How to Share Google Reviews on Instagram

Your Google reviews pack a serious punch when it comes to social proof, so why let them sit siloed on a page most of your Instagram followers will never see? This guide gives you the exact blueprint for turning that valuable customer feedback into compelling Instagram content that builds trust and earns you new business. We’ll walk through the simplest methods for sharing reviews right now to more polished strategies for creating stunning Feed posts, Stories, and Reels.

Why Sharing Google Reviews on Instagram is a Game-Changer

Before getting into the how-to, let’s quickly touch on why this is such a powerful strategy for your brand. Turning reviews into social content isn’t just about filling your calendar, it’s an exercise in brand building that reinforces trust at every turn.

• Builds Instant Credibility: Ads and promotional copy are great, but they’re words you write about yourself. A review is what a real customer says about you. Repurposing these testimonials on a visual platform like Instagram makes them feel even more immediate and authentic. When potential customers see others vouching for you, their trust in your brand grows.
• Creates a Stream of Authentic Content: Tapped out for content ideas? Your Google reviews are a goldmine of user-generated content (UGC) just waiting to be used. Sharing them provides a welcome break from your typical promotional posts, making your feed feel more genuine and community-focused.
• Highlights Your Unique Strengths: You can be highly strategic with the reviews you choose to feature. Did a customer rave about your lightning-fast shipping? Share it. Did another mention your incredible customer service? Showcase it. This allows you to spotlight the specific aspects of your business you want to be known for, straight from the mouths of your biggest fans.
• Boosts Engagement and Conversation: A post featuring a glowing review isn’t just a broadcast, it’s a conversation starter. It gives your followers an opportunity to chime in with their own positive experiences, ask questions about the product mentioned, or simply congratulate you on a job well done.

Step-by-Step: The Best Ways to Share Google Reviews on Instagram

Alright, let’s get into the practical methods. There’s no single “right” way to do this. The best approach depends on your brand's aesthetic, how much time you have, and where on Instagram you want to post. We’ll start with the quickest method and move on to more designed or dynamic options.

Method 1: The Quick &, Easy Screenshot

This is the fastest way to get a review in front of your audience, and it’s perfectly suited for the informal, in-the-moment nature of Instagram Stories.

Best for: Instagram Stories, quick authenticity wins when you're short on time.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Find the Review: Open your Google Business Profile and locate the review you want to share. Scroll to the perfect one that highlights a product or service you're currently promoting.
2. Take a Clean Screenshot: On your phone, capture a screenshot of the review. Once you have it, immediately crop it down to focus on the essential elements: the customer’s comment and the 5-star rating. Cut out any distracting browser tabs or screen clutter.
3. Share to Your Story: Open Instagram and start a new Story. Select the screenshot from your photo library.
4. Add Some Flair: A plain screenshot is fine, but you can make it so much better. Use Instagram’s built-in creative tools.
   • Add a "New Review!" or "Customer Love" sticker to give it context.
   • Use the pen tool to circle the most powerful sentence.
   • Tag the customer’s Instagram handle if you know it and have their permission. This is a great way to show appreciation!
   • Consider using a quiz sticker like, "Guess what they loved?" for even more interaction.

Pro-Tip: Always respect customer privacy. Use a sticker or a solid-colored brush to cover the customer’s full last name before posting. Showing just their first name and last initial (e.g., "Sarah J.") is a common best practice.

Method 2: Create Polished, On-Brand Graphics

For something more permanent that can live on your main feed, creating a branded graphic is the way to go. This ensures the review post matches your brand’s visual identity and contributes to a cohesive, professional-looking grid.

Best for: Instagram Feed posts, carousel posts, creating a "Testimonial Tuesday" content series.

