You work hard for good reviews. You earn them one customer at a time. They land on your Google Business profile for everyone to see. And then… you stick a link in your footer and call it a day.
That’s the problem. Too many businesses treat reviews like a checkbox. As long as the score looks good on Google, they think the job is done. Meanwhile, the most convincing words about your business are locked away where only searchers will see them. If a potential customer lands on your website from anywhere else — a referral link, a marketing email, a direct type-in — those reviews are invisible. [Read more…]
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.
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.