Google Reviews Pro

Description

Google Reviews Pro is an enterprise-grade WordPress solution for integrating Google Business reviews. Built with a "Sync-to-Database" architecture, it ensures maximum performance, reliability, and SEO benefits by storing reviews locally.

• 4 Layout Modes: Grid, List, Slider (Carousel), and Floating Badge.
• Multi-Location Support: Display reviews for different branches using shortcode attributes.
• Reputation Management: Hide specific reviews and filter by minimum rating (e.g., "4 Stars & Up").
• Smart Finder: Auto-detect Business IDs and coordinates.
• Performance: "Load More" AJAX button for faster initial page loads.

Key Features

• Hybrid Data Source: Choose between Google Places API, SerpApi (Scraper), or Manual Entry.
• Visual Layouts: Choose between Grid, List, Slider, or a Floating Trust Badge.
• SEO Integrator: Auto-syncs business data from Rank Math, Yoast, All in One SEO, SEOPress, and The SEO Framework.
• Local Storage: Reviews are stored as Custom Post Types for instant loading and zero API dependency on the frontend.
• Local Avatar Caching: Auto-downloads user profile photos to your Media Library (fixes expired Google links).
• Advanced Filtering: Set a minimum star rating (e.g., 4+) and sort by Date, Rating, or Random.
• Moderation: Manually hide specific negative reviews from the admin panel without deleting them.
• Email Alerts: Receive notifications when new reviews are fetched via cron.
• Uninstall Cleanup: Optional setting to wipe all data upon plugin deletion.
• PHP 8.3 Optimized: Built with strict typing and readonly classes for stability.

Requirements

• PHP 8.3+
• mbstring extension
• zip extension

Installation

1. Upload the google-reviews-pro folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
2. Ensure your server is running PHP 8.3 or higher and have mbstring and zip extensions installed.
3. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
4. Navigate to Settings -> Google Reviews.
5. Configure your API key and use the Smart Finder.
6. Place the shortcode [google_reviews] on any page.

Configuration & Usage

1. Basic Setup

1. Go to Settings -> Google Reviews.
2. Enter your API Key (Google, SerpApi or Scrapingdog) and Save.
3. Use the "Find Your Business" tool to autofill your Place ID/Data ID.
4. Click "Sync Reviews Now" to fetch your data.

2. Multi-Location Strategy (Chains & Franchises)

The plugin allows you to store and display reviews for multiple locations (e.g., "Downtown Branch" and "Uptown Branch").

How to fetch data for multiple locations:

1. Enter the Place ID for Location A in settings -> Click Save -> Click Sync Reviews.
2. Change the Place ID to Location B in settings -> Click Save -> Click Sync Reviews.

How to display them: Use the place_id attribute in the shortcode to filter reviews:

• Location A: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_A_ID"]
• Location B: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_B_ID"]

NB! If you plan to display multiple locations on single page use the schema attribute to control for which location structured data is generated ti prevent "Competing Entities". Default value of schema is true so you don't have to specify it for the main location. Add schema=false to all other locations.

• Front office location: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_A_ID"]
• Secondary Location B: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_B_ID" schema=false]
• Secondary Location C: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_C_ID" schema=false]

Tip: Check the "Multi-Location Reference" table in the settings page to see all stored Place IDs and copy their shortcodes.

Also, if you just want not to show structured data from the widget, just add schema=false.

• Location A: [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_A_ID" schema=false]

3. Layouts & Styling

You can customize the look in the Styling & Layout section:

• Layout Style: Choose between Grid, List, Slider, or Badge.
• Colors: Customize Text, Background, Accents, and Buttons.
• Load More: In Grid/List view, a "Load More" button appears automatically if there are more reviews than the initial limit (6).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I hide a specific bad review?

1. Go to Reviews in your WordPress Admin menu.
2. Click Edit on the review you want to hide.
3. In the right sidebar, look for the Moderation box.
4. Check "Hide this review from frontend" and Update.

Can I show only 5-star reviews?

