It’s useful for maps, sure, but often overlooked when it comes to customer reviews.
When someone searches for your business, Google shows them everything—your name, your hours, your map location, and, maybe most importantly, your reviews. Those little yellow stars carry real weight. One bad review can plant a seed of doubt. A string of five-star ratings can tip a visitor into becoming a customer. People trust what other people say. And Google, for better or worse, has become the place where those opinions live.
A startup called Farnsworth & Co. has found a niche in the dark overlap between surveillance, malware, and civil litigation. Their product? Personal data stolen from infected computers—now available for purchase by debt collectors, divorce lawyers, and anyone with a grudge and a budget.