Glossary
Review Signals
Definition
Review signals are the quantity, recency, rating, and sentiment of customer reviews on Google and other platforms, and they directly influence local search rankings and customer conversion.
In depth
Google's local ranking algorithm weighs review signals heavily, especially review count, average rating, and whether the business responds to reviews. Recent reviews matter more than old ones — a business with 50 reviews in the past year ranks better than one with 200 reviews from five years ago. Review signals also shape AI search results: tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity often summarize review sentiment when recommending local businesses, making review quality and consistency a factor in both organic and AI-driven discovery.
Related terms
- Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (GBP) is a free listing that controls how your business appears in Google Search and Google Maps, including your name, address, hours, photos, and customer reviews.
- Local SEO
Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a business's online presence so it appears prominently in geographically relevant search results, including Google Maps and the local pack.
- AI Search Visibility
AI search visibility is the likelihood that AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews mention or recommend your business when a user asks a local question.
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