What is Star Rating?

4.0 is the minimum to compete in most industries, anything lower and customers scroll past. 4.5+ puts you in strong position. Below 3.5, you'll struggle to attract customers regardless of other factors. Check your competitors' ratings to know your local threshold.

It's a simple average of all your review scores, rounded to one decimal. If you have ten 5-star reviews and one 1-star review, you're at 4.6. More reviews make your average more stable, one bad review has less impact when you have hundreds of reviews versus just ten.

Yes, but it takes consistent effort. If you have 50 reviews at 3.5 stars, you'll need roughly 50 five-star reviews just to get to 4.25. Fix the underlying service issues first, then focus on generating new reviews from happy customers. It's a long game, but recoverable.

Yes, but it's one factor among many. A 4.8-star business won't automatically outrank a 4.2-star business if the lower-rated one has better SEO signals. However, star ratings significantly affect click-through rates, people click higher-rated businesses more, which can indirectly boost rankings.