Embed Google Reviews on Your Website — Here's How
Show your Google reviews directly on your website. Step-by-step guide with all methods — from simple to professional. Includes tips for getting more reviews.
Why Show Google Reviews on Your Website?
Trust is the most important currency on the internet. And nothing builds trust faster than genuine reviews from real customers. Studies show: 93% of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase decision. 84% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
So if you have good Google reviews — which you should actively pursue — it would be a waste to leave them only visible on Google. By embedding them on your website, you benefit three ways:
- Visitors immediately see you're trustworthy
- You increase your conversion rate (more enquiries and purchases)
- You actively use social proof as a marketing tool
Method 1: Manually Embed Google Reviews as Quotes
The simplest method: copy your best reviews and display them as testimonials on your website.
How to do it:
- Open your Google Business Profile (business.google.com)
- Click on "Reviews"
- Select your best 3–5 reviews
- Copy the text, the author's name and optionally the date
Implementing in Velo:
Add a Reviews block or Cards block:
- Create cards for each review
- Add a star banner (★★★★★)
- Write the review text as a quote
- Add the reviewer's name (first name only is sufficient for privacy)
Example layout:
> "The best restaurant in the neighbourhood! The pasta was incredible and the service was outstanding. We'll definitely be back." ★★★★★
> — *Sarah M., London*
Tip: Add a button below the reviews block: "Read all 47 reviews on Google →" with the direct link to your Google profile.
Privacy Note:
When publishing reviews with names, ensure this is permitted. Generally it's unproblematic to share reviews that the user posted publicly on Google — but you should abbreviate full surnames (e.g. "Sarah M." rather than "Sarah Mitchell").
Method 2: Embed a Google Reviews Widget
A more convenient solution: third-party widgets that automatically fetch and display your Google reviews.
Popular Providers:
Elfsight Google Reviews Widget:
- Automatically displays current reviews
- Various layouts (carousel, list, grid)
- Free basic plan available (with Elfsight branding)
- Premium from around £5/month
Trustindex:
- Specifically designed for reviews
- Aggregates reviews from multiple platforms (Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor)
- Free plan with limited features
- Premium from around £6/month
Widget-Pack:
- Budget option, various designs
- Simple integration via script tag
How to Embed a Widget in Velo:
- Register with your chosen provider
- Connect your Google Business profile
- Choose your widget design
- Copy the embed code (HTML script tag)
- In Velo: add an HTML/Code block
- Paste the embed code
- The widget appears live on your website
Advantage: The widget updates automatically — new reviews appear without any action on your part.
Method 3: Google Reviews API (for Developers)
If you or someone on your team has technical knowledge, you can use the Google Places API to fetch reviews directly from Google and display them in your own design.
This method offers maximum flexibility but requires:
- A Google Cloud account
- API key activation
- Coding knowledge (JavaScript, React etc.)
For most small businesses, we recommend method 1 or 2.
How to Get More Google Reviews
Embedding reviews is only half the work — first you need reviews. Here are the most effective methods:
Create a Direct Review Link:
- Go to Google Business Profile → "Get more reviews" → "Share review form"
- Copy the link — this takes customers directly to the review form
- Shorten the link with bit.ly or similar
When and How to Ask Customers for Reviews:
The best moment:
- Shortly after successfully completing a service
- After a great restaurant visit (when saying goodbye or paying the bill)
- After delivering a product (by email)
The wording makes the difference:
❌ Poor: "Please leave us a review."
✓ Good: "It would mean a lot to us if you could share your experience on Google. It helps other people make an informed decision. Here's the direct link: [link]"
Automate Review Requests:
At higher volumes, it's worth automating review requests:
- •After an online purchase: Automatic email 7 days after delivery
- •After a service: WhatsApp or SMS with review link
- •In your email signature: Always-visible reminder
For restaurants, we recommend printing the review link on receipts or displaying it as a QR code on the table.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews Professionally
Not every review will be positive. And that's fine — a mix of positive and critical reviews actually appears more credible than exclusively 5-star ratings.
Rules for Professional Responses:
- Respond to every review — positive and negative alike
- Respond quickly — within 24–48 hours
- Stay professional — even if the criticism seems unfair
- Say thank you — even for negative reviews
- Explain what you've improved — if relevant
- Invite further contact — for an offline resolution
Example response to a negative review:
"Thank you for your feedback, [Name]. We're sorry your visit didn't meet our usual standard. We take this feedback very seriously. Please contact us directly at [email] so we can discuss the situation. We'd love the opportunity to welcome you back soon."
Use Reviews as an SEO Booster
Google reviews don't just improve trust — they also help with rankings:
- •More reviews = higher likelihood of appearing in local search results
- •Better ratings = higher ranking in Google Maps
- •Keywords in reviews — when customers mention your products or services by name, these terms help with ranking
Read more in our article SEO for Beginners.
On Which Pages Should You Display Reviews?
Not just the homepage! Reviews are most powerful when they appear right next to the purchase decision:
- •Homepage — first trust signal
- •About us — personal connection
- •Contact page — just before the visitor enquires
- •Product pages — right next to the buy button
- •Pricing page — trust right when customers are hesitating
Summary: The Best Method for You
| Method | Effort | Cost | Automatically updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual quotes | Low | Free | No |
| Third-party widget | Medium | £0–£6/month | Yes |
| Google API | High | Low | Yes |
For most small businesses, we recommend the combination: show 3–5 selected reviews as beautifully formatted testimonials on the homepage — and add a button below that links to all Google reviews.
Conclusion
Google reviews on your website are one of the most effective and affordable forms of marketing. They increase trust, improve conversion rates and help with SEO ranking.
Start today: collect your best reviews, place them on your website and set up a process to actively gather new reviews.