How to Embed Google Reviews on Your Website

Showing live Google reviews on your homepage or service pages typically lifts conversion on cold visitors — exact lift varies by industry and traffic source. The technical part is straightforward; the compliance part is where most businesses slip. Google's API terms and attribution requirements are specific, and most 'free' embed widgets scrape reviews in ways that violate them. Here's how to do it cleanly.

  1. 1

    Choose between Google's Place Details API and a third-party widget

    Two compliant paths. (1) Build with the Place Details API directly — fetch reviews, render them yourself, attribute Google. Requires developer work and a Google Cloud billing account. (2) Use a vetted third-party widget (Trustindex, EmbedSocial, Elfsight) that licenses Google's API correctly. Most small businesses go with option 2.

  2. 2

    Pick a widget that uses Google's official Place Details API, not scraping

    Ask the vendor directly: 'Do you use Google's Places API or do you scrape?' Scrapers violate Google's terms and frequently get blocked, breaking your widget without warning. Reputable widgets cost $7–$30/mo and stay live.

  3. 3

    Pull a maximum of 5 reviews per page (Google's API limit)

    The Place Details API returns only the 5 most recent reviews. Don't pay for a widget that promises to show 'all' your reviews — they're either caching old data or scraping. Showing your 5 most recent is fine; rotate them for freshness, and link out to your full Google profile.

  4. 4

    Display Google's required attribution

    Each review must show the reviewer's name, photo, star rating, relative time ('2 weeks ago'), and a clear link back to Google. The Google 'G' logo or 'Powered by Google' attribution is required by Google's branding guidelines. Most widgets handle this automatically; if you build it yourself, follow the Google Places API attribution rules exactly.

  5. 5

    Place embeds where they affect a buying decision

    Above-the-fold on service pages, on the pricing page, near the booking form, and on landing pages from paid ads. Putting them only in the footer wastes the social proof. Keep design clean — 3 visible reviews with a 'Read all reviews on Google' link converts better than a wall of 20.

  6. 6

    Refresh the cache at least weekly

    Stale reviews ('1 year ago') hurt rather than help. Configure the widget to refresh the cached reviews at least once a week. If you switch widgets, test mobile rendering — many widgets break on mobile silently.

FAQ

Is it legal to embed Google reviews on my website?
Yes, when done through the Places API with Google's required attribution. Scraping reviews — copying them off Google's page without using the official API — violates Google's terms of service and may expose you to legal risk. Stick to API-based widgets or build directly against the Places API.
Can I hide bad reviews from the embedded widget?
Generally no, and you shouldn't try. The FTC's 2024 reviews rule (16 CFR Part 465) prohibits the suppression of authentic negative reviews when displaying reviews on your own properties. Most legitimate widgets let you filter for 4–5 stars only, but doing so creates compliance risk. Show all reviews; respond well to the bad ones.
Does embedding reviews on my site help SEO?
Indirectly. Embeds themselves are usually JavaScript and not indexed as on-page content. The SEO benefit comes from improved conversion and time-on-page, which Google measures as engagement signals. If you want the review text indexed, render it server-side or use structured Review/AggregateRating schema with appropriate care for Google's Rich Results requirements.

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