Google’s 5-Star review system is back!

After much testing over past few months, Google has finally made the switch from the clunky 30-point rating system to a more preferable 5-Star Rating system. The 5-Star Review system can be seen on desktops via Google Chrome, Safari, and Firefox as of today. We have also been able to view them on mobile devices via Safari and Google Chrome.

The now orange colored stars are displaying across all of the Google platforms (Local Carousel, Google Maps, Google Adwords, Organic). If your Google Local listing has at least 5 reviews on it, then you will be able to see the stars displayed along with the overall score for your business based on the reviews that are present.

Map results show overall score

In the maps results, not only is Google displaying the star rating, they are also displaying the overall score to the left of the stars. This will make it easier than ever before for your potential customers to find the best rated business within the local results. If you haven’t been focusing on review acquisition, this may prompt you to do so.

Google local maps results displaying score along with stars

Reviews = Word of mouth

Reputation has always been a key factor any local business, but today’s word of mouth is ingrained in online reviews and social media. Google aspires to be the one-stop shop for both, and this is a major move which is meant to help solidify their position.

Moving forward, it is critical to have a review acquisition strategy in place as potential customers can now easily view the overall grade given to your business by previous customers. With this switch, Google is blatantly telling you what to focus on for the betterment and online success of your business. If you haven’t already, make it a point to focus on improving your online reputation now!

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