Google vs Yelp vs Facebook Reviews: Where Should Your Business Focus?

The Multi-Platform Dilemma

Your business has a limited amount of time and energy to invest in online reviews. So where should you focus — Google, Yelp, or Facebook?

It's a question every local business owner faces. Each platform has its own audience, its own rules, and its own impact on your bottom line. According to BrightLocal's 2026 Consumer Review Survey, 97% of consumers read online reviews before choosing a local business — but they don't all read reviews in the same place.

Some customers search Google Maps for "best dentist near me." Others trust Yelp's curated review feed. And plenty of people discover businesses through Facebook recommendations shared by friends.

In this guide, we'll break down the strengths and weaknesses of each platform so you can make an informed decision about where to invest your review efforts — and why the smartest strategy might be simpler than you think.

Google Reviews: The Local Search Powerhouse

If you only have time for one review platform, Google is the obvious choice. With 87% of consumers using Google to evaluate local businesses, it's the single largest driver of local discovery.

Why Google Reviews Matter

• Massive reach: Google processes over 8.5 billion searches per day. When someone searches "pizza near me" or "plumber in Austin," your Google Business Profile — and its reviews — are front and center.
• Google Maps integration: Reviews appear directly in Maps results, making them visible to customers who are actively looking for a business to visit or call right now.
• Direct SEO impact: Google has confirmed that review quantity, quality, and velocity are ranking factors in the local pack. More positive reviews can literally push your business higher in search results.
• Free and accessible: Any customer with a Google account can leave a review. No app download required.

The Downsides

• Spam and fake reviews: Google's open system means competitors or bad actors can post fake reviews. While Google's AI detection has improved, fraudulent reviews remain an ongoing challenge.
• No verified purchase filter: Unlike Amazon or OpenTable, Google can't verify that a reviewer actually visited your business.
• Review removal is slow: Flagging an inappropriate review can take weeks — or may not result in removal at all.

Best For

Every local business. Regardless of your industry, Google reviews should be a core part of your strategy. It's where the majority of your potential customers will encounter your business for the first time.

Yelp Reviews: The Trust Signal

Yelp built its reputation on one thing: trust. Its aggressive review filter — the one that frustrates many business owners — is actually what makes Yelp reviews so valuable to consumers.

Why Yelp Reviews Matter

• High-trust review filter: Yelp's recommendation algorithm filters out suspicious, solicited, or low-quality reviews. The reviews that survive carry significant weight with consumers who know that what they're reading is likely genuine.
• Active user base for key industries: Yelp has a dedicated audience for restaurants, home services, dental practices, and beauty salons. For these industries, Yelp reviews can directly drive bookings and appointments.
• Detailed, long-form reviews: Yelp's culture encourages detailed narratives, not just star ratings. Prospective customers get rich context about what it's actually like to visit your business.
• Apple Maps integration: Yelp powers business listings and reviews in Apple Maps, extending its reach to iPhone users.

The Downsides

• Aggressive review filter: The same filter that builds trust also hides legitimate reviews from customers who don't use Yelp regularly. It's common for businesses to see 30-40% of their reviews filtered out.
• Pay-to-play perception: Some business owners believe that Yelp's advertising affects which reviews are shown. While Yelp denies this, the perception persists and creates frustration.
• Declining market share: Yelp's overall user base has plateaued compared to Google's continued growth, though it remains dominant in certain verticals.

Best For

Restaurants, home services, dental practices, and salons. If you're in an industry where Yelp has a dedicated audience, the platform's high-trust reviews can be a meaningful differentiator. Read our full guide to getting more Yelp reviews for actionable strategies.

Facebook Reviews: The Social Discovery Channel

Facebook took a different approach to reviews. In 2018, they replaced traditional star ratings with a binary "Recommend / Don't Recommend" system. What they lost in granularity, they gained in social proof.

Why Facebook Reviews Matter

• 2.9 billion monthly active users: Facebook remains the world's largest social network. Your business page reaches an audience that may never search Google or open Yelp.
• Social sharing: When someone recommends your business on Facebook, it can appear in their friends' News Feed. This organic word-of-mouth is incredibly powerful — it's a personal endorsement, not an anonymous review.
• Community engagement: Facebook recommendations often spark conversations in the comments. A single recommendation can turn into a thread of customers sharing their experiences.
• Business page ecosystem: Reviews live alongside your posts, photos, events, and messaging — giving potential customers a complete picture of your business in one place.

