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Online reviews and your local business: 97% of customers read them
Before a customer calls a roofer, a plumber or an HVAC company they have never used, most of them read what other customers said. Your reviews are part of your sales process whether you manage them or not.
The three numbers worth knowing
BrightLocal’s Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 asked 1,002 US adults about reviews. Three results matter most to a home-service owner:
- 97% read online reviews for local businesses.
- 80% say they are likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews.
- 42% say they are unlikely to use a business that never replies.
BrightLocal sells local SEO software, and the survey records what people say they do, not what they were seen doing. Even so, the pattern is consistent: customers read reviews, and they notice who answers them.
Ask for the review the day the job wraps
The best time to ask is when the customer is happiest: the job is done, the site is clean, and they are looking at the result. Ask in person, then send your Google review link by text or email while it is still fresh.
- Make it one tap. Send the direct review link, not “search for us on Google.”
- Ask every customer, not only the ones you think were thrilled.
- Do not offer a discount or a gift in exchange for a review. Google’s review policies do not allow it.
Reply to every review
A reply takes a minute and the next customer reads it. Keep it short and specific.
- Good review: thank them by name, mention the job (“glad the new water heater is working well”), and stop there.
- Bad review: stay calm, do not argue, and do not explain who was at fault. Say you are sorry it went that way, and give a phone number so you can fix it offline.
- No text, just stars: a quick thank-you still counts.
A simple weekly routine
- When a job closes, send the review link the same day.
- Once a week, open your profile and reply to anything new.
- Once a month, read your last ten reviews and look for the same complaint twice. That is a process problem you can fix.
Questions
How many reviews do I need?
No source gives a number that works for every market, so we will not invent one. Ask every customer, reply to every review, and keep going. Compare yourself with the businesses that show up above you when you search your trade and town.
Should I reply to an unfair bad review?
Yes, once, calmly. Do not accuse the reviewer. Write for the next customer who is reading: short, polite, and offering to talk by phone. If the review breaks Google’s rules, you can report it, but a reply is still worth posting.
Sources
- BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (97%, 80% and 42%; 1,002 US adults). Published February 11, 2026. BrightLocal sells local SEO software.
Keep reading
Protect: ask for and answer reviews · For HVAC companies · For General Contractors
More insights: How to ask for Google reviews · Complete Google Business Profile · Google results · Response speed.