# Google Business Reviews Fetcher

<div data-full-width="false"><figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d8b0b939359374461cdc360a355e1950c50ce27c%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.39.47.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

The Google Business Reviews Fetcher automatically collects and tracks Google reviews for a single business location. Instead of manually checking Google Maps for new reviews, this tool fetches review data on a schedule and tracks changes over time through snapshots.

### Why Use This Tool

**Perfect for:**

* Businesses monitoring their Google reviews over time
* Tracking new reviews as they come in
* Building a historical record of all reviews
* Exporting review data for reporting or analysis
* Monitoring owner response rates

**Key Benefits:**

* 📸 Snapshot-based tracking - See exactly what changed each time
* 🔄 Smart depth calculation - Automatically optimizes API costs
* 📊 Deduplication - Only tracks new reviews, skips duplicates
* 👁️ Visibility tracking - Detect when reviews disappear or reappear on Google
* 🔔 Email alerts for low-rating reviews via Automations
* 💾 Export reviews to CSV for analysis
* ⏰ Scheduled or manual fetching

### Quick Start Guide

{% hint style="warning" %}
This tool requires you to set up a Google Places API key to search for Google businesses. Please read the guide at: [Setup Google Places API key](https://help.seoutils.app/google-my-business-rank-tracker#setup-the-google-places-api)
{% endhint %}

#### Step 1: Add a Business

1. Navigate to **Google Business Reviews Fetcher** in the sidebar
2. Click **"Create New Fetcher"**
3. Search for your business using the business search field
4. Enter a friendly name (e.g., "Downtown Seattle Location")

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9155f0d224151e48e6a1ecc7311ec355d8e9de33%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.41.08.png?alt=media" alt="" width="375"><figcaption><p>Access Google Business Reviews Fetcher tool</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 2: Configure Fetch Settings

**Initial Depth** (First run only)

* How many historical reviews to fetch on first run
* Range: 10 - 4,490 reviews (in multiples of 10)
* Example: Set to 1,000 to fetch complete review history
* **This only runs once** - pulls all historical reviews

**Subsequent Depth** (Optional)

* How many reviews to fetch on future runs
* Leave at **0 for automatic** (recommended)
* Or set a custom value if you know your review volume

**How Automatic Depth Works:**

```
First Run: Fetches 1,000 reviews (your historical data)
Second Run: Automatically calculates based on schedule
  - Example: 7-day schedule = ~21 reviews (3/day × 7 days)
Third+ Runs: Analyzes previous snapshot
  - If last run found 15 new reviews
  - Next run fetches ~30 reviews (15 × 2 buffer)
```

**Schedule Interval**

* 0 = Manual only (you click "Fetch Data" when needed)
* 7 = Weekly (runs every 7 days)
* 30 = Monthly (runs every 30 days)
* Custom = Any number of days

**Location & Language**

* Select the geographic location and language for review fetching
* Example: United States - English

**Queue Priority**

* **Standard Queue**: Up to 45min processing, $0.00075 per 10 reviews
* **Priority Queue**: Up to 1min processing, $0.0015 per 10 reviews

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-12e2f10d02765b008847e7137ba764f858ca46d5%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.43.06.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Create a Google Business Reviews Fetcher</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Step 3: Save and Run

1. Click **"Add Business"**
2. Initial fetch starts automatically
3. You'll be redirected to the snapshot page showing progress

### Understanding the Business Detail Page

After creating a business, you'll see the detail page with:

#### Business Information Card

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f9edc66915a14d706e458ba40dde0b868073aa7e%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.51.59.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Business Information Card</p></figcaption></figure>

Shows configuration and tracking details:

* **Address**: Business name and location
* **Place ID**: Google's unique identifier for this business
* **Schedule**: How often reviews are fetched (Manual, Weekly, etc.)
* **Queue Priority**: Standard or Priority processing
* **Initial Depth**: Number of reviews fetched on first run
* **Last Run**: When reviews were last fetched
* **Total Snapshots**: How many times reviews have been fetched
* **Location & Language**: Geographic and language settings

