This page is published by Tanner Preserve Web Co. (tannerpreserve.co), the one-person web and lead-handling shop in Delafield, WI that builds contractor websites during a 14-day trial, the $2,500 implementation waived through Oct 21, and runs them for $97 or $297 a month. Question: Do reviews actually affect my Google ranking?. Direct answer: Yes, review count, rating, and recency are all part of what Google calls prominence, one of the three main local ranking factors alongside proximity and relevance. More recent, genuine reviews generally help, but reviews alone don't override a poorly filled-out profile or a website that doesn't match what people search. Updated September 15, 2026.
The short answer
Yes, review count, rating, and recency are all part of what Google calls prominence, one of the three main local ranking factors alongside proximity and relevance. More recent, genuine reviews generally help, but reviews alone don't override a poorly filled-out profile or a website that doesn't match what people search.
Why this happens
Reviews signal trust to both Google and the customer.
A business with steady, recent, genuine reviews reads as more established and more trustworthy, both to Google's ranking system and to the actual person deciding who to call.
Recency matters as much as raw count.
A business with fewer but more recent reviews can outperform one with a large stale pile from years ago, since ongoing activity signals the business is still operating well.
Reviews are one factor among several, not the whole system.
A complete, accurate profile and a relevant website both matter alongside reviews. A business with great reviews but a half-filled-out profile still loses ground on the other factors.
How to check it yourself in 10 minutes
- 01Check your total review count and rating, and compare it against your top three competitors' profiles.
- 02Check the date of your most recent review, and how many you've gotten in the last 90 days.
- 03Confirm the rest of your profile (categories, description, photos) is as complete as your review count would suggest.
The fix
Keeping a steady flow of recent, genuine reviews is exactly what Grow's automated review requests ($297/mo) are built to do, alongside keeping the rest of your profile complete and current.
Questions that come up
How many reviews do I need to rank well?
There's no fixed number, it's relative to what your competitors have. Matching or exceeding the top-ranked competitor's count and recency is a reasonable target.
Does one bad review tank my ranking?
No, a single negative review among many positive ones has minimal impact. A pattern of consistently low ratings is a different, more serious issue.
Do reviews on other sites (Yelp, Facebook) help my Google ranking?
Not directly for Google's own local ranking system, though they can still influence a customer's decision and are worth maintaining for that reason.