Not all online reviews are created equally.
There are glowing reviews, libelous reviews, straightforward reviews, funny reviews, and more. With Facebook as a notable exception, most review sites run on a five-star scale.
Intuition says that businesses should shoot for a five-star Google star rating every time, right? We’re here to tell you that might not actually be the case in terms of overall online reputation management. Below we discuss what the ideal Google review rating is.
Let’s start at the bottom.
According to Podium, the lowest rating that consumers consider engaging with is 3.3. That doesn’t mean your business should settle with this subpar rating.
Increasing your rating typically leads to more clicks.
For example, one study found that when businesses improve their rating from 3.5 to 3.7 stars, they saw an increase in engagement (a store visit, phone call, or directions request) by almost 120%.
If improving your Google rating leads to more clicks, doesn’t a 5.0 lead to the most clicks?
Actually, no.
According to High-Level Marketing, when there are no negative reviews, 30% of consumers assume the reviews are fake.
It’s important to have a number of imperfect reviews containing feedback or complaints to demonstrate that real customers are sharing their honest opinion.
This, of course, will bring down your score, but that’s okay!
Not only do negative reviews gain the trust of readers, but they can alsohelp your business improve its service and resolve customer concerns.
With all this in mind, what is the ideal rating?
A study by the Spiegel Research Center determined that ratings of 4.2 - 4.5 are the most trusted.
This is a great goal to aim for, and realistic as well. Mistakes happen in every business in every industry. It’s a waste of time to stress over a single negative review or an unattainable perfect rating.
Instead, focus on providing great service to your customers. Your reviews will reflect your effort.
Even more important than your rating is the frequency of your reviews. Potential customers are interested in feedback from recent visitors to your store, not those who made a purchase in 2010.
In fact, Brightlocal’s 2019 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 84% of consumers “believe that reviews older than three months aren’t relevant.”
Don’t let the negative review you received last year bother you. Put your attention on collecting reviews from your current, happy customers, and you’ll set yourself up for success.
To increase your online rating and keep reviews coming in consistently, partner with Widewail. Our review generation product Invite syncs with your point of sale system to automatically send review requests to all of your customers.
We also answer reviews on behalf of your business through our Engage service, working directly with your team to ensure that every customer receives an appropriate and timely response.
This will help improve your rating and increase your review volume; by as much as 12% according to one Harvard Business Review study.
Get your understanding of best practices up to speed or take your skills to the next level with Widewail Academy.
FAQs
A study by the Spiegel Research Center determined that ratings of 4.2 - 4.5 are the most trusted. This is a great goal to aim for, and realistic as well. Mistakes happen in every business in every industry. It's a waste of time to stress over a single negative review or an unattainable perfect rating.
What is the ideal Google star rating? ›
Customers are more likely to trust a business with a 4 or 5-star rating than one with a lower rating. Positive reviews and high ratings show that your business is trustworthy and reliable and delivers excellent customer service.
Is 4.2 a good Google rating? ›
According to research, the ideal star rating is between 4 and 5-star reviews. Studies show that the average rating most consumers trust is between 4.2 and 4.5 stars.
Is 4.7 a good Google rating? ›
For instance, a business with a 4.7 star review average and 180 reviews is going to be ahead of a business with a 3.8 star rating average and 120 reviews.
What's a good amount of Google reviews? ›
The number of Google reviews a month that you should aim for can vary depending on your goals and the level of customer engagement. A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 10 to 15 new reviews per month to maintain a positive online presence and steady growth.
What is considered a low Google rating? ›
According to Podium, the lowest rating that consumers consider engaging with is 3.3. That doesn't mean your business should settle with this subpar rating. Increasing your rating typically leads to more clicks.
Can you get 1 star Google reviews removed? ›
Select your business Report a new review for removal. For each review that you want to flag, click Report. In the new tab, select a category for the review. Click Submit.
Is 4.9 a good rating on Google? ›
4.9 is a very good rating for any company to have.
How do I get a 5.0 rating on Google? ›
Aim for consistent, high-quality customer experiences and encourage happy clients to leave positive reviews. Remember that the number of reviews you need to get five stars on Google is not set in stone. As your business grows, you must strive to increase positive reviews to maintain a five-star rating.
How many 5 star Google reviews do you need to increase your average? ›
Your goal should be to get to a 5 star overall score as fast as possible. To do that, you'll need 25 more 5-star reviews. And when google updates your review score you will have 5 stars. So start asking your satisfied customers to leave a review, and watch your rating soar!
Fake reviews can be found on virtually any platform, from Amazon to Yelp, but Google is one of the most popular sources of fake reviews. Fake five-star Google reviews are often created by businesses or individuals with the intention of increasing the overall rating of their product or service on Google.
How do I increase my Google star rating? ›
Activating the voice of your happy customer by asking for reviews is our favorite answer. But the more obvious response is to improve the customer experience at the store level. A better customer experience will lead to more positive reviews and will result in a higher Google star rating.
How do I improve my Google rating? ›
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Rank High on Google
- Step #1: Improve Your On-Site SEO.
- Step #2: Add LSI Keywords To Your Page.
- Step #3: Monitor Your Technical SEO.
- Step #4: Match Your Content to Search Intent.
- Step #5: Reduce Your Bounce Rate.
- Step #6: Find Even Keywords to Target.
- Step #7: Publish Insanely High-Quality Content.
It takes 40 positive reviews to undo the damage of one negative review. This is because: Only one in 10 happy customers leave a review. An unhappy customer will leave a review over a happy customer.
Do you get paid for leaving Google reviews? ›
offering payment for Google reviews is a violation of Google's policies. Google's review policies explicitly state that reviews should be unbiased and should not be influenced by any form of compensation, including money, gifts, or other incentives.
Can you see who viewed your Google reviews? ›
You can see the profile name of the customer who left the review, but because of Google's privacy laws, you can't see who's viewed the reviews on your profile.
Is 4.9 a good Google rating? ›
To reach a 5.0, every review done by all your customers must be a 5.0. If your rating is a 4.9, some of the reviews must have been less than a 5.0. 4.9 is a very good rating for any company to have.
Is a Google rating of 4.6 good? ›
They don't all agree on the perfect range for a score – the widest range suggested is 3.7 to 4.9 – but most of the other studies suggest a much narrower range – something like 4.2 to 4.6. If a business has a lot of reviews and a perfect 5.0 score, it's human nature to suspect that something's not right.
Is a 4.5 star rating good? ›
The Golden Middle. This is why the most beneficial rating range falls somewhere between 4.2 and 4.5 stars. It's that golden area where reviews are still overwhelmingly positive, but investigative customers wary of their spending will still be able to find negative opinions to prove the trustworthiness of the seller.
What is a 4.7 star Google rating? ›
A 4.7-star rating is excellent! It's one of the highest ratings a business can receive. A 4.7-star rating means the business is doing a great job meeting customer expectations and providing a high-quality product or service.