#### Snapshots History Table

Every time you fetch reviews, a new snapshot is created. The table shows:

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-4644aa3e11c6f8e3f0c37f7d04e60a24a4fe4137%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.52.34.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Snapshots History Table</p></figcaption></figure>

**Columns:**

* **Date**: When the snapshot was created
* **Depth**: How many reviews were requested from the API
* **Found**: Total reviews returned by Google
* **New**: Reviews that didn't exist in previous snapshots
* **Duplicates**: Reviews already captured in previous snapshots
* **Status**: Pending → Processing → Completed (or Failed)
* **Type**: Scheduled (automatic) or Manual (you clicked "Fetch Data")

**Example Snapshot Flow:**

```
Snapshot #1 (Initial):
  Depth: 1,000
  Found: 847 reviews
  New: 847 (all are new on first run)
  Duplicates: 0

Snapshot #2 (7 days later):
  Depth: 30 (auto-calculated)
  Found: 18 reviews
  New: 3 (3 new reviews since last week)
  Duplicates: 15 (already had these)

Snapshot #3 (7 days later):
  Depth: 30 (auto-calculated)
  Found: 25 reviews
  New: 5 (5 new reviews this week)
  Duplicates: 20 (already had these)
```

#### Actions

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-62dcc0b8fbc1478008417ced25c156747b4afb9c%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.54.21.png?alt=media" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* **Fetch Data**: Manually trigger a new snapshot
* **Edit**: Change business settings (except business selection)
* **Delete**: Remove business and all snapshots

#### Bulk Actions

From the main business list, you can select multiple businesses using the checkboxes and perform bulk actions:

* **Fetch Reviews**: Trigger a review fetch for all selected businesses at once. The fetches run sequentially to avoid API overload.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2FFSllctd7jzXkWS2YjaHY%2FXnapper-2026-01-10-14.58.14.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3f24f2df-6dd8-4f07-ada7-6cf1376c8fa4" alt=""><figcaption><p>Fetch reviews for multiple businesses</p></figcaption></figure>

This is useful when you want to manually refresh reviews for multiple businesses before generating reports.

### Viewing Review Data (Snapshot Page)

Click on any snapshot date to view the reviews captured in that snapshot.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-f6508a90806cd0afa3d18f10086bb3e17897bc2c%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.55.05.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>View detail a snapshot</p></figcaption></figure>

#### Snapshot Information

Shows details about this specific fetch:

* **Date**: When this snapshot was created
* **Depth**: How many reviews were requested
* **Reviews Found**: Total reviews returned by Google
* **New Reviews**: Reviews discovered for the first time
* **Duplicates Skipped**: Reviews already in previous snapshots
* **Status**: Completion status
* **Type**: Manual or Scheduled run
* **Business Rating**: Overall star rating and total review count
* **Missing Reviews**: Reviews that disappeared from Google since last snapshot (shown only if > 0)
* **Reinstated Reviews**: Reviews that reappeared after being missing (shown only if > 0)

#### Reviews Table

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-9566765b712c154ed6a5254aceb0b85189e0125c%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.55.50.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption><p>Reviews table</p></figcaption></figure>

**Cumulative View (Default)**

By default, the snapshot page shows **all reviews ever collected** for this business with their current visibility status. This gives you a complete picture of all reviews regardless of which snapshot first captured them.

To see only reviews from this specific snapshot, enable the **"Only show reviews in this snapshot"** toggle above the table.

