Let imagine the following scenario – someone finds your business online, clicks through to your page… and then nothing. They pause. Why? Because there are no reviews to give them confidence. In 2025 that’s almost as bad as a “Closed” sign on your shop door.
And honestly we all do it. We do the same thing. Most of us check reviews before booking a table, buying shoes or even picking a plumber. The numbers back it up too—more than half of Gen Z won’t buy without checking reviews and almost 8 out of 10 people say they trust them as much as a friend’s opinion. No reviews? That feels like walking into an empty restaurant at dinner time.
Here’s the thing: reviews don’t just make people feel safer about buying from you. They also push your business higher in search results, bring in more clicks and yes—more sales.
So how do you get from silence to glowing feedback? We’ve seen it happen. Businesses that went from barely-there reviews to tripling their numbers, ranking higher on Google and actually seeing money come in because of it.
It’s not about theory or wishful thinking. It’s about using a clear simple game plan that turns happy customers into loud supporters. And whether you’re a small local service or a full on online shop the 10 steps we’ll go through can help you fill that review section with the kind of proof that makes people stop hesitating and start buying.
What’s an Online Review?
An online review is what our customers say about us on places like Google, Yelp, or Facebook. It’s their honest opinion on our products, services or how we made them feel, often with a star rating (1 to 5) and a few words or sentences.
Imagine someone raving about our café’s “life-changing latte” or praising our roofing crew for a quick fix.
These reviews are like word-of-mouth but online where they build trust with new customers and give search engines a reason to notice us. They’re a big part of how people see our business.
Why Online Reviews Are Our Business’s Best Kept Secret
For us at EcoSEO, reviews do more than warm our hearts – they drive growth.
Google loves them, factoring in how many we have, how good they are and how recent they are to rank us higher in local searches. Almost everyone – 98% of people – check out reviews for local businesses at least sometimes and three-quarters do it regularly.
Even better, reviews impact the bottom line: a Harvard study says one extra star can boost our revenue by 5 to 9%. That’s why we see reviews as a game-changer for our business.
Step 1: Make Asking An Everyday Habit
Personally, I think the simplest way to get more reviews would be just to ask for it. Seems to be the most obvious to me. But think most businesses never think to do it.
If someone had a great experience. Let’s not be shy – that’s the perfect moment to nudge them into giving you a great review. I know, it’s difficult, but just don’t overthink it—ask in person, drop them a quick text, or email. The easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to follow through.
A while back, I told an online and offline retailer to start asking at checkout. Nothing fancy, just: “Hey man, if you enjoyed shopping with us, would you mind leaving a quick review?” I am told that two weeks later, they went from 5 reviews to 25.
Quick Ideas:
- You have to train your team to ask naturally. A simple, “Glad you enjoyed it—mind sharing that in a review?” works every time.
- Another great idea – Print some of these QR codes on receipts that link straight to the Google Reviews page.
- Send a short email: “We’d love your feedback—it only takes 30 seconds.”
For me, it’s making it a habit. When asking becomes normal, reviews start to flow.
Step 2: Let Automation Do the Heavy Lifting
From what we’ve seen firsthand, asking for reviews manually works most of the time. But let’s be real for a moment—it tends not to scale. That’s where automation comes in. You are able to use tools like Birdeye, Podium, or Trustpilot. These tools work well to send some gentle reminders to you and the user.
And here’s why it matters: we have found that text messages get opened almost every time (around 98%). Compare that with an email where you’re lucky to hit even a 40.35% strike rate. That’s a big difference.
So, instead of chasing people one by one and feeling embarrassed, you’ve got software doing all the work, all the follow-up’s while you get back to running your business.
Quick ideas:
- First, you need to find a “review tool” that fits your budget (Podium starts at about $289/month).
- Keep the message short and warm: “Hi [Name], thanks for visiting us! Mind leaving a quick review?”
- Schedule it for 1–2 days after purchase while the experience is still fresh.
Step 3: Fix Up Your Review Profiles
If your social media profiles or review profiles aren’t claimed or look half-empty, people tend to notice that—and not in a good way. (almost as bad as having many bad reviews) Using an analogy – It’s like having a shop with the lights off and no sign out front.
You need to start with the big ones: Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook. Make sure they’re claimed, updated, and have really great photos (think HD). Google has said it themselves, businesses with photos get way more clicks and requests for directions than those without. It’s proof that visuals matter.
