Review Signals

Review signals are the specific data points Google’s local algorithm extracts from customer reviews to determine a business’s Prominence and Relevance. These signals include the total quantity of reviews, the overall star rating, the velocity (how frequently new reviews are posted), and the semantic keywords used by the customers in the review text. A business with 500 reviews that stopped getting new reviews a year ago will lose its ranking to a business with 100 reviews that receives a new 5-star rating every single week, because the algorithm heavily prioritizes fresh, consistent review signals.

Review Signals Simplified

Review signals are the clues Google looks for when reading your customer reviews. Google doesn’t just look at your star rating; it looks at how often you get new reviews and exactly what words your customers use to describe your services.