Why Local Reviews Power Your Visibility & How Many You Really Need

Reviews are no longer just “nice to have.”

They’re one of the strongest ranking signals for Google Maps and one of the biggest trust builders for customers.

Here’s why reviews fuel local visibility:

Google Uses Reviews to Rank You

Reviews tell Google, you’re active, customers trust you, and people choose you over competitors. Businesses with steady review flow almost always outrank businesses with higher total reviews but no recent activity.

Customers Choose Based on Recency, Not Just Quantity

A business with:40 reviews but 12 in the last 60 days will beat a business with 140 reviews but only 1 this year.

People want to know: “What do customers say right now?”

Reviews Contain Keywords Google Loves

When customers naturally write things like: “Branding photos,” "Marketing help," "Website design," and "Local Visibility," Google reads those words as ranking signals.

Reviews Build Trust Before You Ever Speak to Someone

Reviews do the credibility work for you. By the time someone reaches out, they already know you're legit, you deliver and you care.

How Many Reviews Do You Really Need?

Here’s the truth: it’s not about a magic number, but rather about steady activity. For Bloomington-Normal visibility, aim for 204 new reviews per month with a mix of service types mentioned plus a few photo reviews sprinkled in. That's enough to outperform most local competitors.

For Bloomington-Normal visibility, aim for:

If gathering reviews feels awkward or hard to maintain, let's chat about some ways to ask for additional reviews. I can even make you a QR code to share if you don't have one already!

Reach out to learn more.

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