Latest news about Google reviews, the review industry, and UK trades. Stay informed with updates that matter for your trade business.
Local SEO analysts confirm review velocity — not total review count — is now the deciding ranking signal. A steady trickle of fresh reviews beats a historical pile.
UK short 59,000 plumbers and heating engineers. 85% of existing plumbers report being stretched. Demand is sky-high — but customers still pick the best-reviewed.
Google has retired the manual Q&A section on Business Profiles. AI now writes the answers to customer questions — pulling straight from your reviews. Your review content is now double-duty.
Google Maps now lets customers post reviews under a nickname instead of their real name. Reviews still count fully for rankings — but more customers will feel comfortable leaving one.
ChatGPT recommends just 1.2% of local businesses. Gemini recommends 11%. Getting picked by AI is 3-30x harder than ranking in Google — and your reviews are the deciding factor.
UK construction input costs jumped from 59.5 to 70.5 in March — the biggest monthly acceleration in the PMI survey's 29-year history. Here's what it means for tradespeople.
BrightLocal launched AI Insights on 8 April — its first AI feature that turns local SEO data into prioritised action steps. Here's what it signals for tradespeople.
Google Maps now highlights top reviewers with gold profiles and uses Gemini AI to draft photo captions — making it easier for customers to leave detailed reviews of your work.
Google's local algorithm now heavily rewards active Business Profiles. Post activity, photo freshness, and review velocity are the new differentiators for map pack rankings.
The CMA has opened five formal investigations into fake reviews — targeting AutoTrader, Just Eat, Feefo, Dignity, and Pasta Evangelists under the new DMCC Act.
The US-Iran ceasefire sent oil prices down 13% and eased cost pressure on UK construction. Recovery will take months, but tender confidence is improving.
Google's March 2026 core update finished rolling out on 8 April after 12 days. Sites with thin AI content lost ground. Active Business Profiles held steady.
UK construction starts fell 17% in Q1 2026. Residential work dropped 30% year-on-year. More competition for domestic work means your Google reputation matters more than ever.
Google Maps now uses Gemini AI to suggest photo reviews from your camera roll — removing friction and making it easier for customers to leave photo reviews of your work.
Google's new "Ask Maps" feature uses Gemini AI to recommend local businesses based on reviews and profile data. Your review content now directly feeds AI recommendations.
Google's AI Overviews show 32% fewer local businesses than traditional search. Your profile quality and fresh reviews now matter more than your postcode.
Google's AI is auto-editing contractor Business Profiles — adding wrong services and hiding real ones. Check your profile now before it costs you leads.
Only 5% of businesses respond to Google Reviews — yet replying to all of them lifts conversions by 16% and rankings by up to 20%. The easiest free win in local marketing.
BrightLocal's 2026 survey shows 41% of consumers now "always" read reviews — up from 29% last year. Consumers check 6 platforms on average and 74% only trust reviews from the last 90 days.
Whitespark's 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report shows review signals now carry 20% of local pack weight — up from 16% in 2023. The biggest rise of any factor.