Why Google Reviews Matter for All Businesses – GoSome

When was the last time you left a Google review for a business that wasn’t a restaurant? Were you asked to leave a review or was it unprompted? Understanding that dynamic is important in understanding why it can be tough to get reviews especially as a B2B business. However, I talked with Sakke Tiitinen who has a long list of benefits that companies experience from constantly getting new Google.

I’m skeptical of the importance of Google reviews for B2B businesses. I mean, Trustmary is a B2B SaaS company, why should we care about Google reviews. No one is looking us up from Google Maps anyways.

After talking with Sakke Tiitinen, the Marketing Team Lead at GoSome, I’ve had a slight change of heart, as he challenged my views. This is another episode of our Customer-Led Growth series, where I talk with Trustmary’s partners about what they know a lot about.

Check out our full conversation here below to learn why Google reviews are crucial for all B2B and B2C sectors.

Sakke Tiitinen & GoSome

Tiitinen has a diverse background, from studying for a university degree and playing hockey in the U.S. to leading digital marketing efforts at GoSome. Before jumping into digital marketing, Tiitinen also worked in B2B sales, which has helped him see the customer acquisition process from all angles.

GoSome’s team specializes in helping companies improve their digital sales through advertising, websites, and comprehensive strategies. The company’s vision is clear: to be Finland’s most sought-after digital marketing partner by delivering measurable results.

– We really focus on creating concrete measurable results to all of our customers, Tiitinen says.

Are Google Reviews Still Relevant?

We’ve written a lot on Google reviews and do Google reviews still matter. As there are so many points of view to consider, I really wanted to see what Tiitinen sees in his daily work.

Tiitinen firmly believes that Google reviews will remain relevant, even in 2025.

3 Reasons Why Google Reviews Matter

1. SEO Benefits: Google reviews directly impact search engine visibility. “Good reviews can boost your ranking on Google Maps and search results, making your business more discoverable,” Tiitinen explained.
2. Credibility: Reviews are one of the first things potential customers check, even in the B2B world. “At the end of the day, it’s still people buying from people,” Sakke noted.
3. Actionable Feedback: Both positive and negative reviews provide businesses with insights to improve their services and processes.

Do Reviews Matter for B2B?

When I challenged Sakke about whether reviews are as important for B2B as they are for B2C, his answer was clear:

– Short answer: Absolutely. All reviews are useful for marketing. They can be used to display the experience your customers have had to persuade potential customers, Tiitinen says.

In addition to adding reviews to the website, businesses can and should also learn from the negative reviews.

–  Bad reviews or private feedback can obviously be used for improving discrepancies the between good and bad experiences and fixing your own processes. It’s all about refining your customer journey, he continues.

While B2B companies often rely on references and case studies, Tiitinen emphasized that reviews can be equally impactful for building trust. He highlighted that potential customers, regardless of industry, are influenced by others’ experiences.

– It’s still a person on the other end. And if a company has bad reviews, buyers will most likely lean towards ones that have positive reviews. In my opinion, B2B companies often kind of ignore the reviews, but should they? I don’t think so, Tiitinen challenges.

Tiitinen adds:

– It doesn’t really matter if a reviews is written by someone from Trustmary or somebody who works at Google. It’s more impactful if it comes from, for example Erica.

Which Companies Don’t Need Google Reviews?

Together with Tiitinen we came to the conclusion every company benefits from reviews.

However, there might be local differences in which review platforms buyers trust within a specific country, or what is the industry standard.

– For example, in Finland not many companies people use Trustpilot in comparison to Denmark, because Trustpilot is a Danish company, Tiitinen explains.

Furthermore, some brands might have lost the need to gather and use reviews in marketing, as they already are top-of-mind, such as Chanel or Coca-Cola. The same goes for very niche industries where there isn’t much or any competition.

– There’s no harm done if you have reviews, especially if they’re positive, Tiitinen concludes.

Mistakes Businesses Make with Reviews

According to Tiitinen, ignoring Google reviews or underestimating their value is one of the biggest mistakes companies can make. Here are his top tips for avoiding pitfalls:

• Ask for Reviews: Many businesses don’t have a clear process for gathering reviews, leaving negative ones to dominate their profiles.
• Respond to Feedback: Ignoring negative reviews can harm your reputation. How you handle criticism speaks volumes about your company.
• Avoid Fake Reviews: Buying fake reviews is unethical and even illegal in some countries. Genuine feedback builds trust, while fake reviews can destroy it.

The ROI of Google Reviews

Tiitinen shared a simple but powerful perspective on the return on investment of reviews: the cost of setting up a review-gathering process is minimal compared to the potential benefits.

– Whether it’s increased website traffic, improved SEO, or better conversion rates, the impact is undeniable, he said.

Even a single new review each week adds up to 52 reviews a year. That kind of consistency builds a solid online reputation over time.

Companies are doing so many things at once to their website, social media and paid ad campaigns that pinpointing the impact of getting new reviews is hard.

Then again, setting up an efficient review process takes you less than an hour, after which it functions on autopilot and consistently brings in reviews and social proof.

Final Thoughts: Automate and Thrive

One of Tiitinen’s key takeaways was the importance of automation, as one of the biggest pain points in business is collecting reviews.

By automating the review request process, companies can scale their efforts and collect feedback more efficiently.

– We’re talking about 15 to 30 minutes to set everything up max if everything else is set up in the background. The cost of asking for a Google review is so low that all the benefits they bring is worth the effort. It’s a concrete return on investment, as you invest 30 minutes of your time, and you get a higher CTR, better rankings on search engines, and more traffic to your website, Tiitinen underlines.

We also talked about responding to reviews and concluded that you should be consistent: Either you answer to all or none of them.

–Just make sure not to automate responses with AI, Tiitinen reminded, emphasizing the need for authenticity when interacting with customers.

Ready to Improve Your Online Presence?

This conversation with Tiitinen was an eye-opener. Google reviews aren’t just about collecting stars; they’re a gateway to improving SEO, building trust, and ultimately growing your business.

Want to learn more about how reviews can transform your online reputation? Read about Trustmary Method – the best way to get and showcase reviews!

If you have other areas of marketing you want to improve, contact GoSome through their website. They’re all nice people, and know what they’re doing!

Here’s the full video:

And start collecting customer reviews today!

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