There is no magic number, but more genuine, recent reviews generally help both rankings and customer trust. The right target depends on your competitors.
Look at your competitors
Search your main service and city on Google Maps and note the top three businesses’ review counts and ratings. Aim to match and then exceed them over time.
Why recency matters
A business with 300 reviews, all from years ago, can look less active than one with 80 recent reviews. Customers often sort by newest.
Rating vs count
- Many customers filter or ignore businesses below about 4 stars.
- A perfect 5.0 with few reviews can look less believable than 4.6 with many.
- Steady new reviews matter more than a single burst.
Calculate your target
See how many five-star reviews you need to reach a target rating with our review rating calculator.
A realistic plan
| Customers per month | Realistic new reviews |
|---|---|
| 50 | 5–10 |
| 200 | 15–30 |
| 500+ | 40+ |
These figures depend on how consistently you ask.
Ask every happy customer
Use a short message from our review request generator, and never offer incentives or buy reviews.
Want the full picture? This article is part of Google Business Profile: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
