‘How many reviews do you need to rank well in the map pack’? A question that is often asked of SEO’s, and one that I personally have been asked frequently over the years.
Well, according to a study conducted by Canadian digital marketing agency Sterling Sky, having 10 reviews in the Google Local Results gives you a ranking boost.
The case study, which was released earlier this week analysed a listing that had just 3 reviews, that then went to 16 reviews and then from 16 to 31 reviews. The results are shown below in this chart:
Joy Hawkins, the Owner/Founder of Sterling Sky, had this to say regarding the study: “There does appear to be a ranking boost once a listing has ten reviews. So, it is important for a listing to get a minimum of ten reviews. However, continuing to get more reviews does not yield the same ranking boost.”
Although the above data does indicate that 10 reviews are the magic number, this sample size is pretty small, meaning that we should take this information with a pinch of salt.
Also, having a defined, set number (in this case, 10) of reviews before getting a ranking boost is very un-Google-like.
All of this leads us to believe that although there is a point that Google starts to give additional kudos to a business in the local listings due to their reviews, it’s highly unlikely to be when they hit a specific number.
It’s much more likely that Google will focus on the frequency, quality, and relevance of reviews over time and in relation to a specific listings industry and competitors.
If you’d like to discuss review or anything related to local SEO services, then please get in touch with our team via phone, email or the contact form on-site.
