This article is Gather. The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the initiator themselves.
If your business has a high reputation for local reputation but has few online reviews, does it exist?
This is the existence riddle faced by local businesses and institutions in 2025.
and Google’s AI Overview (AIO) Now that the search experience has been reshaped, visibility is more than just the “best”.
It’s about being part Summary.
And comments? They are no longer just signs of trust. them Ranking Signal.
This article breaks down what is changing, effective approaches, and how agents can make customers visible in traditional local search and Google’s ever-evolving AI layer.
Comments are now a search included portal
Comments have long been seen as conversion tools that help users make decisions among businesses they have discovered. But this role is developing.
In the era of Google’s AI Overview (AIOS), comments are increasingly acting as Discover signalshelp determine which businesses are included first.
Gather 2024 Online Reputation Benchmark Report Shows that businesses with a consistent, multi-channel review strategy, especially those that produce both first and third-party reviews, have a stronger reputation signal between quantity, recovery, and engagement. These are the exact signals that Google’s systems now prioritize in the results generated by AI.
Recent industry research and leaks of Google documentation, this observation has been strengthened, suggesting that reviews of censorship features such as clicks, depth of content and freshness contribute to local package visibility and AIO inclusion.
In other words, the business gets it Summary at the top of SERP Not only is it highly praised. In Google Trusts, they are actively reviewed, widely cited and considered credible.
Recentness is a signal. “Relevance” is Google’s shortcut.
More than two-thirds of consumers say they prioritize recent reviews when evaluating their business. But Google doesn’t necessarily show them first.
Instead, Google’s “most relevant” filters may prioritize matching old comments Query termseven if they no longer reflect the current customer experience.
This is why it is crucial for businesses to maintain a steady pace of review. A large number of comments in January followed by silence for six months without cutting. The AI layer and human readers need signals that said “this business is now active and trustworthy.”
For agents, this provides an opportunity to transform customer mentality from static audit goals to ongoing review strategies.
Star ratings are still important, but mainly as a decision-making shortcut
In our recent Webinars and Search Engine Magazine,We explore how consumers use Star ratings to disqualify options rather than distinguish them.
Research shows that:
- 73% Consumers will not consider companies with less than 4 stars
- but 69% As long as the comments are up to date,
In other words, people are looking for a “safe” option, not a perfect option.
Some solid four-star reviews from the past week with real details Take more weight More than a dozen perfect reviews from 2021.
Organizations should help clients understand this nuance, especially those who are hesitant to ask for comments out of concerns about imperfection.
First and third-party comments: Both are necessary
AI overviews aggregated information from the entire network, including structured data from your own website and unstructured comments from others.
- First-party comments: These are collected and hosted directly on the business website. They can be tagged with architecture, providing summary and answer boxes for Google’s structured machine-readable content.
- Third-party comments: These appear on platforms like Google, Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor, and Reddit. They are often seen as more objective and more common in AI overviews.
Businesses that continue to emerge in both types are more likely to be included in AIO and appear to be trustworthy to users.
Gather Supports multi-source audit generation, pattern markings from first-party feedback, and cross-platform rotation requests. This makes it easier for the institution to build a comment that supports both Local SEO and AIO visibility.
AIO is more than just Google reviews
According to the latest data from Whitespark, more than 60% of citations in the AI overview are from non-Google sources. This includes:
- reddit.
- TripAdvisor.
- cry.
- Local blogs and industry-specific directories.
If your customer’s comments are only played on Google, they may be ignored completely.
Google’s AI is scanning for what it believes is “experience-based”, unfiltered, real comments. It prefers cross-references to multiple sources to confirm credibility.
The agency should encourage clients to expand their review footprint and seek trusted mentions Third-party space. Dynamic review streams, QR codes and conditional links can help diversify requests without overburdening customers.
Responsive impacts visibility and builds trust
Review reply is no longer just a good gesture. They are part of the algorithm picture.
Gatherup’s benchmark research shows:
- 92% Consumers say responding to comments is now part of basic customer service.
- 73% If their complaints are answered thoughtfully, it will bring a second chance for the business.
But there is still room for technical upward movement. When clicking, reading, and expanding comments, they generate engagement signals that may affect local rankings. And, if the company’s reply includes solution details or useful context, the content depth of the list can be increased.
For agents juggling multiple clients, automation can help. Chathup provides AI-powered suggestion responses that retain branded tone and ensure timely replies without sounding robotic.
How Agents Make AIO Part of their Core Strategy
Google’s AI system is designed to answer user questions directly without clicking. This means that the review content increasingly shapes the brand narrative in SERP.
To adapt, agents should work to maintain customer visibility in two search formats:
For local packaging optimization
- Fully updated Google Business profile list (photos, categories, questions and answers).
- Construction and maintenance Stable review speed Use email, text messages and face-to-face requests.
- Respond to comments regularly, especially nuances or negative comments.
For AIO inclusion
- Collect first-party comments and tag model.
- based on Vertical correlation.
- Capture comments with photo upload and detailed description.
- put up Unstructured citations Through community engagement, media mentions and event participation.
Download our complete active reputation management script for digital agents For templates and workflows, operate them as a brand revenue-generating service.
Reputation is no longer separated from ranking
AI overviews are now appearing in nearly two-thirds of local business search queries. This means that your client’s next client may be impressed (or make a decision) before clicking on the website or list of map packages.
Visibility is no longer guaranteed. It is earned through content, coverage and reputation.
Comments are located in the center of these three.
This is an opportunity for institutions. You already have the tools to guide your clients in their transformation. You know how to build content, build citations, and amplify the voice that resonates with customers.
Reputation management is no longer optional. This is the infrastructure.
About the party
Chaptup is the only active reputation management platform specially built for digital agencies. We help you build, manage and defend your customers’ online reputation.
Aggregate support:
- First and third-party comment generation across multiple platforms,
- The pattern marks feedback collection of AIO correlations,
- Intelligent, AI-assisted response workflow,
- Seamless white label for full proxy control,
- Scalable audit operation tools can help you manage 10 or 10,000 locations and customers.
Agents using aggregation will not only react to algorithm changes. They shape the visibility of their customers and defend it.
To learn more, Watch the full webinar For viable strategies, there are data-enabled insights and examples of local searches that impact AIO in the wild.
Image Credits
Featured Images: Gathered Images. Used with permission.
