5 Stats That Will Convince Anyone To Ask For Reviews

new reputation guide from Whitespark

January 22, 2026

Save these stats for the next time a client tells you they don’t want to ask for reviews 👇️ 

1. 2 of the top 10 local ranking factors for 2026 are review-related

Other review-related factors in the top 20 include sustained influx of reviews over time and review recency. So, if you want to rank well, ya gotta get reviews!

“Oh, but what if I get a negative review?” - your client, probably

Well:

2. 73% of negative reviewers will give brands a second chance if an owner response addresses and resolves their complaint

Additionally, 54% will change their review to a more positive one if the brand solved their problem.

3. 67% of consumers are most influenced by businesses’ newest reviews

You need a steady stream of fresh review content if you want more leads.

4. Google’s AI Overviews are currently appearing for 68% of local business-type search queries

AI is scraping review content, so if you want to be recommended by LLMs of any kind, you have to get a lot of reviews.

These stats come from Miriam Ellis’s new guide on local business reputation management. Not only does she explain how to increase your reviews and their quality, but she also provides:

  • 5 customizable review request templates (for email and text)

  • 4 customizable review response templates (for 5-star, 4-star, 3-star, and 1-2-star reviews)

Get these free templates and learn how to improve your reputation management here 👇️

The ONLY Grid Rank Tracker that tracks to 100 positions

Happy learning,

Darren