Help guides

Email us at hello@reviewbuddy.com.au and we'll work out what suits.

Two things. On Google, reviews are part of how you rank. Google says "more reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking." So more people find you. Then on your website, they turn visits into calls. 54% of people visit a business's website after reading positive reviews, and local search experts rank a high Google rating as the top thing that turns a search into a customer. When they land on your site and see your reviews there too, there's one less reason to keep looking. Sources: Google Business Profile Help. BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (US). Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 (expert survey).

Because people are more careful with their money. A quarter of households are putting repairs off, so when they do spend, they want to know who they're letting in. 86% of homeowners on hipages check reviews before hiring. And they want recent ones. 74% of people only care about reviews from the last three months. So a steady flow matters more than a pile from years ago. People are also starting to ask AI tools like ChatGPT for a tradie. Those tools look at your Google profile, review sites and your website. Nobody can promise they'll recommend you, but reviews on more than one site give them more to go on. Sources: Finder via realestate.com.au, July 2026. hipages survey, March 2025. BrightLocal 2026 (US). BrightLocal AI Visibility Study, September 2026 (US).

Because people compare. 47% of people won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and 31% only use businesses rated 4.5 stars or more. If they're choosing between you and someone with four times the reviews, you're starting behind before they've heard your voice. The good news is it's catchable. Recent reviews count most, so a steady flow from now on can close the gap faster than you'd think. Source: BrightLocal Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (US, 1,002 adults).

Yes, as a friendly invitation. Something like "If you've got a minute later, we'd really appreciate a review. The link's on your invoice." Don't stand over them or ask them to do it there and then. Google doesn't allow that.

No. Never. Every review comes from a real customer.

They can still leave a public review. Every customer gets the same link and the same choice of sites, whatever they thought of the job. Google's rules require that, and so does Australian consumer law. On the same page there's an optional box to tell you privately instead. If something wasn't right, you hear about it straight away and can ring them and fix it. And if a 3-star review does land, reply to it calmly. Google says a mix of reviews often looks more trustworthy than a perfect score.