Quick ideas:
- Google your business name + “reviews” and claim every profile that pops up.
- Upload fresh, great-quality images (your team, your space, your work).
- Keep info like hours, location, and website link up to date.
When your social and review-site profiles look alive and polished, people are way more likely to trust you. And in turn may end up leaving a positive review.
Step 4: Incentivize (Without Crossing the Line)
Most people like a little bit of a reward. A small perk can get them to finally leave that review. Discounts, freebies, or giveaways all work – just keep it legal and fair.
That said, not everyone needs an incentive to leave a review. Some people just want to share their story. The reward is more of a nudge than a bribe.
Quick Ideas:
- Run a giveaway: “Review us for a chance to win a $50 gift card.”
- Stay neutral. Ask for honest feedback, not just praise.
- Promote the offer at checkout, in emails, or on your site.
Step 5: Respond to Every Review
This is a biggie! Online reviews shouldn’t be one-sided. (that includes bad reviews) If someone writes about your business, you should answer back asap. It shows you care about your customer and your business.
In fact, replies matter, according to a study, 83% of customers feel more loyal to the brand if they respond or resolve their complaints. So, bottom-line replies build trust. They also show new customers how you handle both love and criticism.
Quick Ideas:
- Happy review: “Thanks, [Name]! Glad you enjoyed it, please come again.”
- Negative review: “Sorry, [Name]. That’s not what we aim for – please reach out so we can fix it.”
- Reply within 48 hours.
Step 6: Show Off Reviews on Your Site
I have to say that this is something I have neglected in the past. Do not hide reviews. If you have reviews from Google, Yelp, or on Facebook, show them to the world. Bring them onto your own site. When people land on your page and see real words from real customers, trust shoots up. How do you do that? The best and fastest option would be to take a few screenshots and upload them.
It’s not just about making people feel good, either. Reviews are great for adding fresh content to your site and even help with SEO. In our line of work, we’ve noticed that Google loves it. Plus, when folks stick around reading reviews, they spend more time on your site—and that’s a good sign for rankings.
And hey, reviews aren’t only for sales. They tell you what’s working, what’s not, and what customers really care about.
Quick Ideas:
- You can use a plugin (like WP Review) to pull the positive reviews onto your site.
- Show 3–5 of your best reviews right on the homepage. (make use of a few screenshots)
- Add schema to the reviews so Google can actually read and show them in search.
Step 7: Get Your Team Involved
You should know by now that your staff are the ones talking to customers every day—so let’s get them asking for reviews too. A little training goes a long way.
I once helped a café train its baristas to simply ask, “If you enjoyed your coffee, would you mind leaving us a review?” Sixty days later, their reviews had tripled. That’s the power of a consistent ask.
Quick ideas:
- Do quick role-play sessions so asking feels natural.
- Set easy goals, like 5 reviews per staff member each week.
- Celebrate the people who bring in the most reviews—small rewards keep it fun.
Step 8: Use Social Media Prompts
Your followers already like you—that’s half the battle. We have found that sometimes, all you need to do is ask. Your Social media profiles are perfect for this. Drop a post or story saying, “Hey everybody, if you had a good experience with our company, would you mind leaving us a positive review?” and then watch what happens.
Social media’s a review goldmine—81% of people check Google reviews before visiting a business, per Shapo.io. I had an online shop retailer try this once on Facebook. They posted a simple message with their Facebook review link. By the end of the week? Ten new reviews. Just from one single post.
Step 9: Follow Up with Past Customers
Your old customers are sitting on a goldmine of feedback. They already know your service; they just need a little reminder.
One service business I worked with emailed 100 of their past clients. Fifteen of them came back with glowing reviews. That’s 15 voices boosting their Google score without chasing a single new sale.
Quick ideas:
- Send a simple message: “Hi [Name], how’d we do? Mind sharing a quick review?”
- Use your CRM list—reach out by email or text.
- Sweeten the ask with a small thank-you, like 5% off their next visit.
Step 10: Monitor Reviews
You can’t just set it and forget it. Reviews need to be watched. Check in regularly to see what’s coming in and what’s working.
Tools like Google Analytics or ReviewTrackers make it easier, but even a spreadsheet will do. The point is to notice patterns—are people leaving reviews right after purchase? Do certain asks get more responses?
