Did you know that 89% of customers look at reviews before deciding to purchase a product? Positive, accurate reviews are essential for any business, and Google has updated its review snippets guidelines to boost the quality, transparency, and authenticity of online reviews.
A review snippet is a short excerpt of a review or a rating from a review website, such as Google Reviews, Yelp, or TripAdvisor. These snippets are usually an average of the combined rating scores from many reviewers.
When Google finds valid reviews or ratings in a structured data markup, it may show a rich snippet that includes stars and other information from the reviews or ratings. Rich review snippets may appear in rich results or Google Knowledge Panels.
Review snippet in a rich result
Review snippets in a Google Knowledge Panel
A recent Google Business Profile update suggests that
businesses should implement a setup that only accepts ratings that include written reviews and, where possible, the names of the review authors.
This update has significant implications for local businesses' online visibility and marketing strategies. In 2025, it will be crucial for local businesses to facilitate written reviews with great customer service and properly structured data.
Consumers are discerning about where they spend their money, and they increasingly turn to online reviews to guide their decisions.
Reviews with written content not only provide more context but also help establish trust. For local businesses, this transparency is critical—whether you're a regional bank, a credit union, or a local service provider. If your reviews are detailed and verifiable, they will likely show up more prominently in search results, increasing the likelihood of attracting local customers.
Google’s preference for including detailed, written reviews alongside ratings means that businesses need to encourage customers to provide more than just a quick rating from 1–5 stars.
Including author names in reviews builds credibility. Customers are more likely to trust reviews when they can see that they are written by real people, especially those that highlight specific experiences.
To maximize your chances of being featured in these rich snippets, ensure your website uses structured data markup, which helps Google recognize and display your reviews effectively.
Need help determining whether or not your website is optimized for rich results?
Local businesses can encourage their customers to leave thoughtful, detailed reviews with identifiable information. For many businesses, that means reaching out to satisfied customers and asking them to share their positive experiences in a way that aligns with Google’s new preferences. Additionally, businesses must ensure their website is properly optimized with structured data to take full advantage of rich snippets.
By aligning your business’s review strategy with Google’s new guidelines, you can improve both your SEO and your customer trust.
Do you have a ton of reviews and don’t know where to begin? Maybe you're looking to generate more reviews? The review management features within Stratus can make replying to reviews fun and easy. Gain insights about how you’re performing on Google and Facebook and use reply templates to quickly reply to reviews.