Customer reviews play a huge role in helping businesses build trust and improve their visibility on Google Maps. Over the years, Google has introduced several updates to make reviews easier to read, write, and manage. Now, it appears the company is testing another interesting change that could make leaving reviews even more convenient for users. More review prompts means more reviews to answer. Our Chatmeter review looks at one of the tools businesses use to keep up with that.

Recently, Claudia Tomina shared a new Google Maps experiment on LinkedIn. She noticed Google testing different placements for review sections inside Google Business Profiles on Maps. According to her observations, the update changes what users see depending on whether they have already reviewed a business.

This small design change may seem simple at first, but it could have a positive impact on customer engagement and review generation.

Google Is Testing a New Review Experience on Maps

Google frequently experiments with its user interface before deciding if a feature should become permanent. Many of these tests are only available to a limited number of users.

This latest experiment focuses on making the review section more visible and personalized. Instead of showing the same content to everyone, Google now appears to display different sections based on the user’s review history. That means someone who has already reviewed a business sees one layout, while someone who has never reviewed it sees another.

This personalized approach could encourage more people to leave reviews while making existing reviews easier to revisit.

What Happens If You Already Left a Review?

If a user has previously reviewed a business, Google Maps now displays a section called “Your review and updates.”

This section appears near the top of the business profile, making it much easier to find previous interactions.

Users can quickly see:

Their star rating
Their written review
The business owner’s reply
Any updates related to their review

Instead of scrolling through hundreds or even thousands of reviews, customers immediately see the feedback they personally left.

This creates a much smoother experience, especially for users who want to edit their review or check if the business responded.

Why This Change Matters?

Many people leave reviews and never think about them again. Later, they may wonder:

Did the business respond?
Can I edit my review?
Should I update my experience?

Finding an old review inside Google Maps can sometimes take time, particularly for businesses with many customer reviews. By placing personal reviews near the top, Google removes that extra effort.

Customers can immediately reconnect with their previous experience. This also increases the chances that users will update older reviews after another visit.

Fresh reviews often provide more accurate information for future customers.

Business Owners Could Benefit Too

This update is not only useful for customers, but business owners may also benefit because owner responses become much easier to discover.

When someone sees the owner’s reply immediately below their review, it reminds them that the business is actively listening to customer feedback. That simple interaction can help strengthen customer relationships.

Businesses that consistently respond to reviews may appear more trustworthy and customer focused. It also encourages businesses to continue replying because their responses receive greater visibility.

What Happens If You Have Never Reviewed the Business?

Google is testing another experience for users who have never left a review. Instead of displaying “Your review and updates,” Google shows a section called “Rate & review.”

The layout is simple and highly noticeable.

Users immediately see:

Five empty stars
A large review prompt
Their profile avatar
An option to add photos and videos

The review invitation appears much earlier than before.

Instead of requiring users to scroll deep into the profile, Google places the review prompt where it is much harder to miss.

A Simpler Way to Encourage Reviews

Many customers genuinely plan to leave a review after visiting a business, but that intention often fades away. In many cases, they simply forget once they leave the location.

Others want to share their experience but cannot quickly find the review section inside Google Maps. Even a small inconvenience can be enough to stop someone from completing the process.

Google appears to be addressing that problem with this new interface test. By placing the review section directly in front of users, the company removes extra steps and makes it easier to take action immediately.

When people spend less time searching for the right button, they are more likely to leave a review while the experience is still fresh in their minds. Small design improvements like this can gradually increase user participation over time.

Adding Photos and Videos Is Easier Too

Another interesting part of this experiment is the large “Add photos & videos” button that appears alongside the review section. Customer photos have become an important part of Google Business Profiles because they give potential customers a more authentic look at a business. Many people browse these images before deciding where to eat, shop, or book a service.

By making photo uploads more visible, Google may encourage users to contribute more than just written reviews. Businesses benefit because genuine customer photos build trust and showcase real experiences. At the same time, future customers gain valuable insights that help them make informed decisions before visiting.

Google Continues Personalizing Maps

This update also reflects a broader direction Google has been taking across its products. Instead of showing the same interface to everyone, Google increasingly personalizes the experience based on a user’s previous interactions. Someone who has already visited a business may see tools that encourage them to update their experience, while a first-time visitor may receive prompts designed to start that engagement.

This personalized approach creates a more relevant experience for users. It also reduces unnecessary scrolling, highlights the most useful actions, and makes navigation feel simpler and more intuitive.

Could This Increase the Number of Reviews?

In her LinkedIn post, Claudia Tomina mentioned that she is interested to see whether this experiment leads to more customer reviews. That is a reasonable question because visibility often has a direct impact on user behavior.

When the review option is placed front and center, customers no longer need to search through multiple sections to share their feedback. Many successful digital products improve engagement simply by reducing the number of steps required to complete an action.

Google appears to be applying the same principle here, and if the experiment proves successful, businesses could see a noticeable increase in review volume over time. That would create benefits for both customers and business owners.

Why Reviews Matter for Local SEO?

Customer reviews continue to play an important role in local SEO and Google Business Profile performance. Although reviews are only one of many ranking factors, they help businesses build credibility and strengthen their online presence. Positive reviews increase customer confidence, while recent reviews show that a business remains active and consistently serves its customers.

In addition, business owner responses demonstrate engagement and customer care, while customer-uploaded photos provide valuable social proof that text alone cannot offer. As Google continues refining the review experience, businesses should make review management a higher priority.

Encouraging satisfied customers to leave honest reviews and share photos remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve visibility in local search results while building trust with potential customers.

What Businesses Should Do Right Now?

Even though this feature is still being tested, businesses can prepare by following review management best practices.

Some helpful steps include:

Respond to every genuine customer review.
Thank customers for positive feedback.
Address negative reviews professionally.
Encourage happy customers to leave honest reviews.
Keep your Google Business Profile updated.
Monitor new Google Maps changes regularly.
Ask customers to include photos when appropriate.
Make review requests part of your customer journey.

Businesses that already have strong review management processes will be in a better position if Google rolls out this feature globally.

Final Thoughts

Google is constantly experimenting with ways to improve the user experience, and this latest Google Maps review placement test is another example of that effort.

As highlighted by Claudia Tomina on LinkedIn, the new layouts appear to personalize the review experience based on a user’s previous interaction with a business. Customers who have already shared feedback can quickly revisit their reviews, while first time reviewers are presented with a clear and inviting prompt to leave one.

Although Google has not officially announced a wider rollout, the experiment suggests the company is looking for ways to encourage more user generated content while making Google Business Profiles more engaging.

For local businesses, this serves as another reminder that customer reviews remain one of the most valuable assets for building trust, improving visibility, and strengthening their online presence. Keeping an eye on updates like this can help businesses stay ahead as Google continues to evolve the local search experience.