You’ve worked hard to earn your reviews. Your customers took the time to write them. So why are they sitting on a Google Business profile that most of your website visitors will never even see?
This is one of the most common missed opportunities we come across. Business owners put real effort into collecting reviews, then barely use them. A small widget in the footer. A testimonials page nobody clicks on. Maybe a couple of quotes dotted around the site.
That’s not good enough. Your reviews are one of the most powerful sales tools you have. Here’s how to actually use them.
Why Third-Party Reviews Hit Differently
Reviews on your own website are fine. But reviews pulled directly from Google, Trustpilot or Checkatrade carry far more weight, and there’s a simple reason for it: visitors know you can’t fake them.
Anyone can write a glowing testimonial and stick it on their own website. But a 4.9-star Google rating with 120 reviews? That’s real. It’s verified. And visitors know it.
When someone lands on your website and sees that rating displayed prominently, it immediately shifts how they perceive your business. You go from “a business claiming to be good” to “a business with proof that they’re good.” That’s a meaningful difference, and it happens before they’ve read a single word of your copy.
Where to Display Your Reviews
Most businesses put their reviews in the wrong place. A dedicated testimonials page sounds like a good idea, but it only works if visitors actually navigate there, and most won’t. They’re too busy deciding whether to stay or go.
Your reviews need to be where the decisions are being made. That means:
- Your homepage. Ideally above the fold, or at least in the first scroll. This is where first impressions are formed and where trust needs to be established fast.
- Your service pages. Right alongside the service you’re asking someone to enquire about. A relevant review next to a call to action can be the final nudge someone needs.
- Your contact page. People who reach your contact page are already considering getting in touch. A strong review here reinforces that they’re making the right decision.
If you’re using WordPress, there are plenty of free plugins that pull your Google or Trustpilot reviews in automatically and display them as a widget or a carousel. It takes an hour to set up and it works around the clock after that.
Don’t Cherry-Pick
It’s tempting to hand-select only your very best reviews. But visitors are smart, and a page full of five-star reviews with nothing below a 9/10 can actually feel suspicious.
Displaying your live rating, with the real number of reviews behind it, is more convincing than a curated selection. It shows confidence. It says you’re not hiding anything. And if you have the odd four-star review in there, that’s fine. It makes the five-star ones more believable.
How to Get More Reviews (Without Being Annoying About It)
The number one reason businesses don’t have enough reviews is simple: they never ask. Most happy customers won’t leave a review unprompted. Not because they don’t want to, but because it just doesn’t cross their mind.
The fix is straightforward. Build it into your process. Send a follow-up message after every job is completed. Keep it short, keep it personal, and make it easy by including a direct link to your Google review page. Something like:
“Hi [Name], really glad the project went well. If you’ve got two minutes, a Google review would mean the world to us. Here’s the link: [URL]. Thanks so much.”
That’s it. No lengthy email, no formal request. Just a genuine ask at the right moment. Most people are happy to help if you make it easy for them.
Video Testimonials: The Next Level
Written reviews are great. Video testimonials are exceptional.
A real customer, on camera, talking about their experience with your business is about as convincing as it gets. It’s harder to dismiss, harder to fake and far more engaging than text on a screen. Visitors watch, they connect, and they think: if it worked for them, it can work for me.
You don’t need a production crew or a fancy setup. A 60-second clip filmed on a smartphone, with decent lighting and a happy customer, is more than enough. Ask your best clients. Most are more willing than you’d expect, especially if you frame it as a quick favour rather than a big ask.
Even one or two video testimonials on your homepage can make a significant difference to how visitors perceive your business.
The Bottom Line
Your reviews are already doing some work for you. But most businesses are getting a fraction of the value they could be getting from them.
Display them prominently. Use third-party sources. Keep collecting them consistently. And if you can get even one customer on video, do it.
Done right, your reviews stop being something visitors have to go and find, and start being something that convinces them before they’ve even thought to look.
If you’d like help getting your reviews working harder on your website, we’re always happy to take a look. Free consultation, no obligation, no hard sell.