Your reviews are sitting there collecting dust while potential customers bounce to your competitors.
Here’s the thing: you’ve probably spent time asking for reviews, maybe even got some great ones. But if they’re buried at the bottom of your site or hidden on a separate reviews page that no one clicks, they’re not doing much. We’ll show you exactly where to put those reviews so they actually help you get more customers.
Why Review Placement Actually Matters
Reviews can boost conversions by over 200%. I’ve tested this on service sites, and it’s real.
The psychology is called social proof. When people are unsure about hiring someone, they look at what others did. Reviews work the same way, but only if visitors see them when they’re deciding whether to trust you.
Quick Note on Getting Reviews
Before we talk about placement, you need reviews to display. Focus on these platforms:
Google Business Profile is the most important one. It’s free, shows up in search results, and most people check it before calling you. Google’s own documentation explains how to manage these reviews.
Yelp matters for home services. Lots of people still check it before hiring plumbers, electricians, or contractors.
Houzz is big if you’re in remodeling, design, or anything home improvement related.
Facebook reviews are easy for customers to leave and show up when people search your page.
Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick 2-3 platforms and focus on getting reviews there. More platforms just means more places to monitor.
Review Aggregators (The Easy Button)
Instead of manually copying reviews to your website, use a review aggregator. These tools automatically pull reviews from Google, Yelp, Facebook, and other sites, then display them in a widget on your site.
TrustIndex is one of the popular ones. It syncs with Google and Facebook reviews automatically and has a free version that works for most small service businesses.
Elfsight offers more customization options. You can make the widget match your site’s look and pull from multiple review sources at once.
The main benefit: your reviews stay updated without you touching anything. When someone leaves a new review on Google, it shows up on your website automatically. Plus these widgets look more professional than screenshots and work better on phones.
Homepage Placement
This is where most of your traffic lands first. Here’s where reviews should go:
Hero Section (Top of Page)
Put your star rating or best review right at the top, above the fold. This is the first thing people see when they land on your site.
I’ve seen businesses use a simple “4.9 stars from 200+ Google reviews” badge here. Others rotate through 3-4 short testimonials. Both work, as long as it’s visible immediately.
The trust starts here. If someone sees you have solid reviews before they even scroll, they’re more likely to keep reading.
Mid-Page Section
After you explain what services you offer but before your main call-to-action button, drop in a review section.
A carousel that shows 3-5 reviews works well here. People have learned what you do; now they want to know if you’re any good. This is where you answer that question.
Review aggregator widgets fit perfectly in this spot since they can rotate through multiple reviews automatically.
Footer Area
Before someone leaves your page, give them one last nudge. A simple footer section with your overall star rating or a couple short testimonials reminds them other people trust you.
Keep this brief. Footer reviews are just a final reminder, not the main pitch.
Service Pages
These pages are where decisions happen. Someone searching for “emergency plumber” lands here and compares you to competitors right now.
Put reviews specific to that service near your pricing or booking info. HVAC reviews on your HVAC page are way more convincing than generic testimonials.
Match the review to the service. Don’t show a landscaping review on your plumbing page.
Contact and Booking Pages
Here’s where last-minute doubts creep in. Someone’s ready to call or fill out your form, but then they hesitate. “Is this actually the right company?”
Put short, punchy testimonials right next to your contact form or phone number. Something like “Called at 9 PM, came out same night, fixed it fast” works better here than a long detailed review.
Keep it simple. At this stage, people don’t need convinced of everything; they just need that final push.
About Us Page
People who click here are checking if you’re legit. This is a good spot for longer, detailed reviews.
You can put video testimonials here if you have them. Full testimonials with names, photos, and stories work because people came here to learn more about you.
Other Smart Spots
Floating review badge stays visible while scrolling. A small badge in the corner showing your star rating works if you have strong reviews.
Sidebar widgets show recent reviews on every page.
Bottom of blog posts can convert readers. If someone read your post about winterizing AC units, reviews at the bottom might get them to call.
Thank you pages reassure people they made the right choice while waiting for your callback.
Mistakes to Avoid
Hiding reviews at the bottom. If reviews are buried three screens down, most people never see them.
Not checking mobile. More than half your visitors are on phones. Test how your widgets look on mobile.
Only perfect reviews. A mix of 5-star and 4-star looks more real. All perfect reviews seem fake.
Old reviews. If your newest review is from 2022, that’s bad. Use an aggregator for automatic updates.
Slow widgets. Some plugins drag down site speed. Test your load time after adding widgets.
Quick Setup Checklist
Start with your homepage hero section. Get reviews visible there first.
Then add reviews to your main service pages. These usually convert better than the homepage anyway.
Pick one aggregator tool and test it. TrustIndex has a good free plan if you’re just starting.
Check everything on your phone. Seriously, pull out your phone and look at your site.
Run a speed test. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to make sure your review widgets aren’t slowing things down.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many reviews should I show on each page?
3-5 reviews work best for most pages. More than that and people stop reading them. Your homepage can have a rotating carousel, but don’t overwhelm visitors. Service pages might only need 2-3 reviews specific to that service.
Should I use stars or written reviews?
Both. Star ratings give quick credibility at a glance, but written testimonials tell the actual story. I usually put star ratings in the header or footer, and full written reviews in the main content areas.
Which review platform matters most?
Google Business Profile. It’s what people see first when they search for you. Facebook groups for service business owners say Google reviews matter more than any other platform for local businesses.
Are review aggregator tools worth paying for?
Start with free versions. TrustIndex and Elfsight both have free plans that work fine for small businesses. Only upgrade if you need features like removing the branding or pulling from more platforms. Most service businesses do fine with the free versions.
How often should I update the reviews on my site?
If you’re using an aggregator, they update automatically so you don’t have to think about it. If you’re manually adding reviews, update at least every few months so your newest visible review isn’t ancient. Fresh reviews signal you’re still actively working and getting customers.