Why Google Reviews Are Crucial for Auto Repair Shops
Google reviews are more important for auto repair shops than ever, not just because customers rely on them, but because Google itself increasingly uses reviews to understand and rank businesses. Nearly three out of four consumers read reviews regularly, according to BrightLocal, making your shop’s reputation a key factor in winning trust. More significantly, Google’s algorithms, and its new AI Mode, lean heavily on review content to determine which shops stand out and what they’re known for. The result: strong, detailed reviews help you get found and chosen, by both customers and Google.
Reviews Directly Impact Your Shop’s Online Visibility
Google reviews don’t just shape perception—they influence whether your business is seen at all. Positive, recent reviews appear alongside your business in Google Search and Maps, signaling to both searchers and Google’s algorithms that your shop is reputable. Reviews contribute to your local search ranking by feeding into Google’s concept of “prominence.” Simply put, a strong review profile makes it easier for new customers to find and choose your shop.
Just as important as getting reviews is responding to them. When you reply, whether it’s a thank you or an offer to make things right, you show both customers and Google that you’re engaged and care about feedback. Learn why responding to Google reviews matters (and how to make it easier) here.
How Google Uses Reviews in Local Search Ranking
Google uses
three primary factors for local search ranking: relevance, distance, and prominence.
Reviews play a role in at least two of these factors: relevance and prominence.
Relevance comes from the specific content in your reviews. When customers mention services or vehicle types, like “BMW repair” or “BMW inspection”, Google learns what your shop specializes in. This increases your chances of appearing for those exact searches.
As shown below, a search for “bmw inspection alpharetta ga” highlights reviews containing “BMW” and “inspection,” proving how Google surfaces businesses whose reviews match the search terms. That’s why it’s so valuable to encourage customers to mention the specific services and brands you want to be known for.
Prominence reflects how well-known and well-regarded your business is. Google measures this by the volume, quality, and sentiment of your reviews. A steady stream of positive feedback and a high average star rating signal to both Google and customers that your shop is reputable, established, and trusted in the community.
You can see this below: for the search “oil change near me,” businesses with a high volume of reviews and strong ratings are shown at the top, with review snippets highlighted that match the search keywords. This makes it clear how review count and relevant feedback can boost your visibility - and why encouraging satisfied customers to leave detailed reviews matters.
Recency: Why Fresh Reviews Matter
It’s also worth noting that review recency matters. Fresh reviews indicate your business is active and delivering great service now, not just in the past. Google’s algorithm favors businesses with a steady flow of recent reviews over those whose last review was many months (or years) ago. Recent reviews show you’re consistently satisfying customers, which makes Google more confident about sending new searchers your way.
What We're Seeing in Google's AI Mode for Local Searches
In our own recent testing of Google's new AI Mode, specifically when using location-specific, high-intent searches like "auto repair Boise," "BMW repair Boise," or "transmission repair Boise", we've noticed a major shift in how local businesses are presented. Rather than just displaying the standard map pack or organic listings, Google's AI Mode responds with a generated summary, based on multiple synthesized searches and datapoints. These results seem to pull in shops from Google Maps and, crucially, often (but not always) use a new feature called AI Place Summaries to describe the businesses in detail.
Example of AI Place Summary
For example, when we search "top bmw repair shops in portland" within Google's AI Mode, I see something like:
Most of these descriptions are generated by Google's AI Place Summaries. From what I can tell (and from what little Google has officially shared), these AI Place Summaries are powered by Google's Gemini model, which reads and synthesizes the content of Google Reviews and Maps data to generate a concise overview of each shop. For instance, attributes like "factory-trained technicians," "European vehicles," or praise for "knowledge and fair pricing" all come directly from what real customers have said in their reviews.
In another example, for a search like "bmw repair shops noise," the results are:
Again, the AI summary isn't just listing addresses and star ratings—it's picking up on review themes like honesty, affordability, technical expertise, and customer service, then surfacing those in the description.
The result is that when a potential customer searches for a specific service or specialty—say, "BMW mechanic" or "transmission shop"—the shops that are most talked about for those specialties in their reviews are much more likely to be highlighted in the AI summary. This puts even more importance on encouraging your customers to leave detailed, honest reviews that mention the specific services or vehicle brands you want to be known for.
How Your Auto Repair Shop Can Get More Google Reviews
As Google’s AI Mode and AI Place Summaries become more central to how customers find local auto repair shops, the specific words and themes in your reviews can directly impact whether your business is highlighted. But simply knowing that reviews are important isn’t enough; you need a plan to consistently get them. Below are some ways you get customers to leave honest, impactful Google reviews.
Simply Ask Face-to-Face
First, ask at the right time. The best moment is directly right after service, when the customer is still feeling the relief of having their vehicle back. Make it personal. Have your staff mention how much a review helps your shop, and even which technician worked on their vehicle, so the customer feels like they’re directly helping your team, not just the business.
To ensure there’s a clear call-to-action while you’re directly interacting with the customer, you can direct them to the process for submitting a review. It can be as simple as displaying a sign at your checkout counter or including a link on the paper or electronic invoice.
Leverage Social Media
Social media is a powerful tool for building trust and starting conversations with shop customers. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X are great places to regularly post friendly reminders asking for reviews. Keep your requests simple and include step-by-step instructions so customers know exactly how to leave their feedback.
For example, share a screenshot of a recent Google review along with a caption inviting others to share their own experiences. This not only encourages happy customers to leave reviews but also shows potential new clients what they can expect from your shop.
Include Incentives
Research shows that incentives, even small ones, can increase participation rates up to 50% because people naturally value the chance to gain a reward for a simple action. According to a study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, customers are significantly more likely to complete a task like leaving a review when there’s a perceived benefit, even if the reward is modest.
Examples include entering reviewers into a drawing for a free oil change, a gas station gift card, or a branded gift basket. Promoting these incentives on your website, social media, at your counter, and in follow-up texts or emails helps remind customers that their feedback is valued and appreciated.
Just make sure it complies with Google’s guidelines (never require a positive review to enter).
Follow-Up Text and Email
Kukui’s Follow-up Text and Email solutions allows you to automatically send a friendly follow-up message to customers thanking them for their business and including a direct link to your Google review page. Making it easy for customers to click and review means they’re much more likely to do it.
KUKUI can help your shop turn satisfied customers into your biggest advocates and rise in Google’s local search results. We know that encouraging customers to submit reviews can feel like an added task—but KUKUI makes it easy with our Follow-Up Text and Email tools helps you stay engaged with customers after they leave the shop.
See how KUKUI can help you gain more reviews (as well as help you manage those reviews) – Schedule a Demo today.
References:
https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey
https://www.kukui.com/google-review-response-rates-auto-repair-study
https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/places/web-service/place-summaries
https://mapsplatform.google.com/gemini-placesapi-demo/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296309000198
https://kaitlinwoolley.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/woolleysharifjmr2021.pdf
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