7 Key SEO Benefits Businesses Get from Google Keyword Reviews

In today’s competition for local visibility, a business’s presence on Google increasingly depends not only on technical factors or an optimized Business Profile, but also on the content of customer reviews. While the role of keywords in reviews for direct local ranking is still debated within the SEO community, practical experience and analytics show that such reviews create a series of additional advantages that directly influence visibility, CTR, user engagement, and trust. Below are seven reasons why businesses should consistently encourage customers to leave reviews that naturally incorporate relevant keywords describing the product, service, location, or business category. Review Justifications in Google Maps When a large number of reviews share the same keywords, Google is more likely to generate Review Justifications — short phrases that appear in the search results next to the Business Profile. This enhances the relevance of the business to the user’s query and significantly increases CTR in the Local Pack. Higher engagement, in turn, can indirectly affect local search rankings. Place Topics in the Google Business Profile Google automatically generates Place Topics — clickable themes created based on frequently mentioned keywords in customer reviews. This gives marketers three strategic advantages: Highlighting the business’s core competencies and areas of specialization. Convenient review grouping that improves user experience. Increased interaction with the profile due to search interest in specific characteristics. Thus, keywords in reviews help Google more clearly understand what the business is “best known for” compared to competitors. Read more about SEO blind spots. Review Snippets (Highlighted Review Excerpts) When forming a Business Profile, Google shows three short review excerpts and highlights in bold the keywords that users mention most often. This contributes to: Improved relevance of the profile to specific queries. Higher CTR, as users quickly see how well the business matches their needs. Increased trust through social proof. The more customers mention important attributes of your service or product, the more frequently these phrases appear in the snippets. Menu Highlights (for Restaurants and HoReCa) For food-service businesses, Google generates Menu Highlights using keywords from reviews and photos uploaded by visitors. According to analytics by Claudia Tomina: The Menu Highlights section directly influences local restaurant rankings. Keywords in reviews determine which dishes or categories Google highlights. These highlights can improve rankings for corresponding queries. Thus, for HoReCa, reviews containing relevant keywords are one of the strongest levers of local SEO. AI Editorial Summaries (AI-Generated Business Descriptions) Google automatically creates a short AI-generated business description by using key ideas derived from reviews. For example, if customers often mention “cozy atmosphere” or “professional service,” these phrases may appear in the summary. Although marketers cannot directly control these descriptions, they can: Shape brand narrative through well-formulated review prompts. Encourage customers to mention category-defining terms (“legal consultations,” “air conditioner repair in Kyiv,” “premium-level service,” etc.). Strengthen the business’s semantic profile in Google’s understanding. AI Review Summaries (AI-Generated Customer Impressions) Google also generates a separate AI summary of reviews, aggregating the most common opinions, ratings, and phrases. This influences the user’s first impression without requiring them to scroll through multiple reviews. If customers consistently mention key advantages of your business, Google will reflect those in the AI summary—directly affecting conversions to calls or website visits. Learn more about Geoptie's free tools for SEO professionals. “Ask Maps about this place” — A New AI Feature Replacing Q&A Google is gradually replacing the traditional Q&A section with the “Ask Maps about this place” feature. The system generates answers exclusively from review content. This makes every detailed review extremely valuable, as it may affect: What information Google provides to users. A user’s initial impression of the business. The semantic associations Google forms with the brand. Businesses whose reviews contain structured information and relevant keywords (e.g., “pricing,” “service speed,” “open on weekends,” “MacBook repair in Lviv”) will gain a substantial competitive advantage. How to Encourage Keywords in Customer Reviews: Practical Approaches for Businesses Marketers often face a dilemma: how to motivate customers to write meaningful, relevant, natural reviews that contain important keywords for local SEO? A direct request such as “please include keyword X” feels unnatural, inconvenient for the customer, and may undermine trust. However, this does not mean businesses lack effective leverage. Strategically optimizing review request templates allows you to guide customers in a way that naturally encourages them to include relevant keywords, detailed descriptions, and practical context about their experience. Recent research, including insights from local SEO expert Miriam Ellis, shows that well-designed review request templates can motivate customers to leave longer, more descriptive, more useful reviews — and even include photos, which further strengthens local visibility. Below are three recommended review-request scenarios. Scenario 1: Product-Specific Reviews This approach is particularly effective for companies with broad product assortments — from retail to e-commerce. Template: *“Hello, [customer name].This is [name, position] from [company name]. I want to ensure you’re satisfied with your purchase of [product name] and ask whether you might leave a review at this link [link]. I’m attaching a photo of the product in case you don’t have your own, and I would appreciate it if you could share in your review:— Which product features you liked most;— What you liked or didn’t like;— How you’re using the product after purchase. If there’s anything we could improve, please contact us at [contact] or via the feedback form.Thank you for your trust and your opinion![button: “Leave a review”]”* This template encourages customers to provide detailed descriptions that naturally include category- or function-related keywords. Scenario 2: Service-Based Reviews Ideal for service businesses — cleaning, medical services, repair, consulting, finance, logistics, etc. Template: *“Hello, [customer name].This is [name, position] from [company name]. We were glad to provide you with the service [service name], and we would appreciate it if you could share your experience in a review at this link [link]. I’m attaching a photo or illustration of the completed service in case you don’t have your own. Please share in your review:— Whether the service met your expectations;— What you liked or didn’t like;— How you rate our service quality. If there’s anything we can improve, contact us at [contact].Thank you for your trust![button: “Leave a review”]”* This template helps generate detailed service-oriented reviews that naturally contain descriptors like “on time,” “quality,” “repair,” “diagnostics,” “installation,” “consultation,” etc. Scenario 3: Reviews from Customers with Undefined Purchases Common in retail, beauty salons, shopping centers, or businesses with varied customer interactions. Template: *“Hello, [customer name].Thank you for choosing us! This is [name, position] from [company name]. I want to make sure you’re satisfied with your experience and ask if you could leave a review at this link [link]. I’m attaching a photo of our venue in case you don’t have your own, and I would appreciate it if you could share in your review:— Whether our support was helpful;— What you liked or didn’t like in the store/company;— Why you chose us. We are always open to feedback at [contact]. Thank you for your time and trust![button: “Leave a review”]”* This template helps customers describe their experience even without specifying a purchase — creating natural context with helpful SEO-relevant keywords (“convenient location,” “wide selection,” “friendly staff,” etc.). Practical Results for Marketers Implementing well-designed review request templates helps businesses: Increase the number of detailed, meaningful, useful reviews. Obtain natural keywords relevant to local search. Improve the quality of AI-generated business descriptions and review summaries. Strengthen user trust and boost conversions. Enhance local search rankings across a broader set of key phrases. While no one can guarantee direct ranking improvements, businesses gain substantial advantages through increased engagement, stronger profile relevance, and improved local presence. Conclusions Keywords in reviews are not a manipulative SEO trick — they are part of a comprehensive local marketing strategy. They shape the semantic profile of the business, help Google better interpret the company’s specialization, and strengthen all visibility mechanisms: from AI summaries to Review Justifications and Place Topics. For marketers of medium and large businesses, the key task is not to “force” customers to include keywords, but to create conditions where customers naturally describe their interaction with the brand. Well-designed templates, clear instructions, the use of photos, and an emphasis on personal experience significantly improve review quality. As a result, the company receives: – deeper, more meaningful, and more useful reviews;– improved interaction with its Google profile;– a broader semantic footprint;– stronger influence on user trust and purchasing decisions. Thus, optimizing the review acquisition process is a strategic investment that enhances local competitiveness and builds long-term brand value. Read this article in Ukranian.