How to embed Google reviews on any website

Choose a method before you touch your site

A small business can show its Google reputation in several ways, but the methods solve different jobs. A live widget places review cards or a rating display on the website and refreshes its source according to the provider's plan. A manual badge or text link sends visitors to the Business Profile. It needs almost no upkeep, but it shows no review text on your page. A custom Places API build gives a developer direct control, with billing, attribution, data-handling, and the API's returned-review limits to manage.

Do visitors need to read review text on your page? Use a widget or a compliant API display. Do you only need a route to your reviews? A link or button is enough. Do you have a developer to maintain API credentials and Google's display terms? If not, skip the API route.

Whichever you choose, keep the source clear, show accurate names, dates and wording, and say so if you display only a selection. Embedding reviews will not earn star ratings in Google Search; see why in our guide to review stars in search results. Check the live page on mobile and desktop after any theme or builder update.

• Why website review stars do not show in Search

Sources: Google Places API: display policies and attribution, Google Maps Platform terms of service

Method 1: add a Google reviews widget

A review widget is the easiest way to put readable Google feedback directly on a site that accepts custom code. In VerifiedWidget, connect the business with its Google Maps link. Choose a layout and theme. Then copy the embed script from the dashboard. Paste it into the page's custom HTML, embed, or code area and publish. The site builder must allow the script to run; a plain text field will show the code or strip it instead of rendering the widget.

Choose a layout for each page. Try a short carousel near a contact button or a list on a service page. A floating badge sits in a corner of the screen. Avoid a tiny slider that clips long reviews. VerifiedWidget's Free plan supports one widget and one business with up to 20 imported reviews, monthly refresh, and 10,000 widget views per month. Paid Reviews plans add more widgets and automatic syncing; check the current pricing page before choosing a tier.

A widget is a separate display layer. A review on Google can be missing from the widget because the import is old, a limit applies, or you hid it. Check your provider's last sync time against the live Google profile.

Sources: Google Maps: prohibited and restricted content, Google Search Central: self-serving review rule

Widget setup checklist

First confirm that the listing is the right location. Search Google Maps and copy its link, or connect the owner account for that Business Profile if the service supports it. Import the reviews and inspect a few cards against Google. Check names, ratings, wording, dates, and source links before publishing. Choose a layout that remains readable on a phone. Keep the surrounding page useful: service details, price or contact route, and any important terms should be visible around the social proof.

Second, paste the full embed code into the website builder's supported code area. Some builders allow scripts in an HTML block. Others reserve site-wide code injection for particular plans. Others place third-party embeds in an iframe (a box that loads another page inside yours). Use the platform guide below for the editor you have. Publish the page; preview screens sometimes disable scripts. Open the public URL in a private window and on a phone to confirm the widget loads for an ordinary visitor.

Third, recheck after a theme, domain or security-setting change. If the area is blank, check that the code saved exactly. Check that the browser is not blocking the script. Also check that your domain matches the allowlist (a list of sites allowed to show the widget; a paid-plan feature in VerifiedWidget). If cards are stale, look at sync status rather than repasting the code.

Sources: Google Maps: prohibited and restricted content

Method 2: use a manual badge or review link

If you do not need full review text on your site, a simple button that says 'Read our Google reviews' can be a good choice. Link it to the correct Business Profile, test the destination, and place it near the decision point on your page. A graphic badge can carry the same link. If you include an average rating or review count inside a static badge, set a routine to update it. Those numbers can change as new reviews arrive or older reviews are removed. A dated, inaccurate claim weakens trust.

Do not confuse a link to read reviews with a link to write one. Google Business Profile has a separate review-request link or QR code intended for customers who want to leave feedback. For a visitor who is deciding whether to contact you, the link to the public review list is usually more useful. For a post-purchase email or receipt, the review-request link is appropriate. Use accurate labels so people know whether they are going to read or write.

A screenshot of reviews is worse than a linked badge: it goes stale, attribution may be cropped out, and visitors cannot check the source. If you want review text on the page, use a supported integration.

Sources: Google Business Profile: create a review link or QR code, Google Maps Platform terms of service, Google Places API: display policies and attribution

Method 3: build with the Google Places API

A developer can request place data from the Places API (New) and render a custom review section. Google's current Places resource documentation says the reviews array can return a maximum of five reviews, sorted by relevance. That is not an archive of every review a listing has received. The API also provides fields such as a place rating, review author's attribution, and Google Maps links. A developer must select the fields needed and account for API billing and usage limits.

