How many Google reviews do you need?
The short answer
Google's help page says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking, but it gives no target number. We suggest aiming a little above what the top businesses near you have, and keeping up a steady flow of new reviews each month.
By Reputant · Updated October 30, 2026 · 5 min read
Is there a magic number of Google reviews?
Google's page on improving your local ranking gives no number. It says more reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking, and lists how many reviews you have as one input to how well known a business is.
The rest of this guide is our practical advice, and it says so where it applies.
The better question is how many reviews you need compared to the businesses you compete with, because that is who customers are weighing you against.
How do Google reviews affect my ranking?
The same Google page says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and popularity. Under prominence, it says how many reviews you have is one input. So reviews are one signal among several, and Google does not say how much each one weighs.
Reviews also matter to customers. BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found that 47% of consumers will not use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and that 31% will only use a business with 4.5 stars or more.
If your map position is the main worry, our guide to how to get more Google reviews covers the whole routine, from the link to the timing.
How do I work out how many reviews I need?
Use the businesses you actually compete with as the yardstick. This takes about ten minutes and gives you a real number instead of a guess.
- Search on Google Maps the way a customer would, such as "dentist near me" or "plumber in your town". Do it from your shop or office.
- Write down the review count and star rating for the top five results.
- Skip any outlier that looks odd, like a chain with thousands of reviews across many branches or a listing with a very high count and a recent burst.
- Take the middle of what is left. That is the level customers see as normal in your area.
- Set your target a little above it, and add a date. A target with no date does not get done.
- Check again every two or three months, because the businesses you are chasing keep collecting reviews too.
| Result on the map | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| First listing | 212 | 4.8 |
| Second listing | 148 | 4.7 |
| Third listing | 96 | 4.9 |
| Fourth listing | 61 | 4.6 |
| Fifth listing | 35 | 4.8 |
| Your clinic | 22 | 4.9 |
In this example the middle result has 96 reviews. A sensible first target is about 100, with a gap of around 78 reviews to close. Your own numbers will differ, so run the check for your own search.
How fast should the reviews come in?
Our advice is a steady pace over a big burst.
Divide the gap by the months you are giving yourself. In the dental clinic example, 78 reviews over six months is about 13 a month, or three a week. If the clinic sees 40 patients a week and one in ten leaves a review, that is about four reviews a week. Those rates are made up for the example.
The practical lever is asking every customer, not only the ones who seem pleased. Our list of review request templates has the wording, and the timing rule is simple: ask soon after the job, while it is fresh.
Is a high rating or a high count more important?
Google lists both: its page says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking. BrightLocal's survey found customers use both too, with 47% unwilling to use a business with fewer than 20 reviews and 31% only using one rated 4.5 stars or more.
Do not script reviews. You can ask for honest feedback but do not tell people what to write.
What shortcuts should I avoid to reach my number?
Do not buy reviews or offer a discount in return. Google's content policy lists reviews that have been paid for, directly or in kind, as fake engagement that will be removed, and it says merchants may not offer incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods and services for reviews.
The same policy says merchants may not selectively solicit positive reviews from customers, which is called review gating. Send the same request to everyone. More on rewards is in our guide to review incentive rules.