For years, the advice for contractors was simple:
Get more Google reviews.
And to be clear, Google reviews still matter a lot.
But they are not the whole picture anymore.
When someone searches for a contractor today, they are not only looking at your Google Business Profile. They might also be seeing Yelp, Facebook, BBB, Angi, Houzz, local directories, or even AI tools like ChatGPT pulling together information about who to trust.
That means your reviews across the web matter more than they used to.
A year ago, I probably would have told you the BBB was not worth much time.
Now? We are seeing it show up a lot more when people search for local services through AI tools.
So the goal is not to abandon Google.
The goal is to stop putting all your review eggs in one basket.
A simple way to think about it:
Send most of your review requests to Google, but start building one secondary platform too.
Maybe that is Facebook. Maybe it is Yelp. Maybe it is BBB. Maybe it is Angi or Houzz.
The easiest way to choose is to search your main service in your city and look at what platforms are showing up for your competitors.
If you are a roofer, search “roofers in [city].”
If you are a plumber, search “plumbers in [city].”
If you are a remodeler, search “bathroom remodeler in [city].”
See what review sites are showing up, then pick one to focus on.
A good starting point:
70% of review requests to Google
30% to your secondary platform
And do not forget review velocity.
500 reviews is great, but it means less if your last review was 6+ months ago and your competitor is getting new reviews every week.
Reviews are not something you do once.
They should be part of your normal process after every job, estimate, and customer interaction worth reviewing.
