Why Reviews Are Now a Ranking Signal

Google's 2025–2026 Review Update

Review signals are now a first-class local ranking factor. What matters most in 2026:

• Review recency: Reviews in the last 90 days outweigh reviews from 2 years ago
• Review text quality: Reviews that mention services by name rank better than "Great place!"
• Response rate: Businesses that respond to 100% of reviews rank higher
• Review velocity: Steady weekly reviews beat a burst then nothing

Businesses with more recent, high-quality reviews with keyword mentions now outrank competitors with more overall reviews but older activity.