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Reviews

How Reviews Impact AI Rankings

April 22, 2026 6 min read

Most owners think of reviews as social proof for prospects. They are - but they're also one of the strongest signals AI tools use when deciding who to recommend.

What AI Looks For

  • Recent reviews (last 90 days matter more than 5-year-old ones)
  • Volume relative to category
  • Owner responses
  • Sentiment trends
  • Distribution across platforms

How to Build a Review System

Ask every happy customer at the moment of value. Make it easy - a short link, a QR code, a text. Respond to every review, especially negative ones.

El Paso Reality Check

Most local businesses have fewer than 30 Google reviews. The ones with 100+ recent reviews dominate both Google Maps and AI recommendations.

Related service: AI Search Optimization

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