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Google reviews: the numbers behind who gets hired

Reviews decide who gets hired more than price or the quality of the website. 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, 71% read them on Google, and 65% have rejected a business because of what they read.¹ For a trade or small business, the Google Business Profile is the front door, and most competitors have not opened theirs.

Most of your competitors have not claimed theirs

35%

Only 35% of small businesses have a Google Business Profile.² The profile is free, takes an afternoon, and is where the 84% of consumers who use Google to find business reviews will look first.³ An unclaimed profile is a competitor’s advantage.

The thresholds customers apply

68%

68% of consumers require at least a four-star rating before they will consider a business.⁴
74% give more weight to reviews from the last three months.⁴ A five-star review from 2023 counts for little.
32% expect the business to reply to a review within 24 hours.⁴ Replies are read by the next customer, not the reviewer.

What this means in practice

Recency beats volume. Ten reviews spread over the last year outperform fifty from three years ago.
Ask at the right moment. The best time is when the customer is standing in front of the finished job. A text with a direct review link, sent that day, converts. A request a week later does not.
Reply to every review. Thank the good ones briefly. Answer the bad ones calmly and factually. Both are sales copy for the next reader.
Photos and reviews travel together. A profile with recent photos and recent reviews reads as a business that is alive.

Why a profile matters beyond Google

AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Gemini lean on review platforms when recommending a business, more than on the business’s own site. A complete, active Google Business Profile is one of the few signals that works in ordinary search, in Maps and in AI answers at once. Knight Li Group, a UK consultancy for trades and small businesses, claims, completes and optimises profiles as part of its audit-first approach, with Bing Places included.

Questions people ask

How many Google reviews does a tradesperson need?

Enough recent ones to clear the thresholds customers apply: 68% of consumers require at least four stars, and 74% weight reviews from the last three months most heavily. A steady flow of a few reviews a month, each replied to, matters more than a large total. Knight Li Group sets up a simple ask-and-reply routine as part of its audit.

Should I reply to negative Google reviews?

Yes, always, calmly and factually. 32% of consumers expect a reply within 24 hours, and the reply is read by every future customer, not just the reviewer. A short, specific response that states what happened and what was done about it usually helps more than the negative review hurt.

Is a Google Business Profile free?

Yes. Google Business Profile is free to claim and maintain. Only 35% of small businesses have one, so a complete profile with recent reviews, photos, services and hours is one of the cheapest competitive advantages available to a UK trade or small business.

Do Google reviews affect whether AI assistants recommend a business?

Yes. Review and directory platforms are cited more often by AI assistants than a business’s own website, so an active Google Business Profile is one of the few signals that works in search, Maps and AI answers simultaneously. Knight Li Group checks profile completeness and review activity in every free audit.

Find out how your profile compares with the firm above you.

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¹ BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (US). ² BrightLocal, 2025 (US). ³ BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2025 (US, n=1,026). ⁴ BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (US).