Yes. Go to Settings -> Google Reviews, scroll to Filtering & Moderation, and set Minimum Rating to "5 Stars Only".

Does it support my SEO plugin?

Yes! We support bidirectional sync (read-only) for:

• Rank Math SEO
• Yoast SEO
• All in One SEO (AIOSEO)
• SEOPress
• The SEO Framework

If detected, we automatically pull your Business Name, Address, and Phone from the SEO plugin settings to prevent data conflicts.

What is "Uninstall Cleanup"?

In the Advanced Settings, there is an "Uninstall Cleanup" checkbox. If checked, when you delete the plugin from WordPress, it will permanently delete all imported reviews, downloaded images, and settings from your database. Leave unchecked if you plan to reinstall later.

API Keys

How to get a Google Places API Key (Official Method)

1. Go to the Google Cloud Console.

2. Create a new project (e.g., "My Business Reviews").

3. Navigate to APIs & Services > Library.

4. Search for "Places API (New)" or "Places API" and click Enable.

5. Go to APIs & Services > Credentials.

6. Click + CREATE CREDENTIALS and select API key.

7. Copy the generated key and paste it into the plugin settings.

   Note: You must have a billing account attached to your Google Cloud project, even if you stay within the free tier limits.

   NB: To get all reviews via official API, one must use Google Business Profile API with OAuth 2.0.

   For bulk import, we recommend using SerpApi or ScrapingDog handlers.

How to get a SerpApi Key (Alternative Method)

1. Register an account at SerpApi.com.
2. Verify your email address and phone number.
3. Once logged in, go to your Dashboard or Account Settings.
4. Look for the "Private API Key" section.
5. Copy the key and paste it into the plugin settings.

How to get a Scrapingdog Key (Alternative Method)

1. Register an account at Scrapingdog.com.
2. Once logged in, go to your Dashboard.
3. Look for the "ACCOUNT DETAILS" section and click on "Account".
4. Click on "API Key" tab
5. Copy the key and paste it into the plugin settings.

How to find your Google Place ID

The Place ID is a unique identifier for your business on Google Maps.

1. Visit the official Google Place ID Finder.
2. Enter your business name and address in the search bar on the map.
3. Click on your business pin/marker.
4. A tooltip will appear. Copy the string of characters following "Place ID:" (e.g., ChIJN1t_tDeuEmsRUsoyG83frY4).

• Google Places API: Get Key (Official, Real-time)
  The Google Places API 'Place Details' endpoint has a hard limit of 5 reviews per request. It is useful for people who only want to show "Top 5" reviews or use business data without paying third parties (Scrapers).
• SerpApi: Get Key (Scraper, supports deep pagination).
• Scrapingdog: Get Key (Scraper, supports deep pagination).

Can I support the development of this plugin?

Yes, this plugin is maintained in my free time. If you find it useful, you can support me via Revolut: Support via Revolut

Changelog

1.0.0

• Feature: 4 Layout Modes (Grid, List, Slider, Badge). Can control widget layout directly [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_A_ID" layout="list"].
• Feature: Gutenberg block included.
• Feature: Elementor block included.
• Feature: Multi-Location support via shortcode [google_reviews place_id="..."].
• Feature: Disable structured data if needed [google_reviews place_id="ChIJ_Location_A_ID" schema=false].
• Feature: "Stored Locations" reference table in settings.
• Feature: "Load More" button with AJAX loading.
• Feature: Advanced Filtering (Min Rating, Sort Order, Hide Empty reviews - stars only).
• Feature: Manual Moderation (Hide individual reviews).
• Feature: Email Notifications for new reviews.
• Feature: Uninstall Cleanup option.
• Feature: Extended SEO Plugin Support (Rank Math SEO, Yoast SEO, AIOSEO, SEOPress, TSF).
• Feature: Admin columns now show Reviewer Avatar and Rating.
• Feature: Reviews use WordPress native "Featured Image" for avatars.
• Feature: "Smart Finder" logic for finding Place IDs.
• Feature: Export & Import options.
• Feature: QRCode generation for writing reviews.