Social proof is the most powerful form of marketing any company will ever have.

When a potential customer is considering your business, where’s the first place they go? Online.

That's where 95% of people starting their decision-making process. It's your digital presence that is your first impression. That's why it's amazing how many local businesses neglect their online reviews.

Strong reviews have always been important, but the rise of AI has amplified how important they are.

Search Is Changing

For years, there was one primary gatekeeper to online visibility: Google Search.

In a market like Australia, its dominance has been absolute, capturing 90-95% of all search queries. But that’s changing.

At the time of this writing, about 30% of searches are now being served by AI, and that number is only going up. More and more people are turning to AI for direct, concise answers instead of a list of blue links.

But what does this have to do with your star rating?

Why AI Cares So Much About Your Reviews

Your collection of customer reviews (i.e. social proof) is one of the most critical factors AI engines use to evaluate and trust your business (there are over 200 for reference). Remember, an AI's goal isn't to show you *all* the possible answers; its goal is to show you the *best* answer. It wants to recommend a business it can confidently stand behind.

If you’re sitting on a three-star rating, you are making it incredibly difficult for an AI to recommend your business over a competitor with a four or five-star rating.

So how can you ensure you’re the preferred pick for both customers and AI?

1. Get More Authentic Five-Star Reviews (on Autopilot)

The foundation of a strong online reputation is a steady stream of authentic, positive reviews.

But manually asking for reviews is inefficient. It’s easy to forget, it gets pushed down the priority list, or it falls on an assistant who already has a full plate.

The key is to use an automated tool to consistently collect reviews every single month. Automation ensures a constant flow of fresh social proof, which signals to AI that your business is active, relevant, and consistently delivering value.

2. Reply to All Reviews—Especially the Bad Ones

This might seem counterintuitive, but your response to a negative review can be more powerful than a five-star rating. Most savvy consumers don't just look at the score - they want to see how you solve problems too.

A professional, well-mannered, and helpful reply to a one-star review demonstrates accountability and builds trust. It shows potential customers that if something goes wrong, you’ll be there to make it right.

(Avoid public mudslinging at all costs. It looks unprofessional and suggests to others that fighting with you is a possibility.)

3. Feed the AI with Specifics

Generic reviews are good, but specific reviews are way better.

Encourage your customers to mention the specific service they received and their location. This data is incredibly valuable for "teaching" AI what your business is all about.

For example, if you're a plumber in North Sydney, a review that says, "Great work," is helpful. But a review that says, "This is the best plumber in North Sydney," is a game-changer. That specific phrasing immediately helps AI associate the keywords "North Sydney plumber" with your business, dramatically increasing your relevance for local searches.

AI reads everything so use your reviews and your replies to those reviews to feed it the exact keywords and concepts you want to be known for.

Your Reviews Are A Competitive Edge

While this may sound like a lot of work, the right tools can streamline the entire process (we have our own tool that customers use - SmartReviews Review Automation).

Your online reviews are no longer just a passive reputation metric. They are an active, technical requirement for getting found in by AI-powered search.