How online reviews like Yelp & Google Business Profile may affect your business credit score

Can online reviews on sites like Yelp or Google Business Profile affect your business credit scores or your ability to get financing? 

The answer may surprise you.

In this article, we will unpack how online reviews can potentially affect your business credit and your business overall, plus share strategies you can use to help build positive reviews.

Do online business reviews affect your credit score?

Here's the short answer: Most traditional business credit scores don't include online reviews as a factor. But there are newer options that do. 

Traditional business credit scores from major business credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), Experian (Business), and Equifax (Business) focus primarily on factors such as payment history, credit utilization, and/or public records. Reviews from Yelp, Google, or other platforms aren't typically part of these calculations.

At least one major business credit bureau, however, is able to evaluate social media signals and online reputation data, and incorporate it into their main business credit score. Experian offers Social Media Insight^TM to enhance its existing small business credit scoring models. Experian has found it especially helpful for evaluating businesses with limited credit history. 

The importance of trust

You probably already know that strong credit scores can open doors to opportunities and save you money at the same time.

As a small business owner, customer reviews also play an important role in the health of your company. 71% of consumers check always (29%) or regularly (42%) check online reviews before deciding whether to do business with a local company, according to the BrightLocal 2025 Local Customer Review Survey. 

Good reviews may help your business thrive and grow. An overabundance of negative reviews, however, could have a damaging effect.

Reviews may affect more than your reputation with potential customers. They may also influence whether lenders, investors, or partners want to work with you. 

If a lender is on the fence about approving your application, poor reviews could tip the scales against you. Strong reviews, on the other hand, may strengthen your case.

Ways your business credit could be affected by your online reputation

Just as word of mouth or a viral video can spread quickly, online reviews can significantly impact a business in many ways.

Your online reputation can affect your business in several ways:

1. Sales

Reviews can have a direct impact on how much money your business brings in. As mentioned, many customers rely on reviews to make decisions about where to eat, where to stay, or what to buy. Positive reviews can lead to increased sales, while negative reviews may lead to lost sales.

Even local businesses that rely on foot traffic may lose customers due to bad reviews.

2. Search engine rankings

If your business relies at least in part on people finding your business when they search online, keep in mind that reviews can affect your SEO, or how your business shows up in search results.

3. Feedback & market research

"Online reviews make up one aspect of a business's reputation but they are direct feedback," points out Jordan Power, president of marketing firm Grey Smoke Media. "With every negative review, a business should see it as an opportunity for growth. Think of it like a sinking ship. You learn to plug the holes."

You can use reviews to help understand how customers interact with your product or service, and that can help you make improvements.

4. Credibility and trust

Positive reviews can provide credibility and social proof. They can create trust with new customers. This is especially important for bigger purchases, but even with small purchases people may want to hear about other people's experiences.

5. Employee morale

It's hard for someone to enjoy working somewhere with unhappy customers, but positive reviews can help your employees feel good about their employer.

6. Financing and credit

While not likely to be a major factor, online reviews could affect your business's ability to get investment capital, crowdfunding, or even financing.

Reviews and business credit scores

Before we go deeper into how online reviews may affect business credit scores, let's pause here for a little myth busting. Your business doesn't have just one credit score. It can have many scores. The same is true of personal credit scores as well.

The major business credit bureaus are Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), Equifax, and Experian. 

Each creates unique credit scoring models, which can then be used to predict the risk of doing business with your company. Usually, the higher your business's credit score, the lower the risk your business represents to lenders.

When compared with business credit scores, your personal credit scores may be easier to understand. Consumer credit scoring models created by FICO_® or VantageScore^® use information from one of your personal credit reports. They take into account factors like whether you pay your bills on time, debt and credit utilization, new credit, types of accounts, and inquiries. Social media information isn't collected by consumer credit reporting agencies and isn't a factor in consumer creditworthiness.

When it comes to business credit reports, your business's payment history on tradelines that may include business credit cards, small business loans, and vendor accounts typically has the biggest impact on your company's credit rating. For example, the Dun & Bradstreet PAYDEX® score is based on business payment history.

Negative information such as tax liens, collection accounts, or late payments that appear on your business credit reports can be high indications of credit risk and will often hurt your business credit scores.

While business credit scoring models are heavily weighted toward financial information, some may also consider other information such as:

• Business age
• Date incorporated
• Number of employees
• Annual sales
• Financial data

And, potentially, online reviews. 

To be clear, most traditional scoring models don't incorporate social media or review data. 

Experian’s Social Media Insight^TM, for example, can incorporate review data alongside traditional credit metrics. Experian says its research has found it to be especially useful for evaluating businesses with limited credit histories, where reviews can provide additional data points about business stability and customer satisfaction.

Even when reviews are included, how your business handles its financial obligations is the most important type of information. If your business credit report shows frequent late payments, stellar reviews probably won’t move your business from high risk to low risk. But if your business pays on time, a few negative reviews won't likely tank an otherwise strong credit profile.

