How many reviews do I need on Google? This is a question I often receive from roofing contractors.  

Most business owners and marketers know the importance of getting reviews online, as well as how customers tend to prefer Google My Business (GMB) profiles that have higher review counts and higher star average.

But what constitutes a high reviewer count? When does a roofing company have enough reviews?  

To answer this question, I turn to two sources: The industry standard and your local competition.  

The Roofing Industry Standard for Online Reviews  
In a recent nationwide survey of high-performing Google My Business listings, nearly half (49.29%) of all roofing companies have four or fewer reviews on their listing. 

So if you want to be better than half of all roofing companies, just get five reviews and you should be set.  

If you want to grow your GMB profile more, aim higher.

That same study showed that, among listings with five or more reviews, the average roofing company had 39 reviews and a 4.6-star average.  

Look to Your Local Competition 
Often, I recommend roofing companies look at their local competition when trying to benchmark how many reviews to get.

When your potential customers are looking for a roofer, their Google search will likely bring up three listings: Yours and two competitors.

How does your profile stack up against them—both in terms of the total number of reviews and star average?  

Make a list of all your local competitors, writing down their total number of reviews and their star average.

If you do not have a standard process of asking for reviews, you will likely find yourself in the bottom half or third of this list.

And if you have invested in online reputation management, you may find yourself near the top, with perhaps a few larger companies beating you out.  

This exercise can show you which competitors are within striking distance, as well as give you a target number of goals to achieve in the next 6-12 months. 

If you are in the enviable position of having the most reviews in your market, don’t stop asking for reviews.

Try to maintain a 10-20% lead over your closest competitors in the number of reviews.

This helps you create a deeper and wider moat of reviews that will be harder for anyone to overcome.  

Set a Target Review Count 
Whether you are just getting started or are looking to improve your existing review policy, create a goal for you and your team to work toward.

Don’t try to accomplish everything overnight; a steady stream of reviews is a more natural and realistic approach to generate reviews.

I like to set goals based on a 6-12 month window.  

Find ways to ask for reviews at touchpoints that make sense—usually, that’s after a repair or new roof installation.

Some roofers include their ask in the final paperwork or conversation, while others rely on emails or text messages that make it easier to leave a review.  

Bonus Tips