CRO research

Should You Put Reviews Above the Fold on Your Website?

Reviews above the fold are one of the most impactful CRO changes for local business websites. This guide covers the evidence and how to implement it.

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47%
of page abandonment happens in under 2 seconds for pages with no trust signals
270%
conversion rate uplift from adding reviews to the hero section
80%
of web visitors read content above the fold

The case for it

Why displaying reviews above the fold increases conversion rates

The fold is the visible portion of a web page before a user scrolls. Content above the fold is seen by every visitor. On average, 80 percent of web visitors read content above the fold and only 20 percent scroll through the entire page.

For local business websites, placing your Google star rating, review count, and a short customer quote above the fold communicates trust before a visitor has to do anything. It answers the most important unspoken question: "Can I trust these people?" immediately and without requiring any action.

Research on landing page conversion rates consistently shows that adding social proof elements including review ratings and customer testimonials to the above-fold section increases conversion rates significantly. Trust reduces the perceived risk of taking the next action.

80%
of web visitors read content above the fold
47%
abandon pages within 2 seconds if no trust signals are present
270%
average conversion lift from adding reviews to the hero
4.0+
minimum rating to display — below this undermines trust

How to implement

How to add reviews above the fold on your website

1

Display your Google star rating and review count

Add a simple element near the top of your homepage or landing page showing your current Google star rating and total review count. Even a small "4.9 stars from 127 Google reviews" line near your headline significantly improves trust.

2

Add one compelling customer quote

A short specific testimonial in the hero section provides social proof at the moment when visitor intent is highest. Choose a quote that addresses the most common purchase hesitation for your business.

3

Link to your Google listing for verification

Make your review display clickable and link to your actual Google Business Profile so visitors can verify the reviews are real. This verification option significantly increases credibility.

4

Update your review count regularly

If you are collecting reviews consistently your count changes frequently. Displaying an outdated low count undermines the trust you are trying to build. Consistent review collection through Get More Review keeps your count current.

5

Test placement with your specific audience

For some businesses the star rating and count above the fold works best. For others a customer quote performs better. Test both with your actual traffic to find what works best for your page.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions

Yes. Reviews displayed prominently on your website, particularly in the hero section, reduce purchase hesitation and increase the percentage of visitors who take action. The impact is strongest for visitors who arrive through channels other than Google Maps.

Display your actual rating only if it is 4.0 or above. Displaying a rating below 4.0 prominently can undermine trust rather than build it. Focus on collecting more positive reviews before adding your rating prominently to your website.

A dynamic widget that pulls from your Google profile is better because it updates automatically. Manual displays become outdated quickly and a stale low review count can hurt conversion rates.

Businesses adding any review display to a page that previously had none typically see conversion rate improvements of 10 to 30 percent. Well-implemented hero section reviews with a testimonial sometimes produce improvements of 50 percent or more.

Related

Related guides and tools

Do reviews increase sales?

Broad analysis of how reviews affect revenue for local businesses.

Review widget conversion rate

How review widgets on your website affect conversion rates.

Social proof and conversion rates

How social proof from reviews affects purchase decisions.

Get more Google reviews

How to build the review count that makes above-fold display credible.

Build a review count worth displaying.

Get More Review automates review collection so you build a credible review profile worth showing on your website. Free to start.

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