Why do lenders care about business reviews?

Business lenders care about customer reviews to the extent that they can help them manage the risk involved in doing business with a specific company.

Credit scores that consider online reviews can give commercial lenders an enhanced way to track and reduce their exposure to risk. According to Experian, online reviews, rankings, and ratings “can all shed light on a business’ health, growth, and stability.”  

Experian says Social Media Insight (which evaluates customer reviews and other data) can help lenders to predict risk 12% more effectively overall. When evaluating credit applications for businesses with little credit history, an Experian credit score enhanced with this type of data can be 91% more effective.

The good news is that you probably don't need to worry about a few random negative reviews hurting your company's credit scores. Rather, it's generally your business's overall number of reviews and the total number of positive versus negative reviews that are likely to matter most when this type of data is used.

One word of caution: If you're thinking about trying to game the system with phony positive reviews, don't. While it's fine to encourage reviews from real customers, tools that evaluate customer reviews are often designed to sniff out artificial review boosts and other attempted manipulations of the system. 

And your business can get in trouble with regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission for fake reviews or failure to disclose relevant information like payments or free products.

How much do online reviews impact your business credit score?

In the end, whether online customer reviews will impact your business credit score and by how much comes down to one important factor: which credit scoring model is being used to evaluate your business. If a lender uses a scoring model that doesn't consider customer reviews (most don’t), those reviews won't  impact on your business credit score.

Even if a lender uses a scoring model that considers reviews, it's important to keep things in perspective. Customer reviews can give lenders additional insight into your business. Yet your company's reviews, good or bad, won’t completely replace the other important information scoring models and lenders consider when evaluating your business credit rating.

It's a smart business practice to focus on collecting positive reviews from customers, both for the financial success of your company and the health of your business credit. However, while positive online reviews could potentially enhance your business credit scores, they're not a substitute for the traditional steps you need to take to establish business credit.

How to encourage good reviews

"Reviews are hard to get, so you must have a process for asking for them," recommends Henry Lopez, a serial entrepreneur, small business coach and consultant, and host of The How of Business podcast show. He suggests focusing on Google reviews and encourages small business owners to ask for reviews early on, in what he says is the "honeymoon phase" of the business relationship.

He also recommends responding to all reviews and including target keywords in your reply. Keywords are words or terms customers use when searching for products or businesses like yours.

Jeremy Diamond, attorney and senior partner with Canada's largest personal injury law firm Diamond and Diamond, says his firm sends a link requesting a review after completing engagement with a client. And while it may be acceptable to "offer small incentives within guidelines for leaving a review, avoid purchasing reviews," he advises

"Simplify the process for consumers as many of us have hectic schedules," suggests Power. "Secondly, remember that many of your largest supporters want to see you succeed. Explain how their review can help grow your business and in turn offer future benefits for them."

Here are some practical strategies:

• Ask for reviews at the right time, when customers are most satisfied
• Make it easy by providing direct links to review platforms
• Train your team to request reviews as part of their customer service process
• Send follow-up emails after purchases or service completion
• Display review platform logos in your store or on your website
• Respond to existing reviews to show you value customer feedback

How to respond to negative reviews

If your business has an online presence, you're likely to get negative reviews at some point.

"No business is perfect," Power says. "Customers understand that individuals may have negative experiences with any business. At the end of the day, a business should remain solution-oriented. Validate the individual's feelings while addressing any further clarity and context. Finally, show a level of contrition."

"Try not to take it too personally when you get a negative review," he says. "For better or worse, everyone has been empowered to be a critic."

He recommends responding to negative reviews by encouraging them to contact the company directly. "Don't engage in a back and forth on the review site if at all possible," he says.

Diamond offers these suggestions for responding to negative reviews:

• Acknowledge the customer's issue to show understanding and empathy
• Offer a sincere apology if the complaint is valid
• Suggest solutions or describe actions taken to rectify the issue
• Always respond courteously, even to unfair or harsh reviews
• Encourage further discussion offline to resolve the matter privately

Online review resources for small business owners

Different review platforms serve different purposes, and some may carry more weight depending on your industry and the scoring models lenders use.

Google Business profile reviews are often the most visible and can impact your local search rankings significantly. The BrightLocal survey found that 83% of respondents use Google for reading reviews. They're also the place where consumers most often look for local businesses.

Yelp remains influential for restaurants, retail, and service businesses with 44% of BrightLocal survey respondents saying they use Yelp for reviews. While Yelp has strict policies against incentivized reviews, it's still worth monitoring and responding to reviews on the platform.

Industry-specific platforms like TripAdvisor for hospitality, Angie's List for home services, or Healthgrades for medical practices can be just as important as general review sites. These platforms often have engaged user bases looking specifically for businesses in your industry.

Better Business Bureau ratings and customer reviews carry weight with some lenders and consumers, particularly for larger purchases or long-term service contracts. While BBB accreditation requires a fee, the platform's reputation for resolving disputes can provide additional credibility.