**Review Columns:**

* **Reviewer**: Name, photo, profile (if available)
  * Shows review count and photo count
  * "Local Guide" badge if applicable
* **Rating**: Star rating (1-5)
  * Number of "helpful" votes
  * "View on Google" link to see review on Google Maps
* **Review Date**: When the review was posted
* **Review Text**: Full review content
  * Expandable for long reviews
  * Shows review images if attached
* **Owner Response**: Business reply to the review
  * Shows if owner has responded
  * Full response text
* **Status**: Review visibility status (see below)

#### Review Visibility Tracking

The tool automatically detects when reviews disappear or reappear on Google by comparing each fetch with the previous one. Each review has a visibility status:

| Status         | Description                                                                           |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **New**        | First time discovered in this fetch                                                   |
| **Visible**    | Currently visible on Google                                                           |
| **Missing**    | Was visible before but no longer on Google (deleted by reviewer or removed by Google) |
| **Reinstated** | Was missing but has reappeared on Google                                              |

{% hint style="info" %}
**Why do reviews go missing?** Reviews can disappear from Google for several reasons:

* Reviewer deleted their review
* Google removed it for policy violations
* Google's spam filter flagged it (may be reinstated later)
* Temporary Google Maps data issues
  {% endhint %}

#### Filters

* **Rating**: Filter by star rating (e.g., show only 1-2 star reviews)
* **Owner Response**: Filter by "With Response" or "No Response"
* **Visibility**: Filter by status (New, Visible, Missing, Reinstated)
* **Search**: Search reviewer names or review text

#### Export

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-46be2088ca55292175c6cdb2dd3c66c043bfeb83%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-12.57.38.png?alt=media" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Click **Export** to download all reviews (respects current filters) as CSV for:

* Client reporting
* Analysis in Excel/Google Sheets
* Integration with other tools
* Long-term archiving

### Example Workflows

<details>

<summary>Workflow 1: New Business Setup</summary>

**Goal**: Track reviews for a coffee shop with \~200 total reviews

**Setup:**

```
Business: Blue Bottle Coffee - Ferry Building
Initial Depth: 500 reviews
Subsequent Depth: 0 (automatic)
Schedule: 7 days (weekly)
Priority: Standard Queue
```

**What Happens:**

1. First run: Fetches 500 reviews, finds 187 total
2. Week 1: Auto-fetches \~21 reviews, finds 2 new reviews
3. Week 2: Auto-fetches \~30 reviews (2×2 buffer), finds 3 new
4. Week 3: Auto-fetches \~30 reviews, finds 1 new
5. Ongoing: Adapts based on review frequency

</details>

<details>

<summary>Workflow 2: High-Volume Business</summary>

**Goal**: Track reviews for busy restaurant getting 5-10 reviews/day

**Setup:**

```
Business: Popular Restaurant Downtown
Initial Depth: 4,490 reviews (max)
Subsequent Depth: 0 (automatic)
Schedule: 3 days
Priority: Priority Queue (faster processing)
```

**What Happens:**

1. First run: Fetches 4,490 reviews (complete history)
2. Day 3: Auto-fetches \~27 reviews, finds 18 new
3. Day 6: Auto-fetches \~36 reviews (18×2), finds 22 new
4. Day 9: Auto-fetches \~44 reviews (22×2), finds 15 new
5. Ongoing: Automatically adjusts to review volume

</details>

<details>

<summary>Workflow 3: Manual Monitoring</summary>

**Goal**: Fetch reviews only when needed (e.g., before monthly reports)

**Setup:**

```
Business: Consulting Firm
Initial Depth: 100 reviews
Subsequent Depth: 50
Schedule: 0 (manual only)
Priority: Standard Queue
```

**What Happens:**

1. First run: Manual click, fetches 100 reviews
2. Month 1: Manual click, fetches 50 reviews
3. Month 2: Manual click, fetches 50 reviews
4. Ongoing: You control when to fetch

</details>

### Setting Up Low-Rating Alerts (Automation)

Get notified by email when new reviews below your rating threshold are detected using the [Automations](https://help.seoutils.app/guide/automations) tool.

