We've all been there. It's lunchtime, you're in town (say, Swansea or Neath) and you fancy a decent sandwich. What's the first thing you do?
You pull out your phone and search for "sandwich shop near me".
A map pops up with three or four local places. You glance at them. One has a 4.7-star rating from 90 reviews. Another has a 3.1-star rating from 8 reviews. The third has no reviews at all.
Which one are you going to? It's a no-brainer, isn't it?
That is local SEO, and that's why Google reviews are probably the most powerful, low-cost marketing tool any local business has.
When we talk about 'SEO' (Search Engine Optimisation), a lot of small business owners switch off. It sounds like some dark art, a massively complicated and expensive game of trying to rank number one in the world for a keyword.
But for most local businesses, that's pointless. If you're a plumber in Port Talbot, you don't care if someone in Manchester finds you. You care about being found by the person in Baglan whose boiler just packed in.
Local SEO is all about showing up in that 'map pack', the top three businesses that Google shows above all the other results. And the number one factor in getting there? Reviews.
Think about it, we're trained to trust them. A page full of positive, genuine-sounding reviews from real people is like having a dozen of your mates all recommend the same place. It's 'social proof'. It builds instant trust before a customer has even clicked on your website.
Google knows this. It sees a business that's getting regular, fresh reviews as active, relevant, and popular. A business that's doing a good job. So, it shows that business to more people.
It's a simple loop: good service leads to good reviews, which leads to more visibility, which leads to more customers.
Getting reviews is step one. But the real magic happens when you manage them.
This doesn't have to be a massive job. We're talking 10 minutes, maybe once a week.
When you get a good review: Reply to it! A quick, "Thanks so much, Sarah! We're thrilled you enjoyed the [product/service]. Hope to see you again soon!" shows you're engaged, you're listening, and you're appreciative. It makes that customer feel great and shows new customers that you're a friendly, active business.
When you get a bad review: Don't panic. And don't ignore it. This is your biggest opportunity to look professional. A calm, public reply is crucial.
Something like: "Hi David, we're really sorry to hear you had that experience. That's not our usual standard at all. If you could give us a quick call on [phone number] or email [email protected], we'd love to put this right for you."
What does that tell every other person reading? It shows you don't hide from problems. It shows you're professional, reasonable, and you care about getting it right. You can turn a negative into a huge positive.
So, your amazing reviews have got the customer to click. What happens next?
They land on your website.
If that website is slow, looks broken, or is a complete mess on their mobile phone, all that trust you just built... gone. Poof. They'll just hit the 'back' button and click on your competitor.
This is where it all links together. Your Google Business Profile and your reviews are the signpost, but your website is the destination. It has to be fast, clean, and professional to finish the job. A clunky, cheap template site that's loaded with slow plugins can waste all the hard work your reviews have done.
Don't treat your Google profile as a 'set it and forget it' task. It's a living, breathing part of your shop window. Ask your happy customers for a review. Pop a link on your emails. It's the cheapest, most effective local marketing you'll ever do.
We're proud to have been recognised as Wales' Most Trusted Web Design & Development Company for 2025. This award reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional digital solutions and outstanding client service that sets the standard for excellence.
