How reviews affect local rankings, star ratings in search results, and recommendations from AI tools.
Articles 3 articles
Reviews and AI Search: How ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Overviews Pick Local Businesses
45% of consumers now ask AI tools for local recommendations, up from 6% a year earlier. What AI assistants read when they recommend a business, why reviews sit at the centre, and how to give them better material.
Review Schema and Star Ratings in Google: What Still Works in 2026
Many businesses are promised gold stars in Google results from review markup on their own website. For local businesses that hasn't worked since 2019. What the rule says, what still earns stars, and where to focus instead.
Do Google Reviews Help SEO? What Actually Moves Local Rankings
Google says reviews affect local ranking, but not in the way most "review SEO" advice claims. What the evidence supports, what's myth, and the review habits that genuinely help you show up.