Here’s how to do it using a simple design tool like Canva:

1. Start with a Template: Open Canva and choose an Instagram Post template. A square (1080x1080 pixels) or portrait (1080x1350 pixels) format works best for the feed.
2. Brand It Up: Customize the template with your brand's primary colors, fonts, and logo. Consistency is key here. If you have a set of brand templates already, simply use one of them to get started.
3. Add the Review Text: Go back to your Google Reviews, copy the text from the chosen testimonial, and paste it into your Canva design. Make the text large and easy to read.
4. Create Visual Hierarchy: You don’t have to use the entire review. Pull out the single most impactful sentence or phrase and make it the focal point of your design. Keep the rest of the text smaller.
5. Don't Forget the Stars: Visually represent the star rating. Search for "five stars" in Canva’s Elements tab and add a graphic representation of the rating to your design.
6. Attribute the Review: Add the customer’s name (again, first name and last initial work well) at the bottom to give proper credit.
7. Write a Killer Caption: When you post, your caption matters. Thank the customer by name, add a bit more context about the product or service they mentioned, and include a call-to-action (CTA). Ask your followers a question, like, "Who else loves our cold brew?" to spark engagement. Finish with relevant hashtags like #CustomerTestimonial, #5StarReview, and a branded hashtag like #[YourBrand]Love.

Method 3: Turn Reviews into Engaging Instagram Reels

If you really want to grab attention, turn that static text into a short, dynamic video. The Instagram algorithm prioritizes Reels, so this format can give your reviews significantly more reach than a standard image post.

Best for: Reaching a wider audience, showing personality, and capturing attention quickly.

Here’s a simple way to create one:

1. Choose Your Visuals: You don’t need a Hollywood budget. A simple clip of your product in use, a behind-the-scenes shot of your team, or even an aesthetically pleasing photo overlaid with some motion can work as the background.
2. Use a Video Editing App: You can create the entire thing right within Instagram’s Reels editor, or use a free app like CapCut for more control.
3. Add the Review as Text Overlay: Add the text of the review on top of your video. For the best effect, have the text animate onto the screen. You can make each sentence fade in one after the other to hold the viewer’s interest.
4. Pick the Right Audio: Music is half the experience on Reels. Choose a trending audio track that fits the positive and upbeat vibe of your customer's review.
5. Keep it Short &, Sweet: A review Reel doesn’t need to be long. Aim for 5 to 10 seconds - just long enough for someone to read the text and absorb the good vibes.
6. End with a Call-to-Action: End your Reel with your logo or a simple text CTA like "Find out why they love us! Link in bio."

How to Get More Google Reviews in the First Place

Your ability to share great reviews starts with getting them. If your well of feedback is running a little dry, here are a few simple and ethical ways to encourage customers to leave their thoughts.

• Make it Ridiculously Easy: Get your direct Google review link. Add it to your email signature, your website's contact page, and your link-in-bio on Instagram. The fewer clicks it takes, the better.
• Ask at the Right Time: The best moment to ask for a review is right after a customer has had a positive experience - after they’ve made a repeat purchase, after a glowing email exchange with your support team, or right after receiving their order. Automate a polite follow-up email asking them to share their experience.
• Use QR Codes: For brick-and-mortar businesses, a QR code is a fantastic tool. Print one on your receipts, flyers, or a small sign near checkout that links directly to your Google review page.

Final Thoughts

Turning your static Google reviews into dynamic social proof is one of the most effective and low-cost marketing strategies at your disposal. Whether you’re using quick screenshots for your Stories, creating beautiful branded graphics for your feed, or making engaging Reels, you're transforming happy customers into your most powerful brand advocates. It's an authentic way to connect with your audience and turn followers into paying customers.

Keeping up with a content calendar that balances a steady stream of promotions, beautiful imagery, and customer testimonials like these can feel like a lot to manage. To help streamline the planning and scheduling process, we built Postbase. Our visual content calendar makes it easy to map out your review posts weeks in advance and see how they fit into your overall strategy. And because it's designed specifically for today’s social landscape, scheduling everything from feed posts to video-centric content like Reels and Stories is a seamless, reliable process - not a clunky afterthought.