When you see what works, do more of it. When something fails, tweak it. The small changes add up over time.
Quick wins:
- Monitor reviews and website traffic to see what’s moving the needle.
- Try timing, messaging or incentives.
- Keep what works, drop what doesn’t.
Do Online Reviews Affect SEO Rankings?
I get these questions every now and then. Do reviews actually have a positive effect on your Google Rankings? So, answer your question, yes, it does have a positive effect on your SEO and rankings.
Reviews aren’t just for bragging rights—they actually affect how Google sees your business. More reviews, higher ratings, and recent activity all help you show up in local search, including that coveted “3-pack” at the top of results.
If you’re not sure what I am talking about, I am referring to the Local Business Listing. If you search for something like: “SEO Services Cape Town“, there are these three blocks of local rankings that come up. Business Google Profiles tend to show the sites with more positive reviews.
We, as well as other SEO Experts, have noticed a bit of a pattern: we have seen that businesses (both us and clients) with more positive reviews (on the GMB profiles) than their competitors tend to rank a bit higher in local search. And it’s not just about clicks—reviews seriously sway buying decisions. According to research from the Medill Spiegel Center, a product with five reviews is 270% more likely to be purchased than one with none.
Here’s the thing we found: reviews feed Google’s idea of Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). And yeah, that matters for rankings.
- Experience: Reviews show real people interacting with your business. “They fixed my AC in an hour!” says more than a brochure ever could.
- Expertise: Detailed feedback like “Best tax advice I’ve gotten” highlights your skill. Super important in areas like health or finance.
- Authority: A bunch of 5-star reviews screams credibility. Fifty good reviews > five. Every time.
- Trustworthiness: Replying to reviews—especially the rough ones—shows you care. Google notices that.
Real example: I worked with a plumber who only had 10 generic reviews. We pushed for 30 more with phrases like “fast plumbing repair in Cape Town,” and boom—their GMB ranking jumped from page 2 into the 3-pack in six weeks. Keyword-rich reviews, volume, and timely replies make Google see you as relevant and trustworthy.
Negative reviews? Ok wait now, don’t freak out. If positives outweigh them and you handle complaints properly, Google doesn’t penalise you.
Bonus tip: add schema markup so reviews can show star ratings in search—click-throughs go up.
In short: reviews aren’t nice to have—they’re a major driver for SEO, traffic, and trust.
Where should you Focus Your Reviews?
For services like plumbers, lawyers, or electricians:
- Google My Business: Can’t skip it—local search king.
- Yelp: Big trust factor, especially in cities.
- Facebook: Great for showing social proof to your neighbors.
For products like retail or e-commerce:
- Google Reviews: Helps with Shopping visibility and local search.
- Amazon: The big player if you sell there.
- Trustpilot: Perfect for brands with a global audience.
The trick? Focus where your audience actually hangs out. Google is a must for everyone.
Why This Works
People want to trust you—and they love to help. Asking for a review taps into that. Throw in a small incentive, and you spark a little “I’ll help you, you’ll help me” vibe. Replying makes you feel human, showing you actually care. Displaying reviews? That’s social proof in action: “If others love it, maybe I will too.” It’s a trust loop that pulls people in.
Final Thoughts: Reviews Are Your Secret Weapon
More reviews = more trust, better SEO, and yes, more sales. Follow the 10 steps: ask, automate, optimize, incentivize, respond, showcase, train, post on social, re-engage past customers, and monitor. Do that, and your happy clients turn into cheerleaders for your business.
Feeling swamped? Well we can help. Have a look at – Reputation Management Services can handle the heavy lifting, keeping your brand visible, credible, and packed with reviews.
FAQ: Your Online Review Questions
How many reviews do I need to see results?
20+ will start building trust. 50+ really gives SEO a boost. Even just 5 can sway locals.
What if I get a bad review?
Don’t freak out. Respond fast, fix the issue. Around 68% of customers stay loyal if you do. One bad review won’t sink you.
Are paid reviews worth it?
Nope. Google and Yelp will flag them, and you could get in trouble. Real reviews, nudged legally, work way better.
Can I delete negative reviews?
Not usually. Platforms protect them. Flag fake ones, but legit complaints stay. Counter them with more positive reviews.
