Reviews & local-SEO glossary

Plain-English definitions of the Google reviews and local-SEO terms that matter for local businesses — from the local pack and review velocity to QR codes, NFC and GEO.

Google review

A rating and written comment left by a customer on a business's Google Business Profile. Google reviews appear in Google Search and Google Maps and are one of the strongest trust and ranking signals for local businesses.Related: How to get more Google reviews →

Google Business Profile

The free business listing (formerly Google My Business) that shows your name, hours, photos, reviews and location in Google Search and Maps. It's the foundation of local SEO and the place your Google reviews live.

Local pack

The block of three businesses Google shows at the top of local search results, alongside a map. Ranking in the local pack (also called the 3-pack) drives the majority of clicks and calls for local searches, and review signals heavily influence who appears there.

Local SEO

The practice of optimising a business to rank in location-based searches like 'cafe near me'. It combines your Google Business Profile, reviews, citations, on-page content and links to improve visibility in the local pack and Maps.Related: Why reviews matter for local SEO →

Review velocity

How consistently a business collects new reviews over time. A steady, ongoing flow of fresh reviews signals an active, popular business and is often a bigger ranking lever than a large one-time burst of reviews.

Star rating

The 1-to-5 score customers give in a review, and the average shown on your profile. A higher average rating improves both your ranking and your click-through rate, because people filter and choose by stars.

QR code

A scannable square barcode that opens a link when pointed at with a phone camera. For reviews, a QR code takes a customer straight to your Google review page, removing the friction of searching for your business.Related: Google review QR code guide →

NFC (Near-field communication)

A short-range wireless technology that lets a phone read a chip by tapping it. An NFC review card opens your Google review page the instant a customer taps it — no app, no scanning.Related: NFC vs QR codes for reviews →

Review gating

Filtering customers by satisfaction before asking for a review — for example, only sending happy customers to Google. Google prohibits review gating, and doing it can get your reviews removed. Ask every customer instead.

Online reputation management

Actively monitoring and improving how your business is perceived online — collecting reviews, responding to feedback, and addressing complaints. Strong, recent reviews are the core of a healthy online reputation.Related: How to respond to Google reviews →

Google Maps

Google's mapping service where local businesses appear with their profile, reviews and directions. Most 'near me' searches surface Maps results, so Maps visibility is central to winning local customers.

Citation

Any online mention of your business's name, address and phone number (NAP) — in directories, listings or websites. Consistent citations across the web reinforce your legitimacy and support local rankings.

Featured snippet

A short answer Google pulls to the top of search results to directly answer a query. Clear, well-structured content — like concise FAQ answers — is more likely to be selected for a featured snippet.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Optimising content so it can be understood and cited by AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google's AI overviews. Structured data, clear answers, entity grounding and an llms.txt file all help a site become a cited source.

Conversion rate

The share of people who take a desired action — such as leaving a review after being asked. Removing friction (so a customer can post a review in one tap) is the single biggest driver of review conversion rate.