Google reviews are now one of the most important factors to drive traffic from Google map, and gain consumer trustness. When clients booking a hotel, choosing a doctor, or calling a plumber, most people check Google Maps ratings first, and 5-star rating usually help show on top 3. Do you know how many reviews do businesses usually have, and what kind of ratings are “normal” in each industry?
We’ve pulled together benchmarks from studies by BrightLocal, DAC, and SOCi, then combined them with AI-driven insights from Google Places API business categories. Here’s what you need to know.
Industry Benchmarks: Average Review Counts & Ratings
| Industry / Business Type | Avg. # of Reviews | Avg. Rating | Google Places type |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Repair | ~283 | ~4.2 | car_repair |
DAC 2022 benchmarks |
| Auto Sales / Dealerships | ~137 | ~4.1 | car_dealer |
DAC 2022 benchmarks |
| Grocery / Supermarkets | ~421 | ~4.2 | supermarket |
DAC 2022 benchmarks |
| Financial Services | ~9 | ~3.3 | bank, accounting |
DAC 2022 benchmarks |
| Healthcare / Clinics | ~86 | ~4.3 | doctor, hospital, health |
DAC 2022 benchmarks |
| Hotels & B&Bs | ~309 | ~4.4 (est.) | lodging |
BrightLocal study |
| General Local Businesses (all industries) | ~39 | ~4.42 | varies | BrightLocal averages |
| Photographers / Creative Services | N/A | ~4.84 | photographer |
BrightLocal |
| Moving & Storage / Home Services | N/A | ~4.8 | moving_company, plumber, electrician |
SOCi |
| Hospitality (broad) | ~281 | N/A | lodging, travel_agency |
GMB Statistics |
Additional Industries (from recent studies & Google Maps data)
-
Restaurants & Cafés: ~500–1,000 reviews, average rating 4.1–4.3 (
restaurant,cafe).
Food businesses tend to collect the highest number of reviews due to frequent foot traffic. -
Bars & Nightlife: ~250–400 reviews, average rating 4.0 (
bar,night_club).
Ratings can swing widely depending on location and service quality. -
Beauty Salons / Spas: ~95 reviews, average rating 4.6 (
beauty_salon,spa).
Personal service industries often have fewer reviews but higher ratings. -
Real Estate Agents: ~23 reviews, average rating 4.7 (
real_estate_agency).
Low volume but trust-driven — reviews can make or break a lead. -
Gyms & Fitness Studios: ~112 reviews, average rating 4.4 (
gym).
Members are loyal, so reviews often highlight staff friendliness and cleanliness. -
Restaurants (Fast Food Chains): 1,000+ reviews, average rating 3.8–4.1 (
restaurant,meal_takeaway).
High traffic, but often lower average ratings compared to sit-down dining.
Why These Numbers Matter
-
Consumer Expectations: Business like Auto Repair, If competitors in your industry average 200+ reviews, but you have 15, potential customers may skip digin your Google Map profile, even worse they may assume you’re less established.
-
Rating Thresholds: In most industries, rating below 4.0 significantly reduces Google Map directions and calls.
-
Local Pack Competition: More 5-star reviews can increase your chance of ranking in Google’s top 3 local results, also Google local guide review is a big plus.
Takeaways for Business Owners
-
Make rating above avg: Match or exceed your industry’s average review count and rating.
-
Prioritize consistency: Make sure your reviews are consistent, rather than suddenly have 200 reviews then no new reviews in past 3 months, which potential clients may thing your profile is dead.
-
Focus on quality: A 4.5 rating with 200 reviews usually better than a 5.0 rating with just 10 reviews.
- Google Local guide reviews: A Google local guide review has more weight not only on ranking but also on trustness.
- Photo-Added Reviews: Make sure you have some reviews have Photos, and the photos are clean and looks confortable.
If you want to compete in today’s Google-driven world, it is a curcial to spend efforts on reputation managing, follow TrustlyR, we will share more tips and help you build your profile stronger with less effort!
