If your business is a Shelby local icon that’s been around for over a century, you’ve definitely established a strong following. If your business isn’t quite as iconic, online reviews on Google and other platforms can help you get there. Here’s what the latest research says about online reviews and local businesses like yours.
Your Customers Are Reading Reviews Before They Call
Let’s start with the most important number: 97% of consumers read online reviews of a local business before visiting. Nearly every potential customer who finds you online is going to check what others are saying before they pick up the phone or walk through your door.
It doesn’t stop there. Consumers read an average of 10 online reviews before they will trust a business. And they’re not rushing through it either. Consumers spend an average of 13 minutes and 45 seconds reading reviews before they decide to trust a local business.
The bottom line: your reviews are being read, carefully, by almost everyone who considers doing business with you.
Google Is Where It Happens
If you only focus on one review platform, make it Google. Google hosts roughly 57-58% of all online reviews and holds approximately 73% of the review platform market share.
81% of consumers use Google reviews to evaluate local businesses, and 88% read them before choosing one. The vast majority of US consumers turn to Google to evaluate local businesses. However. In 2025, 40% of American consumers turned to Facebook to find business reviews, and in small towns like ours, that number is usually higher.
Google isn’t just a search engine anymore. For local businesses in Rutherford and Cleveland County, it’s your front door.
Recent Reviews Matter More
Having reviews isn’t enough. Having recent reviews is what actually builds trust. 73% of consumers only trust reviews from the last 30 days, and 83% say recency is essential for trust.
This means a handful of glowing reviews from two years ago won’t carry the same weight they used to. Asking for reviews needs to be a significant focus for your business if you want to show up in search.
How Many Reviews Do You Actually Need?
More than you probably have right now. On average, a business needs about 40 reviews before achieving a reliable average star rating. But. A few reviews are still better than none, because the chances of getting noticed increases by more than 250% once a business gets at least five reviews.
One more thing worth knowing: a perfect 5.0 rating can actually work against you. About 75% of online searchers are more likely to trust reviews when they include a mix of ratings. Authenticity matters more than perfection.
Reviews Directly Affect Your Revenue
This isn’t just about your reputation in Cleveland or Rutherford County— it’s about money. Reviews bring in an average of 18% extra revenue. 31% of consumers consider online reviews to be the most important factor when selecting a local service business.
Think about what that means for a plumber, a roofer, a restaurant, or a retailer in a town like Shelby. Nearly one in three people choosing a local service provider are making their decision primarily based on what they read online.
Most Businesses Are Dropping the Ball
Nearly two thirds of businesses are leaving reviews completely unacknowledged. That’s a problem — and an opportunity. 89% of customers expect a response from businesses when they post online reviews. Responding to reviews, both positive and negative, shows that you are paying attention, professional, and invested in your customers.
Only 24% of businesses consistently reply to negative reviews. Those businesses understand that addressing negative feedback publicly increases customer trust and loyalty. A thoughtful, respectful response to a critical review can actually turn a liability into an asset.
How to Ask for Reviews Without Being Awkward
The good news: most customers are willing to give you a review if you simply ask. On average, 8 out of 10 customers who are asked follow through.
A few practical tips:
Ask right after a positive experience. The best time to ask for a review is immediately after the customer experience. Strike while the goodwill is fresh.
Make it easy. Send a direct link to your Google review page. Don’t make them hunt for it.
Be personal, not scripted. A genuine ask, like “It would really mean a lot to us if you shared your experience”, works better than a form text or email.
Don’t ask only happy customers. Selectively asking satisfied customers while ignoring others is called review gating, and Google doesn’t like it. Ask broadly and let the authentic responses come in.
The Bottom Line for Local Businesses
Your online reputation is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s the first, and most important impression most of your potential customers will have of your business. 49% of consumers place as much trust in online reviews as they do in personal recommendations. For younger customers, that number climbs even higher.
The businesses that take reviews seriously have a real and measurable advantage over the ones that don’t. The question isn’t whether reviews matter. The question is whether your business is making the most of them.
Need help getting your Google Business Profile set up and optimized to collect and display reviews effectively? That’s exactly what Brian Goes Local does for small businesses in Shelby, Cleveland County, and Western North Carolina. Reach out at briangoeslocal.com — no obligation, just a straight conversation about what would help.
Sources
- BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2024
- Podium State of Reviews
- Spiegel Research Center — How Online Reviews Influence Sales
- ReviewTrackers Online Reviews Survey
- Moz Local Search Ranking Factors
- HubSpot Marketing Statistics