Reviews are one of the most significant parameters that determine the rank of a business in search results. Consumers, now more than ever, rely upon online ratings and reviews to assess the brand reputation and quality of their products or services.
Google looks at the quantity, quality, frequency, and relevance of online reviews. This means that businesses that consistently get a large number of high-star ratings and reviews are likely to get more consideration from popular search engines.
Responding to reviews is also a good SEO strategy. For one, Google encourages people to respond to their reviews and rewards businesses that do. Also, responding to reviews shows your positive reviewers that you appreciate their kind words, and it shows your negative reviewers that you care enough about them to try and resolve their issues.