Reviews Build Trust at Scale
92% of consumers read online reviews. 88% trust them as much as personal recommendations.
For Australian local businesses, Google reviews aren't optional-they're essential.
Why Google Reviews Matter
For customers:
- Social proof from real people
- Quick quality assessment
- Risk reduction
For your business:
- Higher local search rankings
- Increased click-through rates
- Better conversion rates
- Free word-of-mouth marketing
The Simple Ask Framework
The #1 reason businesses don't have reviews? They don't ask.
When to ask:
- Right after successful service delivery
- When a customer expresses satisfaction
- After handling a problem well
- At natural relationship milestones
How to ask:
- Face to face (most effective)
- Follow-up email
- SMS (with consent)
- QR codes on receipts or cards
Making It Easy
The harder you make it, the fewer reviews you'll get.
Steps to simplify:
- Get your direct review link from Google Business Profile
- Create a short URL (bit.ly or similar)
- Print QR codes linking directly to review page
- Include the link in follow-up communications
The Perfect Ask Script
In person:
"Thanks for choosing us. If you're happy with our work, a Google review really helps other people find us. It only takes a minute."
By email:
Subject: Quick favour?
Hi [Name],
Thanks for your recent [service/purchase]. We loved working with you.
If you have 60 seconds, a Google review helps others find us: [link]
No pressure either way-we appreciate your business regardless.
Responding to Reviews
Positive reviews:
- Thank them by name
- Mention something specific
- Keep it brief
- Avoid marketing speak
Negative reviews:
- Respond promptly
- Acknowledge their experience
- Take it offline if possible
- Stay professional (everyone's watching)
How Many Reviews Do You Need?
There's no magic number, but research suggests:
- 10+ reviews = baseline credibility
- 50+ reviews = strong social proof
- 100+ reviews = authority status
Consistency matters more than volume. Steady new reviews signal an active business.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Don't:
- Offer incentives for reviews (against Google's policy)
- Buy fake reviews (detectable, punishable)
- Review yourself (Google knows)
- Ignore negative reviews
- Argue with reviewers publicly
Do:
- Ask everyone (not just happy customers)
- Make the process simple
- Respond to all reviews
- Learn from criticism
- Share positive reviews on your website
Displaying Reviews on Your Site
Google reviews embedded on your website:
- Build trust on every page
- Improve conversion rates
- Show you're actively engaged
- Add fresh content for SEO
Our websites include review integration as standard.
Start Today
The best time to start collecting reviews was a year ago. The second best time is today.
Pick your three most recent happy customers and ask them this week.
See how we integrate reviews into your online presence.