Review Velocity
Calculator
Find out how fast your reviews are growing, whether you're accelerating or slowing down, and exactly how long it will take to hit your next milestone.
Enter Your Review Data
Your numbers from the last 3 months
New reviews received each month
Your review velocity
6.3
reviews / month
Time to reach milestones
Based on your current average of 6.3 reviews/month
Why Google cares how fast you're collecting reviews — not just how many you have
Total review count matters. But a business with 500 old reviews and zero new ones is invisible to Google compared to a competitor with 80 reviews and 15 new ones per month.
#1
Factor Google uses for local ranking
Review velocity — not just total count — is one of Google's most weighted local ranking signals. New reviews = better visibility.
3×
More trust with recent reviews
Customers trust a business with 50 reviews in the last 3 months far more than one with 500 reviews from 3 years ago. Recency drives conversions.
40%
Ranking boost from consistent velocity
Studies show businesses maintaining consistent monthly review velocity outrank competitors with more total reviews but lower velocity.
How does your velocity compare to your industry?
Review expectations vary widely by industry. Here are typical monthly review rates for common business types.
| Industry | Good monthly velocity | Strong total |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant / Café | 15-30/mo | 200+ |
| Local Service (plumber, cleaner, etc.) | 5-15/mo | 50-150 |
| Retail Shop | 10-20/mo | 100-300 |
| Healthcare / Dental | 5-10/mo | 50-100 |
| SaaS / Software | 5-20/mo | 100-500 |
| Hotel / Accommodation | 20-50/mo | 500+ |
4 ways to double your review velocity this month
Most velocity improvements come from process changes, not more customers. Here's what actually moves the needle.
Ask every single customer
The single biggest lever. Most businesses ask some customers sometimes. The ones with 500+ reviews ask every customer, every time, as part of their post-service process. Consistency beats everything.
Send within 2 hours
Review request conversion drops sharply after 24 hours. Building an automated message that goes out within 2 hours of a job completion or purchase can double your response rate overnight.
Use SMS as your primary channel
SMS has a 98% open rate. If you're only sending email review requests, switching to SMS (or adding it as a follow-up) typically increases review collection by 40-60% immediately.
Add a QR code to every receipt
A QR code printed on your receipt or invoice creates a passive review collection channel that works 24/7 without any action from you. Some businesses collect 30-40% of their reviews this way.
Which matters more — velocity or total reviews?
High total, low velocity
500 reviews, 0 new in 6 months
Losing ground
- Review profile looks stale
- Competitors with active profiles outrank you
- Customers notice 'last review: 8 months ago'
- Google's freshness signal decays
Moderate total, high velocity
80 reviews, 15 new per month
Gaining ground
- Profile looks alive and active
- Outranks older competitors in local pack
- Recent reviews convert visitors better
- Momentum compounds over time
know your velocity. grow your ranking.
Bragly automates review collection so your velocity stays high month after month — without manual follow-up or chasing customers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review velocity is the rate at which your business receives new reviews over time — typically measured monthly. Google uses it as a local ranking signal: businesses that consistently receive new reviews tend to rank higher in Google Maps and local search results than those with the same number of reviews but no recent activity.
Google's local algorithm considers review recency and velocity as signals of business activity and relevance. A business receiving 20 reviews per month is seen as more active and trustworthy than one with 200 total reviews but none in the past year. Fresh reviews signal that the business is still operating and delivering good service.
It depends on your industry and market size. For a local service business, 5-10 new reviews per month is solid. For a restaurant or high-footfall location, 20-50 per month is achievable. The key is consistency — a steady stream is better than occasional bursts. Check the industry benchmarks on this page for a more specific target.
Common causes: you stopped actively asking for reviews, your follow-up process broke down, seasonal slowdown in customer volume, or customers are leaving reviews on a different platform. Check your request process first — most velocity drops are caused by inconsistency in asking, not dissatisfied customers.
Yes — a sudden spike in reviews can look suspicious to Google and may trigger a review quality filter. If your business normally gets 5 reviews per month and you suddenly get 100 in a week, Google may hold or remove some. Grow consistently rather than in bursts for the best results.
Both matter, but velocity is increasingly important. A competitor with 300 reviews and 30 new ones per month will often outrank you with 500 reviews and 2 new ones per month. Think of it like this: total count is your authority, velocity is your momentum.
Build your review collection into automated processes so it happens regardless of your attention. Use Bragly to send automated post-service emails and SMS. Even during quiet periods, every customer should still receive a review request — slow months are when maintaining velocity matters most.
Your velocity will drop to zero, and your ranking can decline — especially in competitive markets. Google's algorithm weights recent reviews heavily, so a 3-month gap can noticeably affect your Maps position. Restart your collection process immediately and aim for consistency going forward.
