How Do You Get Star Reviews on Your Google Ads?
Short Answer: Star reviews appear automatically underneath your Google ads if your business has an average rating of 4 stars or more. These ratings come from reputable sources that compile reviews about your business, but you can’t set this feature up manually within your Google Ads account. To qualify for star reviews, your business needs at least 100 eligible reviews from the past 12 months through Google customer reviews or trusted third-party review partners.
Full Explanation
Google’s star reviews act as an automated extension that highlights your business’s average customer rating directly under your Google ads. These stars are designed to catch users’ attention by showcasing high ratings, especially those that are 4 stars or above. This can naturally improve your ad’s click-through rate (CTR) and ultimately lead to a higher likelihood of conversions.
It’s important to understand that star reviews are not a setting or feature you can activate in your Google Ads dashboard. Instead, Google collects these ratings from verified and trustworthy sources that aggregate reviews. These sources gather genuine customer feedback based on their experiences with your business, and the data is compiled on a country-by-country basis.
Step-by-Step Breakdown
- Maintain a Minimum Review Count: Accumulate at least 100 eligible reviews across Google customer reviews or certified third-party review platforms within the last 12 months.
- Achieve a High Average Rating: Ensure that these reviews result in an average rating of 4 stars or more to increase the chances of star ratings showing under your ads.
- Rely on Google’s Automated Process: Google automatically pulls aggregated review data from reliable partners and displays star ratings beneath your ads when the criteria are met.
Real Examples
While you cannot manually enable these star reviews, businesses with a high volume of positive recent reviews will see their star ratings appear naturally in Google search results and ads. For instance, a company with more than 100 recent positive reviews on Google customer reviews and third-party platforms will benefit from having their star rating showcased below their ads, drawing more attention from potential customers.
Common Mistakes
- Attempting to Manually Add Star Reviews: Many advertisers mistakenly try to find a way to enable star reviews within the Google Ads interface, but this is not possible.
- Ignoring Review Quantity and Recency: Having fewer than 100 reviews or old reviews can prevent star ratings from showing, even if the average score is high.
- Relying on Unverified or Non-Reputable Sources: Only reviews from reputable aggregators such as Google customer reviews or certified third parties count toward eligibility.
FAQs
- Can I pay Google to show star reviews on my ads?
- No, star reviews are an automated extension that Google displays based on aggregated review data; they cannot be purchased or manually enabled.
- Do all businesses get star reviews under their ads?
- No, only businesses with at least 100 eligible reviews in the past 12 months and an average rating of 4 or more stars will typically have star reviews displayed.
- Are star reviews country specific?
- Yes, Google collects and displays ratings based on reviews aggregated by country to reflect local consumer experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Star reviews on Google ads highlight your business’s average rating when it’s 4 stars or higher.
- This feature is automated and cannot be directly set up or controlled in your Google Ads account.
- Qualifying requires at least 100 recent eligible reviews from Google customer reviews or approved third-party sources.
- Maintaining a strong, consistent review profile is crucial to benefiting from star reviews and attracting more clicks and conversions.