Google Reviews: How They Work and How to Get More
Direct answer: a Google rating is the average of the reviews published on the Business Profile, and it appears next to the business name in Search and Maps — before the address, phone number and photos. Review count and rating count toward the business's prominence in local ranking. To get more reviews, there are two approaches that add up: asking every customer you serve, and boosting the profile with a package.
The short version
- The rating is the average of all reviews, from 1 to 5 stars.
- Rating and review count appear in Search and Maps, before the click.
- Google states that review count and rating factor into the business's prominence in local ranking.
- A profile with few reviews changes its rating fast: each new review carries a lot of weight.
- Responding to reviews is visible to everyone and counts in your favor.
- You can boost the profile with 5-star reviews from Brazilian profiles, with the text you write.
How Does Google Calculate a Business's Rating?
The rating is the simple average of the reviews published on the profile. Each person gives 1 to 5 stars and can write a comment. Since it's an average, each review's effect depends on how many already exist: on a profile with 4 reviews, one 1-star rating drags the average way down; on one with 60, it barely moves it.
That's why a new profile is vulnerable: a single bad review defines the business's image until others come in.
Where Do Reviews Appear?
| Where | What the Customer Sees |
|---|---|
| Google Search | Rating and review count in the business panel, next to the name |
| Google Maps | Stars in the results list, before opening the profile |
| "Near Me" Search | The top three businesses, each with rating and count |
| Business Profile | The comments, with the owner's replies |
In practice, customers compare stars in seconds. Between two similar businesses, the one with more reviews and a higher rating gets the click.
Do Reviews Help You Show Up on Maps?
They help. Google explains that local ranking combines three factors — relevance, distance and prominence — and states that review count and rating are part of prominence (Business Profile Help). You have almost no control over relevance and distance; prominence, you do.
How to Get More Reviews?
- Ask at the right moment. Right after service, with your profile's direct review link — via WhatsApp, a QR code at the counter, or on the receipt.
- Reply to all of them. The owner's response stays public and shows the business is cared for.
- Complete the profile. Correct photos, hours, phone number and category get more people to reach the review button.
- Boost the profile with a package. At Google reviews you choose 5 to 50 5-star reviews, published by Brazilian profiles with the comments you write. Delivery is gradual, payment is secure with local methods, and the order only requires the business's link.
The two approaches add up: the package gets the profile off its low count and dilutes an old bad rating; asking customers keeps the profile getting reviews every week.
Frequently asked questions
How Is a Google Rating Calculated?
It's the average of all reviews published on the Business Profile, from 1 to 5 stars. Every new review counts toward it, so a profile with few reviews changes its rating quickly — up or down.
Do Reviews Help You Show Up on Google Maps?
They help. Google states that the number of reviews and the rating are part of a business's prominence, one of the three local ranking factors, alongside relevance and distance. It's not a guarantee of the top spot, but it's the factor that depends on you the most.
Can I ask my customers to leave reviews?
You can, and should: right after serving the customer, with the profile's direct link. It's the habit that keeps the profile getting reviews every week.
How Does Buying Google Reviews Work?
You choose the package (5 to 50 reviews), provide the business's Google Maps link, and write the comments. The 5-star reviews are published by Brazilian profiles, gradually, with the texts you sent. Payment is secure with local methods and no password is needed.
Should I Respond to Reviews?
Yes. The owner's response appears next to the review and shows the business is run by real people. It applies to praise and, especially, to criticism.
The next step
Open your profile in a private tab and see what the customer sees: how many reviews, what rating, when the last one was. If the number is low, start with the package at Google reviews and, from today on, ask for a review from every customer you serve. The Google services overview brings together what's available.
If you have questions about your case, talk to us through the support channel.
Read also: Guides by social network
Other articles in this series, each covering a different metric or platform.