When enhanced credit scoring models incorporate review data, they typically pull from multiple platforms to get a comprehensive view of your online reputation rather than relying on a single source.

Diamond recommends:

• Birdeye, Simply Review, and similar sites offer tools for managing online reviews
• Platforms like Trustpilot, Yelp, and Google Business Profile are often key for gathering reviews
• ReviewTrackers and Podium

SCORE.org, which matches small business owners to free business mentors, offers tips on acquiring customer reviews. You can also get matched to a business mentor who can help you review your marketing strategy, including how to solicit and respond to reviews.

What to do if your online reputation is damaged

Power says not to obsess too much over the occasional negative review. “Positive reviews of a business can also counter excessive negative feedback. For every person that dislikes your business, you will likely have two or more that would gladly vouch for you,” he says. 

Diamond recommends a number of steps small business owners can take if their business has been damaged by negative reviews. 

One of the most important he suggests: “Take action to repair your online reputation through public relations by developing a positive narrative that highlights your companies’ strengths, achievements and positive aspects. Leverage media relations with journalists, bloggers, and influencers in your industry to publish positive stories and mentions in reputable publications can significantly improve your public perception.”

In the end, “repairing an online reputation takes time and consistent effort.” Diamond warns. “The goal is to rebuild trust, improve public perception and create a positive association with your brand or personal identity through PR, social media and SEO.”

How to remove bad reviews from your profile

Diamond emphasizes that your main focus should be to solicit positive reviews and respond appropriately to the reviews you get. “It’s important not to focus on removing the negative reviews but how to boost positive engagement by encouraging satisfied customers to share their experiences,” he advises. 

However, Power advises there are times you may need to go further. “If a platform has been ‘review bombed’ by a disgruntled employee or competitor, it’s important to look into the various legal remedies that are available.” 

Most review platforms have policies against fake reviews, harassment, and content that violates their terms of service. You can report reviews that fall into these categories. However, removing legitimate negative reviews is difficult and often impossible.

Your best strategy is often to accumulate more positive reviews over time, which will push older negative reviews further down in your profile and improve your overall rating.

Proactive online reputation management strategies

Don't wait for problems to arise. A proactive approach to managing your online reputation can prevent issues before they hurt your business.

Claim and complete your profiles on all major review platforms. An incomplete or unclaimed profile looks unprofessional and gives you less control over your business information.

Monitor your reviews regularly, ideally at least once a week, though faster responses can be beneficial. Responding quickly shows customers you're engaged and may help prevent negative reviews from going viral.

Create a review response template for common situations, but always personalize your responses. Automated-sounding replies can feel insincere.

Track your review metrics over time.

Look at:

• Average rating trends
• Review volume month over month
• Response time to reviews
• Common themes in positive and negative reviews

Use negative feedback as a roadmap for improvement. If multiple customers mention the same issue, that's a clear signal you need to address something in your business operations.

Consider implementing a structured review request process. Train your team to ask for reviews at natural moments in the customer journey when satisfaction is highest.

Legal considerations for online reviews

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has clear guidelines about reviews and endorsements that you need to follow.

You can't buy fake reviews or offer compensation in exchange for positive reviews without disclosure. The FTC requires that any material connection between your business and a reviewer be clearly disclosed.

If you provide free products or services in exchange for reviews, the reviewer must disclose that in the review. It's your responsibility to make reviewers aware of this requirement.

You cannot legally suppress negative reviews. Some businesses have tried to use contract clauses or terms of service that prevent customers from leaving negative reviews. 

These non-disparagement clauses are illegal under the Consumer Review Fairness Act.

Review platforms have their own terms of service you need to follow. Violating these terms can result in your business profile being suspended or removed entirely.

If you believe a review is fake or violates a platform's policies, you can report it through the platform's official channels. But you can't threaten or harass reviewers, even if you believe their review is unfair or inaccurate.

In extreme cases where a review contains demonstrably false statements that harm your business, you may have grounds for legal action. However, this should be a last resort. Consult with an attorney who specializes in business law before pursuing legal action over a review.

Bottom line: online reviews and your business reputation

Your business reputation is important. Lenders may look at how your business handles its finances when evaluating whether to extend new credit to your business.

Online reviews can also have an impact on your business finances. They can influence sales, customer and employee retention, and even make or break new business partnerships.

Similar to how bad credit can make it more difficult to grow your business, negative reviews may have serious consequences.

Just as it's important to monitor your credit, you want to monitor your online reputation.

"Regularly monitor your online presence for reviews and social media mentions," says Diamond. "Maintain active and positive engagement with your audience on social media and other platforms. This can help build a loyal community that supports and advocates for your brand."

While most traditional business credit scores don't directly factor in online reviews, your overall reputation matters. Focus on building strong credit through on-time payments. Then layer on a solid review strategy to potentially strengthen your overall business profile.