Online Reviews: How to Get More and Why They Matter
December 14, 2025
When was the last time you hired a service company without checking their reviews first? Your customers are no different. Online reviews are the modern word-of-mouth, and for home service businesses, they're one of the biggest factors in both Google rankings and customer decisions.
Why Reviews Matter
For rankings: Google uses review quantity, quality, and recency as ranking factors for the Local Pack. More positive reviews = higher visibility in local search results.
For trust: 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. A business with 50 recent, positive reviews will win over a competitor with 5 reviews (or none) every time.
For conversion: Businesses with a 4.5+ star rating and 25+ reviews see significantly higher click-through rates and call volumes compared to businesses with fewer reviews.
How to Get More Reviews (Systematically)
The key word is "systematically." Don't rely on customers spontaneously leaving reviews — build a process:
- Ask every happy customer — Train your team to ask for a review at the end of every job. "If you're happy with the work, a Google review would really help us out."
- Send a follow-up text or email — Within 2 hours of completing the job, send a message with a direct link to your Google review page
- Make it easy — Create a short URL that goes directly to the review form. The fewer steps, the higher the completion rate
- Be consistent — Don't ask for 2 weeks then forget for 3 months. Build it into your process permanently
Our lead gen clients get review management included.
We help you build a systematic review strategy that runs on autopilot.
Learn MoreResponding to Reviews
Respond to every review — positive and negative. For positive reviews, a simple "Thank you, [Name]! We appreciate your business" works. For negative reviews, stay professional, acknowledge the concern, and offer to resolve it offline. Your response is really written for future customers reading it.
Don't Fake It
Never buy fake reviews, offer incentives for reviews, or have employees post reviews. Google detects and penalizes fake reviews. Build your review base honestly, one satisfied customer at a time.
Reviews are a core part of our lead generation strategy. Contact us to learn how we help businesses build a steady stream of authentic, positive reviews.