The implementation has display rules. Google's Places API policies set four main rules for showing reviews. Show Google Maps attribution (the Google Maps logo, or the words Google Maps when space is tight, if there is no Google map on the page). Credit each review's author. Let people open the source review on Google Maps. Say clearly how reviews are ordered or filtered. The Maps Platform terms restrict storing, scraping, and rehosting content outside permitted exceptions. These rules may change, and contract details depend on the service and location. Read the current official documentation before shipping a custom build.

The API route makes sense when you already maintain a site or application that uses Google Maps Platform and need a controlled, small review display. It is less suited to a no-code business owner who wants a large, regularly updated wall of reviews. Do not assume that a Google API key gives permission to copy every Google review into your own database. Our dedicated Google reviews API guide covers the five-review limit and the design decisions in more detail.

• Read the Google reviews API guide

Sources: Google Places API: Place resource and five-review maximum, Google Places API: display policies and attribution, Google Maps Platform terms of service

Find the installation guide for your website platform

The last step depends on your site editor. A WordPress post uses different controls from a Shopify theme or a hand-written React page. Pick the guide that matches the platform where the page is actually published. If a designer built the site with a page builder inside WordPress, the builder guide may be more relevant than a general WordPress block tutorial. If you do not know your platform, ask the person who manages your site before pasting scripts into random settings.

These guides cover where to place a widget embed and what to check when it does not appear. Some builders restrict custom scripts by plan, page type, or embed method. Their menus and plan rules can change, so compare the linked guide with the current editor. If the builder supports only a plain link, use the manual method above until you have an appropriate embed area. The goal is a working public page, not a code snippet sitting in a draft editor.

• WordPress
• Carrd
• Showit
• Google Sites
• Kajabi
• GoHighLevel
• Ghost
• Framer
• Duda
• Hostinger
• Lovable
• Wix
• Shopify
• Squarespace
• Webflow
• Elementor
• GoDaddy
• HTML
• React
• Next.js
• Divi
• Weebly
• Jimdo
• HubSpot
• ClickFunnels
• Systeme.io
• Teachable
• Thinkific
• Unbounce
• Leadpages
• Notion
• BigCommerce
• WooCommerce
• Joomla
• Drupal
• Blogger
• Webnode
• Zoho Sites
• All installation guides

Where should reviews appear?

Place reviews where they help answer a visitor's question. On a homepage, a short rating summary or a few relevant cards can reassure a new visitor. On a specific service page, reviews about that service can be more useful than generic praise. A detailed testimonials page can hold a longer selection with a link to the complete Google profile. Do not bury the source link or force people through an endless slider to inspect a review.

Review text works best beside original business information. Explain what the service includes, where you work, what happens next, and how to contact you. A page made of copied review cards alone gives visitors little context. For regulated or sensitive services, be careful about customer privacy even when a review is public. Do not highlight personal medical, financial, or other sensitive details merely because a customer mentioned them on Google.

If you curate reviews, consider showing a mix that reflects real experiences rather than only perfect ratings. A selected review should be labeled as such. Make sure the rating and text match the source; avoid rewriting a quote to remove a qualification. Check contrast and keyboard access for controls in a carousel, and test loading on a slow phone connection. These practical details matter to visitors even when the embed is technically installed.

Sources: Google Maps: prohibited and restricted content, Google Places API: display policies and attribution

Test the published result and keep it current

Open the exact public URL, not only the builder preview. Check that the section loads, is readable on a phone, and opens the intended Google source when clicked. Verify the connected business name and location. If your site has multiple domains or a staging copy, test the final production domain. A domain allowlist, consent settings, or a content security policy (browser rules that can block scripts) can behave differently outside the editor.

If the widget is blank, separate an installation issue from a source issue. A blocked script or code stripped by the builder prevents any widget from rendering. A wrong business link or stale import can render the widget with the wrong or old reviews. A filter can hide all available reviews. Fix the first issue in the page editor, the second in the provider dashboard, and a genuinely missing Google review through Google's support guidance.

After launch, check the display occasionally. Update any static rating or count, and watch an automated widget for sync failures. Keep a source link visible. The benefit is helping visitors assess real feedback, not search stars.

Sources: Google Search Central: self-serving review rule, Google Business Profile: missing or delayed reviews, Google Places API: display policies and attribution