By Daniel Vivarelli. Updated March 2023 in Reputation Management / GuidesMaybe you’ve had some success getting online reviews. After some effort you’ve got 300 reviews on Google and you’re thinking “Yep, that’s enough. We don’t need any more reviews.”
You’d be mistaken.
How many reviews is enough?
There is no such thing as enough reviews.
Not for a product.
Not for a hotel.
And definitely not for a local business.
If you want our best answer, here are our 3 Golden Rules of Reviews:
- Have as many reviews as possible
- Have the most reviews in your market
- Have at least 3x as many reviews as your closest competitor
Ticking these three boxes makes you the undeniable leader in your market. It makes you the clear choice. In a world that is confusing and stressful, people love having clear choices to make.
Successful businesses show us the real value of an online reputation. They show us that online reviews aren’t just some optional window dressing, they’re a powerful driver of short and long term growth. Let’s look at some examples.
Is 737 reviews enough?
Lawyers like winning new clients as much as any other profession. This law firm took their online reputation from 26 reviews to up to a whopping 737.
Why not stop at 100 reviews? Or 200? Or 500? Because they understand the how the 3 Golden Rules of Reviews drive growth in their firm.
- Have as many reviews as possible
- Have the most reviews in your market
- Have at least 3x as many reviews as your closest competitor
Founder Ryan MacKay said “A five-star review pays dividends forever.” He understood how his reviews could help him outcompete other local firms and made review acquisition a priority.
Are they easing up on their review acquisition strategy? Heck no.
These 737 reviews gives his firm undeniable market leader positioning. None of their competitors is even close.
What about 1620 reviews, is that enough?
This is another one of our Starloop Members. At the time of writing, this RE/MAX team have a solid reputation that’s backed by 1620 reviews on Google.
Imagine someone in their sales meetings suggesting “I think we have enough reviews, we can stop now.” This team of sales professionals would likely crack up laughing.
Their online reviews have helped them become the #1 RE/MAX team in Canada and the #4 team in the world. They’ll never stop getting more reviews.
These Google reviews have established this team as the clear market leader in their city. They are so far ahead their number two competitor it isn’t even funny.
Have they executed the 3 Golden Rules of Online Reviews?
Have as many reviews as possible? Yes.
Have the most reviews in your market? Check.
Have at least 3 time more reviews than your next closest competitor. Lol.
OK what about an insanely high number like this…
Is 13,771 reviews enough?
All of us can learn from hyper-competitive sectors like tourism and hospitality. Search for any hotel in any popular destination and we’ll see some stunning numbers.
Hotels with 5000, 10,000, 15,000 reviews.
Why don’t they just stop at 1000 or something, isn’t that enough? No way Jose. They’re relentless in acquiring five-star reviews because they’re looking to ding 3 bells…
- Have as many reviews as possible
- Have the most reviews in your market
- Have at least 3 time more reviews than your next closest competitor
That’s what drives growth.
“Do I have enough reviews?”
No. You don’t have enough reviews. There is no such thing.
By executing a smart review strategy, you minimize the risk of a competitor over taking you. Your goal is to get to the number 1 spot and keep extending the biggest lead possible.
Keep acquiring reviews until it’s time for you to tap out, or cash out.