Reviews + rankings
Local SEO & Google Reviews: what matters, what doesn’t, and how to win
Reviews are one of the most misunderstood levers in local SEO. They matter - but not because Google “reads one review and ranks you #1.” They matter because reviews influence trust, conversion, and engagement - and those are hard to fake at scale.
What matters (the parts that actually change outcomes)
- Review velocity: steady reviews over time beats bursts.
- Rating distribution: a healthy spread is normal, but a sudden wave of 1-stars is a red flag (and a conversion killer).
- Recency: fresh reviews reduce buyer hesitation.
- Trust signals: detailed, authentic reviews from real profiles tend to perform better for conversion.
What doesn’t matter (or is mostly noise)
- Stuffing keywords: asking customers to include keywords is usually unnecessary and can look spammy.
- Responding with essays: long responses rarely help; clarity and professionalism wins.
- Chasing a perfect 5.0: a 4.6-4.9 often converts extremely well and can look more believable.
The fastest way to recover after fake or malicious reviews
When a competitor (or a disgruntled person) drops fake 1-stars, time is money. The goal is to stop the bleeding and get you back to a conversion-friendly rating.
Fast recovery plan:
- Identify which reviews are most damaging (recent 1-stars, obvious fakes, policy issues).
- Start removal/dispute efforts immediately for the worst offenders.
- Restart your normal review collection (don’t pause it).
- Keep responses short, calm, and consistent.
Where our service fits
We focus on removing reviews that are harming your reputation and costing you leads. If we can’t remove it, you don’t pay.
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