Business Reviews: Top Sites to Boost Your Online Presence

For most local businesses, customer feedback shapes first impressions long before someone visits a website or makes a call. People check business reviews, compare star ratings, read a few comments, and quickly decide whether a company feels trustworthy. That feedback, whether on Google, Yelp, BBB, or any other review site, directly influences visibility, reputation, and conversions.

Reviews also help business owners understand what customers value, identify issues early, and improve their overall online presence. A strong review profile can boost search rankings, encourage referrals, and set a business apart in competitive local markets.

This guide will look at:

• the major business review sites customers rely on most
• how these platforms work (and how to use them to your advantage)
• practical ways to manage, improve, and respond to reviews to strengthen your reputation

Before jumping into the major platforms, many small businesses also streamline customer follow-ups and feedback requests using tools like Invoice management, which supports organized communication and helps drive more consistent reviews.

What Are Business Reviews

Business reviews are public ratings and written feedback customers share about a company’s products or services. They typically include:

• a star rating
• customer-written comments
• optional photos
• responses from the business owner

Reviews appear on platforms such as Google, Yelp, Facebook, Better Business Bureau, or niche industry websites. For local businesses, these reviews guide consumer decisions, improve credibility, and influence where the business appears in search results.

Why Business Reviews Are Important

Customers often choose businesses with a mix of positive reviews, recent activity, and thoughtful responses from the owner. Strong review profiles can:

• increase trust
  
• attract new leads
  
• improve rankings on Google Maps
  
• reduce the impact of competitors’ advertising
  

Reviews also highlight patterns: consistent praise, recurring complaints, or service issues that owners may need to address.

Using Business Reviews

Business owners use reviews to:

• show social proof
  
• learn from customer feedback
  
• resolve complaints before they escalate
  
• improve service quality
  
• build stronger, trust-based relationships
  

Customers use reviews to:

• validate claims made by the business
  
• check how real customers describe their experience
  
• see how businesses respond to bad reviews
  
• compare options across multiple review sites

If you’re exploring broader marketing strategies, this guide on marketing for small businesses is helpful.

How Business Review Sites Work

Review platforms collect and display customer feedback. When someone searches for a local business, they typically see:

• average star rating
  
• number of reviews
  
• recent comments
  
• photos
  
• business details
  
• service categories
  

Platforms like Google also highlight “popular keywords” from reviews and use recency to determine ranking.

How Customers Leave Reviews

Most review platforms require users to sign in before posting. Customers can:

• give a star rating
  
• write comments
  
• upload photos
  
• edit or delete previous reviews
  
• mark reviews as helpful
  

Google provides official instructions on how to leave a Google review for a business, edit a review, or delete a Google review if needed.

Moderating Reviews & Fake Reviews

Platforms filter or remove reviews that violate guidelines, including:

• spam or fake reviews
  
• offensive content
  
• irrelevant comments
  
• competitor sabotage
  

Businesses can report these through tools like google business delete review, delete reviews Google business, or remove Google review business, depending on the situation.

Pro Tip: To further enhance lead flow from online visibility, see our guide on Lead Generation For Contractors.

Top 17 Business Review Sites

Below are the most influential platforms or business review websites for building trust and improving online presence.

1. Google / Google Local / Google My Business Reviews

Google Reviews are the most impactful because they appear directly in search results and on Google Maps. Keywords like google review for business, google reviews for businesses, and google business review refer to the same system—Google’s central review platform.

Customers can search for local businesses, compare ratings, and tap directly into written comments. Business owners can reply, report fake reviews, and update listing information through Google Business Profile.

2. Foursquare

Helpful for cafés, restaurants, and retail locations. Foursquare still maintains a loyal user base, especially among consumers who enjoy exploring curated city recommendations.

3. Facebook

Facebook business pages allow customers to leave star ratings, comments, and photos. Reviews often influence social visibility because they can spread through personal networks.

4. Better Business Bureau (BBB)

The BBB is widely trusted for better business bureau reviews, public complaints, and dispute resolution. Many customers check BBB before hiring contractors or service providers. The platform is particularly important for industries where credibility and complaint history matter.

5. TrustRadius

A strong platform for B2B and software reviews. Buyers use TrustRadius to compare products based on real user experiences.

6. TripAdvisor

Top platform for hospitality, tourism, attractions, and travel services.

7. Trustpilot

A global review site known for transparent customer feedback—especially valuable for e-commerce and subscription services.

8. Yelp

Yelp business reviews influence decisions for restaurants, retail shops, salons, and home-service businesses. Yelp is known for strict moderation and filtering to reduce fake reviews and highlight reliable feedback.

9. Amazon

Essential for e-commerce and product-based businesses. Amazon’s review system helps customers evaluate product quality using images, usage details, and verified purchase badges.

10. G2

Focuses on software reviews for business tools, productivity apps, and SaaS platforms.

11. Capterra

Another top platform for software, especially small-business solutions. Capterra’s filtering helps customers compare pricing, features, and reviews all in one place.

12. Glassdoor

Employers build trust by maintaining strong internal feedback. Glassdoor helps job seekers assess culture, leadership, and employee experience.

13. Angi

Angi is one of the top platforms for home-service businesses—contractors, roofers, landscapers, cleaners, and tradespeople.

14. Your Own Website

Collecting reviews on your own site gives full control over presentation and branding. Many businesses use integrated forms or business review management tools to display testimonials.

15. Apple Business Connect

Apple Maps reviews now appear more prominently across iOS devices, making them valuable for local visibility.

16. Bing Maps

Similar to Google Maps but still important—particularly for older user bases or businesses serving B2B markets.

17. Simply Business Reviews / Local Review Platforms

Local review directories help businesses build a presence within smaller communities. These can be especially beneficial for niche or regional audiences.

If you’re optimizing local visibility, the landscaping SEO guide also offers practical strategies you can use.

Managing Your Online Reputation

Improving Your Business Review Score

Improving your review score doesn’t require gimmicks. Focus on:

• offering a consistently positive experience
  
• responding to negative reviews quickly
  
• following up with customers after service
  
• encouraging satisfied customers to review your business
  
• making it easy to find the review link
  

Businesses that organize communication and follow-up often use Business reports to track job metrics and customer behavior.

Managing Reviews of Your Business

Monitor key platforms weekly — Google Reviews, Yelp, Facebook, BBB, and any industry-specific sites. If you spot inaccurate or inappropriate content, you can report it through the platform:

• delete google review business options
  
• remove google review business
  
• delete reviews Google business
  

Even when removal isn’t possible, a clear, calm response helps build trust. Customers appreciate transparency and visible efforts to resolve issues.

For broader marketing insights, see our guides on:

• Construction Marketing Strategy
• Roofing Lead Generation

Ready To Make The Most Of Your Reviews?

Business reviews shape your reputation long before a customer makes contact. Whether they appear on Google, Yelp, BBB, or niche industry platforms, they influence trust, visibility, and long-term customer relationships. By focusing on transparency, consistency, and customer experience, businesses can strengthen their online presence and build real credibility.To support review follow-ups, customer communication, and workflow organization, many businesses also rely on tools such as Invoice Fly’s Online payments and Invoice management to keep their operations running smoothly.