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-ab94fb841fa481771d77cc42635cba2d2c142887%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-13.03.53.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### How It Works

After each fetch completes, the automation system:

1. Checks for NEW reviews in the snapshot
2. Filters reviews by your rating threshold (e.g., 3 stars or lower)
3. Sends email only if matching reviews are found
4. Skips notification if no reviews match criteria

#### Step-by-Step Setup

<figure><img src="https://1176579443-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F2DwV6sJBiKjUHMDggb4d%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-95e707107ea91a5ceed608015959b04efe1f7460%2FXnapper-2025-11-25-13.05.35.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

1. Go to **Automations** in the sidebar
2. Click **"Create Automation"**
3. Configure the automation:

**Basic Settings:**

```
Name: Low Rating Alert - [Your Business Name]
Trigger: Google Business Reviews Snapshot
Report: Select your business (or "All Reports" for all businesses)
```

**Trigger Configuration:**

```
Include All Reviews: No (unchecked) - Only sends alerts for reviews at or below threshold
                     Yes (checked)  - Sends alerts for ALL new reviews regardless of rating
Rating Threshold: 3 (triggers for 1, 2, or 3 star reviews) - Only visible when "Include All Reviews" is unchecked
```

**Add Action → Send Email:**

```
To: your-email@company.com
Subject: ⚠️ {{trigger.newReviewsMatchingCount}} New Low-Rating Review(s) - {{trigger.businessName}}
```

**Email Body:**

```
{{trigger.newReviewsMatchingCount}} new review(s) with ratings at or below {{trigger.ratingThreshold}} stars have been detected for {{trigger.businessName}}.

{{trigger.reviewsList}}

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Business Information:
Name: {{trigger.businessName}}
Address: {{trigger.address}}
Place ID: {{trigger.placeID}}

Summary:
• Total new reviews: {{trigger.newReviewsCount}}
• Matching criteria: {{trigger.newReviewsMatchingCount}}
• Average rating: {{trigger.averageRating}}/5
• Total reviews: {{trigger.totalReviews}}

Action Required:
Please review this feedback and respond promptly to address customer concerns.

---

This is an automated notification from SEO Utils.
Snapshot Date: {{trigger.createdAt}}
```

4. Click **"Save Automation"**

#### Available Template Variables

| Variable                              | Description                        | Example                    |
| ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| `{{trigger.businessName}}`            | Business name                      | "Blue Bottle Coffee"       |
| `{{trigger.address}}`                 | Business address                   | "123 Main St, Seattle, WA" |
| `{{trigger.placeID}}`                 | Google Place ID                    | "ChIJ..."                  |
| `{{trigger.newReviewsCount}}`         | Total new reviews found            | 5                          |
| `{{trigger.newReviewsMatchingCount}}` | Reviews matching threshold         | 2                          |
| `{{trigger.ratingThreshold}}`         | Configured threshold               | 3                          |
| `{{trigger.averageRating}}`           | Business average rating            | 4.2                        |
| `{{trigger.totalReviews}}`            | Total review count                 | 847                        |
| `{{trigger.reviewsList}}`             | Formatted list of matching reviews | (see below)                |
| `{{trigger.createdAt}}`               | Snapshot date                      | "2024-01-15"               |

#### Example Email Output

```
2 new review(s) with ratings at or below 3 stars have been detected for Blue Bottle Coffee.

Review 1:
Rating: 2/5 ⭐⭐
Reviewer: John D.
Date: 2024-01-15
Review: "Coffee was cold and service was slow. Very disappointed."
View Review: https://maps.google.com/...

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Review 2:
Rating: 1/5 ⭐
Reviewer: Sarah M.
Date: 2024-01-14
Review: "Worst experience ever. Will not return."
View Review: https://maps.google.com/...

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Business Information:
Name: Blue Bottle Coffee
Address: 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA
Place ID: ChIJAQDl8...

Summary:
• Total new reviews: 5
• Matching criteria: 2
• Average rating: 4.2/5
• Total reviews: 847

Action Required:
Please review this feedback and respond promptly to address customer concerns.

---

This is an automated notification from SEO Utils.
Snapshot Date: 2024-01-15
```

{% hint style="success" %}
Besides sending emails, you can set up the [Automations tool](https://help.seoutils.app/guide/automations) to send data view webhooks, so you can perform other analyses or automations.
{% endhint %}