Review Widget WordPress – How to Display Google Reviews on Your WordPress Site
"Review widget WordPress" is a search term for UK business owners who want to display customer reviews on their WordPress website. Displaying reviews on your site builds trust and increases conversion rates. This comprehensive guide explains how to add Google review widgets to WordPress using plugins, custom code, and third-party services.
Why Display Reviews on Your WordPress Website?
Displaying customer reviews on your website provides social proof at the decision moment. Research shows that displaying reviews on your website can increase conversion rates by 15-30%. When potential customers visit your site, they are evaluating whether to trust you. Seeing positive reviews from other customers reassures them.
Key benefits include increased trust (social proof reduces perceived risk), higher conversion rates (customers who see reviews are more likely to buy), improved SEO (fresh content from reviews helps ranking), and reduced bounce rate (engaging content keeps visitors on your site).
Method 1: Using a WordPress Plugin (Easiest)
Option 1.1 – Widget for Google Reviews (Free + Paid): Popular plugin with 80,000+ active installs. Displays Google reviews on your WordPress site. Customisable design. Shortcode support. Responsive (works on mobile). Free version available. Premium from £49/year.
Option 1.2 – Elfsight Google Reviews Widget (From £5/month): No coding required. Customisable design. Real-time updates. Free plan available with branding. Paid plans from £5/month.
Option 1.3 – Trustpilot WordPress Plugin (Free): Free with Trustpilot account. Displays Trustpilot TrustScore and reviews. Easy integration. Requires Trustpilot account (free version available).
Installation steps for most plugins: Install and activate the plugin from WordPress repository. Connect your Google Business Profile (enter your Place ID or business name). Customise widget design (colours, layout, number of reviews). Copy shortcode or use block editor. Paste shortcode into any page or post.
Method 2: Using a Third-Party Service (More Features)
Option 2.1 – Birdeye Review Widget: Included with Birdeye subscription. Aggregates reviews from Google, Trustpilot, Facebook. Customisable design. Real-time updates. Analytics on widget performance. Requires Birdeye subscription (custom pricing).
Option 2.2 – Indigo Marmoset Review Widget: Included with Review Boost Package (£169/month). Displays reviews from multiple platforms. Customisable to match brand. Live updates. Requires Indigo Marmoset subscription.
Option 2.3 – Repuso (From £9/month): Collects reviews from Google, Trustpilot, Facebook, and social media. Displays as widget, popup, or notification bar. Multiple display options. Free trial available.
Method 3: Manual Implementation (Free but Technical)
If you have development skills, you can manually fetch and display reviews. Use Google Places API to fetch reviews (requires API key). Write custom code to display reviews (PHP, JavaScript). Update when reviews change (no real-time updates). Not recommended for non-developers.
Where to Place Review Widgets on Your WordPress Site
Homepage – Hero Section or Below Fold: Most visitors see the homepage first. Displaying reviews here builds trust immediately. Place your best 2-3 reviews with high star ratings.
Product or Service Pages – Near Call-to-Action Button: This is where customers make purchase decisions. Place a rating summary widget near the "Add to Basket" or "Book Now" button.
Checkout Page – Sidebar or Footer: Cart abandonment rates are high. Displaying reviews on the checkout page reassures customers before they enter payment information.
Contact Page – Near Contact Form: Customers visiting the contact page are ready to reach out. Reviews here reinforce credibility.
Sidebar or Footer (Sitewide): Place a small review widget in your sidebar or footer to appear on every page.
Review Widget Design Best Practices
Show real review counts: Display the actual number of reviews (e.g., "4.8 from 247 reviews") rather than just the star rating.
Show reviewer names (with permission): Real names (or first names) add authenticity.
Rotate displayed reviews: Show different reviews over time to demonstrate volume.
Link to full review profiles: Allow customers to click through to see all reviews on Google.
Match your brand colours: Customise widget colours to match your website.
Make it responsive: Ensure the widget works on mobile devices.
Common Review Widget Mistakes
Displaying only 5-star reviews: A widget with only perfect reviews looks suspicious. Include some 4-star reviews for authenticity.
Not updating the widget: A widget showing reviews from 2022 looks stale. Ensure real-time or regular updates.
Hidden or hard-to-find placement: Placing the widget in the footer (where few visitors scroll) defeats the purpose.
No link to full reviews: Customers who want to read more reviews should be able to click through.
Not testing on mobile: A widget that breaks on mobile devices hurts credibility.
Getting Started With Review Widgets
Before you can display reviews on your website, you need to have enough reviews to make the widget credible. A widget showing 4.8 stars from 15 reviews is less persuasive than 4.7 stars from 150 reviews. Volume matters.
If you need to build your review volume before implementing a widget, BuyReview UK can help. Our Google and Trustpilot review packages start from £5. Every review comes from a real UK account with established history. We write custom, unique review text. Delivery is drip-fed. 30-day refill guarantee.
Ready to display reviews on your WordPress site and boost conversion rates? View our review packages here →