The Downsides

• Less search impact: Facebook reviews have minimal effect on Google search rankings. They live inside Facebook's ecosystem and don't contribute to your local SEO.
• Binary recommendation system: The yes/no format doesn't capture nuance. A customer who had a "pretty good" experience gives the same recommendation as someone who had the best meal of their life.
• Declining organic reach: Facebook's algorithm increasingly favors paid content over organic posts, which means your reviews may not reach as many people as they once did.
• Less review-focused culture: Users come to Facebook for social networking, not specifically to research businesses. Review intent is lower than on Google or Yelp.

Best For

Gyms, salons, restaurants, and community-oriented businesses with an active social media presence. If your customers are already engaging with your Facebook page, recommendations become a natural extension of that relationship. Check out our Facebook reviews guide for a deeper dive.

OpenTable Reviews: The Verified Diner Signal

If you run a restaurant, OpenTable deserves a spot in your review strategy. Unlike other platforms, every OpenTable review comes from a verified diner — someone who actually booked and completed a reservation through the platform.

This verification makes OpenTable reviews uniquely credible. Diners trust them because they know fake reviews are virtually impossible. For restaurants, this means a strong OpenTable rating can be a powerful conversion tool for guests who are comparing options.

The trade-off is reach. OpenTable's audience is smaller and more niche than Google or Yelp. But for fine dining, upscale casual, and reservation-driven restaurants, it's a platform worth investing in. We cover this in detail in our OpenTable reviews guide.

Platform Comparison: Side by Side

Factor	Google	Yelp	Facebook	OpenTable
Reach	Highest — 87% of consumers	Moderate — strong in key verticals	High — 2.9B users	Niche — diners only
Trust	Moderate — open to anyone	High — filtered reviews	Moderate — social context	Very high — verified diners
SEO Impact	Strong — direct ranking factor	Moderate — Apple Maps, citations	Low — minimal search impact	Low — niche citations
Review Format	1-5 stars + text	1-5 stars + detailed text	Recommend / Don't Recommend	1-5 stars (food, service, ambiance)
Best Industries	All local businesses	Restaurants, home services, dental, salons	Gyms, salons, community businesses	Restaurants
Fake Review Risk	Higher	Lower (filtered)	Moderate	Very low (verified)
Cost to Business	Free	Free (ads optional)	Free	Per-cover fees

Our Recommendation: Focus on All of Them

Here's the truth that most comparison articles won't tell you: the best review platform is all of them.

The businesses that win at reviews in 2026 don't pick a single platform and go all-in. They build a multi-platform presence that captures every type of customer — the Google searcher, the Yelp browser, the Facebook scroller, and the OpenTable booker.

Why Multi-Platform Matters

Different customers use different platforms at different stages of their decision. A customer might:

1. Discover your business on Google Maps while searching "Thai food near me"
2. Validate their choice by checking your Yelp page for detailed reviews
3. Ask friends on Facebook if anyone has been there
4. Book a table on OpenTable and read diner reviews before confirming

If you're only strong on one platform, you're invisible during the other touchpoints in that journey.

How to Execute a Multi-Platform Strategy

Managing reviews across four platforms sounds overwhelming — and it would be if you did it manually. Here's how to make it manageable:

• Automate review requests: Send follow-up emails or SMS after every customer interaction, with links to the platform that matters most for your industry.
• Rotate your ask: Don't always link to Google. Mix in Yelp and Facebook links to build a balanced presence across platforms.
• Respond to every review everywhere: Customers notice when you respond on Google but ignore Yelp. Consistency builds trust.
• Use a single dashboard: A review management tool that aggregates all your reviews in one place eliminates the need to log into four different platforms every day.

Pro tip: Businesses that respond to reviews across all platforms see 35% higher customer return rates compared to those that only manage one platform.

Prioritize Based on Your Industry

While every business should be on Google, your secondary priority depends on your industry:

• Restaurants: Google → Yelp → OpenTable → Facebook
• Home services (plumbers, electricians, HVAC): Google → Yelp → Facebook
• Dental / Medical: Google → Yelp → Facebook
• Salons / Spas: Google → Facebook → Yelp
• Gyms / Fitness: Google → Facebook → Yelp
• Retail: Google → Facebook → Yelp

Start Managing All Your Reviews Today

The Google vs Yelp vs Facebook debate misses the point. In 2026, the question isn't which platform to choose — it's how to show up consistently across all of them.

The businesses that collect, monitor, and respond to reviews across every platform are the ones that earn more trust, rank higher in search results, and ultimately win more customers.

The good news? You don't need to manage each platform separately. With the right tool, you can monitor Google, Yelp, Facebook, and OpenTable reviews from a single dashboard — and respond to all of them without switching tabs.