In the trades, your reputation used to be built on a handshake and a truck decal. Today, it’s built on Google. For HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and landscaping businesses, Google reviews are no longer "nice to have"—they are your most important sales tool.

Below is the latest data showing how Google reviews impact your visibility, your trust, and ultimately, your bottom line.

1. The Trust Factor: Modern Word-of-Mouth

Most homeowners won’t even pick up the phone until they’ve checked your star rating. According to BrightLocal’s latest consumer data:

• 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses before calling.
• 91% of people trust an online review as much as a personal recommendation from a friend.
• 73% of customers only care about reviews written in the last month.

The Takeaway: If your last review was from six months ago, customers may assume your service has declined—or that you’ve gone out of business. Recency is king.

2. Visibility: Getting into the "Local 3-Pack"

When a homeowner’s water heater leaks at 2 AM, they search "Plumber near me." Google displays the Local 3-Pack—the three businesses featured next to the map.

According to Moz’s Local Search Ranking Factors:

• Review signals account for roughly 15% of how Google ranks you.
• The Local 3-Pack receives the vast majority of all clicks.
• If your competitors have 50+ reviews and you have 5, Google will consistently rank them higher, even if you’ve been in business longer.

3. The "4-Star Floor" (Conversion)

Getting seen is only half the battle. You need the customer to click your listing instead of the guy below you.

• The Cut-Off: Only 53% of consumers will even consider using a business with fewer than 4 stars.
• The Conversion Gap: Industry data shows that moving from a 3-star rating to a 4.5-star rating can increase lead volume by 20% to 40%.

4. The High Cost of Silence

Negative reviews are tough, but no reviews can be just as damaging. In a high-intent industry like home repair, "no information" is often interpreted as "no experience."

• Unanswered Reviews: 75% of businesses don't respond to their reviews. Businesses that do respond are perceived as more trustworthy by 89% of consumers.
• The Competitive Edge: In many local markets, the business with the most reviews wins the job—even if they aren't the cheapest. Customers pay for peace of mind.

What This Means for Your Business

To dominate your local market, you can't leave your reputation to chance. A successful service business needs a steady stream of new reviews, a 4.5+ star average, and fast responses to every customer.

Stop Leaving Your Reputation to Chance

Is your Google profile helping you or hurting you? Contact us today for a free Review Audit and see how our AI tools can put your growth on autopilot.

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About Don Rossi: I'm a Westchester and Stamford resident who's spent my career helping businesses use technology to compete smarter. I founded Dreamscape to bring professional sales and marketing systems to growing companies. When AI became accessible, I saw small trades businesses could finally automate the things big companies have always done—reputation management, follow-up, customer communication. We help local plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, and others compete without needing a marketing department.