Their effect.
WHAT THEY AFFECT
Whether you appear in local results Whether people choose you over a competitor What people expect before contacting you
WHAT CUSTOMERS DO
Read reviews before deciding, almost always.
Compare businesses on review count and rating.
WHAT MATTERS
Having recent reviews Having enough of them Responding to them
THE RECENCY POINT
Reviews from two years ago carry less weight with readers than recent ones.
A steady trickle beats a burst.
WHAT A PERFECT RATING LOOKS LIKE
Suspicious, to many readers.
A few critical reviews among many good ones reads as genuine.
WHAT MATTERS MORE THAN THE RATING
How you respond to the critical ones.
That is what prospective customers actually read.
WHAT TO DO
Ask satisfied customers Respond to every review Fix what complaints reveal
WHAT NOT TO DO
Buy reviews Write them yourself Ignore complaints
