Reviews & Maps / Google review widget
A Google review widget for your website
Short answer
A Google review widget for your website shows your newest real Google reviews, updated automatically. Visitors who land on your site from an ad, a truck wrap or a referral see the same proof as people on Google Maps, without leaving your page.
Start my free trial →Get a free Google audit
Included in Map Pack Takeover ($497/mo). Free 2-week trial. Month to month.
What it shows
- Your star rating and total review count, pulled from Google.
- Your latest reviews, with the reviewer’s first name and date.
- A “Review us on Google” button with your direct link. Here’s how to get your Google review link yourself.
Four ways to show Google reviews on your website
Each option has a trade-off:
- Google Maps embed: free and official. It shows your business on a map, usually with your rating, but not a list of reviews.
- Copy-paste quotes or screenshots: free, but they go stale and visitors can’t check them.
- A widget tool: pulls your reviews and updates on its own. Free plans often show only 5 reviews or add the tool’s branding.
- Ours, on Takeover: a widget set up for you and updated automatically.
Where to put it
- Homepage, just below the first screen.
- Every service page, next to the call button.
- Your estimate or contact page, where people decide.
Real reviews only
The widget shows what’s on Google. No hand-picked quotes, no edited text, no fake reviews. That’s what makes it believable, and it keeps you within FTC rules on reviews. Found a fake review on your profile? Here’s how to remove a fake Google review.
Showing only your best reviews: what the rules say
The FTC’s 2024 rule on consumer reviews bars businesses from suggesting the reviews they show are all or most of their reviews when they’ve hidden some because of their rating.
One simple way to avoid that problem: show reviews newest first, with your real Google rating and total count beside them. That’s how ours works. More on honest reviews, by Google’s rules.
What a widget does for SEO, and what it doesn’t
It won’t put stars next to your site in Google. Since 2019, Google hasn’t shown review stars for reviews a local business shows about itself on its own site, including through a widget. Don’t buy a widget for that.
What it does: visitors see real proof without leaving your page, which can turn more of the traffic you already get into calls.
For local rankings, Google says your review count and rating factor in. Those are the reviews on your Google profile, so that’s where to put your effort. More on what moves Map Pack rankings.
Works on any website
One line of code for WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy and most other builders. On Takeover, we also build you a free Google-ready website with the widget already in place.
Which plan includes it?
Included in Map Pack Takeover ($497/mo). Every plan starts with a free 2-week trial, no setup fee, month to month. Compare plans.
Review widgets by trade
A widget is only as good as the reviews behind it. Start with automated review requests and how to get more Google reviews, or see how to build them up for roofers, HVAC companies, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, painters, garage door companies, pest control companies, pool service companies, concrete contractors and window and door companies. The widget is one part of our done-for-you review management for contractors.
Questions about Google review widgets
How do I show Google reviews on my website?
Add a review widget that pulls your rating and latest reviews from Google and updates on its own. Ours is one line of code on most website builders.
Does a Google review widget help SEO?
Not for rankings. It won’t add review stars to your site in Google search, and the reviews Google says factor into local ranking are the ones on your Google profile. Its job is to help visitors trust you enough to call.
Can I choose which reviews the widget shows?
The widget shows what’s on Google. We don’t hand-pick quotes or edit the text. Showing real reviews as they are is what makes it believable.
Will it work on my website builder?
Yes. WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy and most other builders. On Takeover we also build a free Google-ready website with the widget in place.
How do I get a Google review widget?
Google doesn’t make one. You can embed a Google Map of your business, which usually shows your rating, or use a widget that pulls your reviews from Google and updates on its own. On Map Pack Takeover, ours is included.
Why are my Google reviews not appearing?
Google checks reviews before showing them, and its filters remove some it thinks break its policies. New reviews can also take time to appear. If a review shows on Google but not on your site, the widget may not have refreshed yet.
How can I transfer Google reviews to my website?
You can’t move them, and you wouldn’t want to: they stay on your Google profile, where Google counts them. What you can do is show them on your site. A widget keeps that copy in sync with Google, so it doesn’t go stale.
Why does my review widget only show 5 reviews?
Many free widgets use Google’s Places API, which returns at most 5 reviews per business. Tools that show more usually connect to your Business Profile with owner access.
Rather have it done for you?
Try it free for two weeks: we text your past customers and connect your job software. 25 reviews, or we keep working free until you get them. Applies at 25+ jobs a month.
Start my free trial →
More services
Automated review requests → Past-customer review campaign → Google Business Profile optimization → Missed-call text-back → Business listing cleanup → Automated Google review replies → How to find your Google review link and QR code → How to remove a Google review →