The short answer is yes. But let’s dig into why they matter and what you should be doing to achieve as many authentic reviews as you can.
A few years ago, many of us believed word-of-mouth recommendations from close friends or family carried far more weight than the opinions of strangers on the internet. And whilst that’s still partly true, we were missing the bigger picture.
When someone is researching a service or product, particularly one they’ve never used before, they don’t have access to your network of long-standing clients. What they do have is Google. And what Google shows them, for better or worse, is people’s honest opinions of your business.
The trust factor
Trust is the currency of business, and reviews are one of the quickest ways to build it with people who don’t know you yet. When potential clients land on your Google Business Profile and see a string of high-rated reviews with thoughtful, detailed feedback, it reassures them. It tells them that other people, once in their position, have taken a chance on you and been pleased with the outcome.
When there are no reviews to be found on your page at all, it raises questions. Are you new? Are you struggling? Whether this is representative of the truth or not, that’s the impression a sparse review section creates.
Research suggests that 68% of UK consumers turn to online reviews as their primary source for purchasing decisions. Looking at reviews isn’t niche buying behaviour; it’s a key part of the selection process for many. This is particularly true of professional services like law firms, accountants, or consultants, where trust is non-negotiable.
The psychology behind reviews
Conformity is huge in reviews. It’s the idea that people look to others’ behaviour to guide their own decisions, particularly in situations where they’re uncertain. Reviews provide social proof and demonstrate the experiences of others who have lived to tell the tale.
Although a lot of people seek reviews for reassurance, they also help contextually. Potential customers or clients reading through feedback can get a sense of what it’s actually like to work with you or purchase something from you. This is where details matter, as so do real insights about your company that you wouldn’t put on your website.
Even though positive reviews are essential for building trust and portraying the best view of your business, perfection isn’t the aim. Nothing but glowing five-star reviews can look suspicious, and people are savvy enough to know that not everyone’s experience will be the same. A few four-star reviews mixed in with the fives, with reasonings, can make the whole collection feel more representative of reality.
Reviews and local search
Reviews play a critical role in local search rankings. Google uses reviews to determine which businesses appear in the coveted local pack – those three businesses that show up at the top of search results when someone searches for a service in their area.
The more reviews you have, and the more recent they are, the better your chances are of appearing in that local pack. And once you’re there, the quality of your reviews influences whether someone clicks through to your website or scrolls past to your competitor. You are much more likely to be discovered if you have reviews, and even more so if you appear in the coveted local pack.
Why businesses struggle to get them
Despite understanding the value in reviews, many businesses still don’t have a proper strategy in place for gathering them.
There are a few reasons for that, the first being that many businesses are wary of appearing pushy or needy. There’s a worry that clients might feel obligated or put on the spot if you ask them to leave a review, but it’s wrong to assume that happy customers will do it off their own back. Most people are busy, and unless they’ve had an exceptionally good or bad experience, leaving a review may not be on their radar.
Some businesses fear negative reviews, and therefore don’t prompt for a review at all. What if someone leaves a review that damages our reputation? It’s a valid concern, but it’s also worth remembering that how you respond to negative reviews matters just as much as the review itself. A professional response to criticism can actually enhance your reputation by demonstrating that you take feedback seriously and care about resolving issues. It shows you are taking accountability rather than being in denial.
How to encourage more reviews
The good news is that encouraging reviews doesn’t have to be complicated or awkward, when it’s timed correctly. The most appropriate time to ask for a review is right after you’ve delivered a great result for a client. They’re happy, they’re engaged, and they’re more likely to say yes.
You can also have things in place to make it easier for them. For example, there is nothing stopping you from sending a follow-up email with a direct link to your Google Business Profile where they can leave a review. The fewer steps involved, the more likely they are to action it.
Personalisation can also help drive responses, as a message that references the specific work you did for them feels genuine. Not only will this remind them of their experience, but it shows you value their opinion. A generic, automated request feels transactional and puts you on the path to being ignored.
When someone does leave a review, make sure you respond to it. Thank them for taking the time, acknowledge their feedback, and if appropriate, add a little detail that you remember from the exchange to reinforce the relationship. It shows prospects that you’re engaged and attentive.
The value in being responsive
As referenced above, responding to reviews is an opportunity to build on the relationships you’ve made, yet it is where many businesses fall. They collect reviews, but that’s all. The response is what shows you are listening and that you care about the experiences you create for your customers.
If it’s a positive review, keep your response warm and professional. Thank the reviewer, mention something specific about their feedback if you can, and link back to your commitment to offering a great service. For negative reviews, stay calm and professional by acknowledging the concern and apologising. You may even want to offer to resolve the issue privately if they have a particularly bad view on your product or service.
The way a business handles criticism publicly says a lot about their character and values. Done well, it can turn a negative into a neutral, or even a positive.
Let’s review
The bottom line is that people absolutely care about reviews. They provide the social proof and reassurance needed to make confident purchasing or visiting decisions. The authenticity and reality of a review is something that no business can replicate themselves – it’s the third party, impartial perspective that builds trust.
If you’re not actively encouraging and managing reviews, you’re leaving a significant opportunity on the table. It doesn’t require a huge investment of time or resources, just a consistent approach and a willingness to ask. Because in a world where trust is built online as much as it is offline, reviews do the talking before a potential client even enquires with you. If you want support in increasing your visibility in the search engine results page or some help increasing your review score, get in touch with us now.
