Definition
Online reviews are customers' public ratings of a business on sites such as Google and Trustpilot, which influence buyers and search visibility.
Online reviews explained
Reviews affect decisions directly: prospective customers read them before calling or buying. They also influence search. Google lists reviews among the information that contributes to a business's prominence in local results, and review platforms are frequent sources for AI assistants answering “which company should I use” questions.
A healthy review program:
- Asks every satisfied customer, at the right moment, with a direct link.
- Spreads reviews across the platforms your buyers check, not just one.
- Replies to reviews, including negative ones, calmly and specifically.
- Uses feedback to fix recurring problems.
Never buy, fake or write reviews for yourself or others. Fake reviews breach platform policies and, in many countries, consumer protection law, and platforms remove them. Offering incentives only for positive reviews is also widely prohibited.
Example
Your cleaning company sends a short text after each job with a link to leave a Google review, and replies to every review within a few days. Over the year, a steady flow of recent reviews makes your profile more convincing than competitors with a handful of old ones.
Why it matters
Recent, genuine reviews build trust with buyers, support local rankings and give AI assistants evidence to recommend you.
Related service
Local SEO
Google Business Profile, local pack and location-page work for businesses that serve customers nearby.
Local SEO servicesSources
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to improve your local ranking on Google (checked 30 Sep 2026)
Published by Vidern, founded and led by Malhar Shah. Updated .
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Related terms
- Google Business ProfileA Google Business Profile is a free listing that shows a business's details, location, hours, photos and reviews in Google Search and Maps.
- Local packThe local pack is the map and list of businesses Google shows for local searches such as “plumber near me”, drawn from Google Business Profiles.
- Brand mentionA brand mention is any reference to your company, product or founder by name on another website, forum, video or AI answer, whether or not it links to you.
- E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)E-E-A-T stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness, the qualities Google uses to describe reliable, helpful content.