PLAIN-ENGLISH DEFINITIONS
Google Reviews & Local SEO Glossary
If you are growing your reputation on Google, the jargon adds up fast. This glossary defines the key terms behind Google reviews and local search in plain English, and shows how each one connects to your ratings, rankings, and the customers who find you. Bookmark it, and when you are ready to act, our managed review service turns these concepts into results.
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Your free Google listing that controls how your business shows up in Search and Maps, including your name, hours, photos, and reviews. It is the single most important asset for collecting and displaying Google reviews, and the place customers go to read what others have said before they decide to contact you.
Google My Business
The former name of Google Business Profile. You will still see “GMB” used everywhere, but it refers to the same listing where your star rating and reviews live.
Google Map Pack / Local Pack
The block of three local businesses with a map that appears at the top of Google for local searches. Strong, recent reviews are a major factor in earning one of those three coveted spots, and most clicks for local queries go to the businesses shown here rather than the standard results below.
Local SEO
The practice of optimising your online presence to rank for location-based searches like “near me.” Reviews are one of the highest-impact local SEO signals, which is why a steady review flow matters so much.
Review Velocity
The rate at which your business gains new reviews over time. A steady, natural velocity signals a healthy, active business; sudden spikes look suspicious, which is why we drip-feed reviews rather than dumping them at once.
Review Recency
How fresh your most recent reviews are. A profile with reviews from this week reads as more trustworthy to both Google and customers than one whose last review is two years old.
Star Rating
The average score out of five shown next to your business name. Even a small lift from 4.2 to 4.6 stars can dramatically increase how many searchers choose to click and call you.
Social Proof
The psychological pull of seeing that other people chose and approved of a business. A wall of positive Google reviews is one of the most powerful forms of social proof a local business can have, because shoppers instinctively trust the experiences of past customers more than any marketing claim you make about yourself.
Drip-Feed Delivery
Releasing new reviews gradually over days and weeks instead of all at once. This keeps your review velocity looking natural and is a core safety feature of our managed campaigns.
Geo-Targeted Reviews
Reviews from accounts that make geographic sense for your business and its real customer base. Geo relevance helps reviews look authentic, whereas reviews from unrelated regions raise red flags.
Review Schema
Structured data added to your website that lets star ratings appear directly in search results. It turns your reviews into eye-catching rich snippets that boost click-through rate.
NAP Consistency
Keeping your Name, Address, and Phone number identical everywhere they appear online. Consistent NAP builds Google’s trust in your business, which supports both rankings and the credibility of your reviews.
Local Citations
Mentions of your business details on directories and other websites. Citations reinforce your legitimacy to Google, complementing the trust signals your review profile provides.
E-E-A-T
Google’s quality framework for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Genuine reviews describing real customer experiences feed directly into the “Experience” and “Trust” parts of this signal, which is one reason authentic, specific review content matters far more than generic praise.
Click-Through Rate (CTR)
The percentage of people who see your listing and actually click it. A higher star rating and more reviews are among the strongest drivers of CTR in local results.
Conversion Rate
The share of visitors who take action — calling, booking, or buying. Strong reviews lift conversion rate by reassuring people they are making a safe choice at the final moment of decision.
Review Filtering
Google’s automated process of hiding or removing reviews it judges to be fake or against policy. Bulk, bot-written, or duplicated reviews are the most common targets, which is exactly why authentic, gradual delivery matters.
Reputation Management
The ongoing work of monitoring, improving, and protecting how your business is perceived online. Growing positive reviews and responding to feedback is the front line of reputation management.
Review Gating
The against-policy practice of screening customers and only inviting happy ones to leave public reviews. Google prohibits gating, so legitimate reputation growth should never rely on it.
Local Guide
A member of Google’s volunteer program who earns points and levels for writing reviews and adding photos. Reviews from established Local Guide accounts carry more visible credibility than those from brand-new profiles, because the account has a track record that real customers and Google can both see.
Put these concepts to work
Better star ratings, steady review velocity, and stronger local visibility — managed and client-approved.