Export Google Reviews: (Methods, Tools & Troubleshooting)

Google reviews are an influential asset for building trust, boosting SEO, and influencing potential customers. But what if you want to showcase them beyond Google? 

Exporting Google reviews can help extend their value across websites, marketing materials, and internal reports.

Looking to export Google reviews so you can showcase them on a website or for third-party use?

This article covers how to export Google reviews, outlining the most suitable methods and addressing common issues you might encounter.

TL;DR – Ways to Export Google Reviews

We recommend reading the whole article for an in-depth review of the best ways to export Google reviews. But if you’re in a hurry, here are different ways to do it:

1. Using third-party tools
2. Google Takeout
3. Using Google’s API
4. Web scrapers

Not sure which method to use? Easy. Go with the most convenient option—third-party tools.

Our SociableKIT widget provides a seamless way to export Google reviews to CSV or Excel for data analysis. Also, you can use our widget to export the Google reviews directly to your website. 

Create a SociableKIT widget today and export your Google reviews in minutes!

Reasons to Export Google Reviews

There are several reasons for exporting your Google reviews to other platforms. Let’s discuss the reasons, including their best use cases:

• Establishing Social Proof: Exporting Google reviews to showcase them on your website effectively builds trust and credibility for your products and services. This encourages first-time buyers to trust your business, increasing lead conversion rates.
• Keep an Archive: It is advisable to export your Google reviews every few months to have an updated backup should there be a technical hitch that deletes some testimonials.
• Data Analysis: Exporting your Google reviews into an Excel sheet or CSV file lets you analyze essential performance metrics and customers’ sentiments to identify areas of improvement.
• Competitor Analysis: Downloading your competitors’ Google reviews helps you conduct a detailed SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis and identify ways to get an edge.

Can You Export Google Reviews Directly?

No. There is no way to export Google reviews directly, such as using a simple Download or Export button. However, you could use various manual and automated methods to export your Google reviews to a CSV, Excel, or other file format as you deem fit.

We’ll discuss the methods in the next section.

What Does Google Reviews Data Include?

Below are common data fields when you export Google reviews:

• Reviewer: Name of the customer or profile that posted the testimonial.
• Date of Review: The day when the customer submitted their feedback.
• Star Rating: Assigned score ranging between 1 and 5.
• Google Review: The full customer testimonial, explaining their experience with your products or services.
• Google Review URL: A link to the customer feedback on your Google Business Profile.
• Reviewer URL: A link to the customer’s Google Profile, where you can see all their submitted testimonials.
• Owner’s Reply: Your response to specific customer testimonials, if any.
• Response Date: Time stamp of when you replied to the review.

4 Methods for Exporting Google Reviews

There are various ways to export Google reviews, with the best-fit method depending on the intended use.

Let’s discuss the methods in detail below.

1. Using Third-Party Tools

This is the best way to export Google reviews. 

The SociableKIT widget is easy to use and doesn’t require coding, making it suitable even for first-time users. 

It has a built-in Google reviews embed code generator that lets you set up the widget within two minutes and export the customer testimonials in your preferred format.

The widget also doubles as a reputation management tool, showcasing Google reviews on your website to build social proof for your business.

Sign up for SociableKIT for a seamless way to export Google reviews!

2. Google Takeout

You can use Google Takeout to download most, if not all, of your Google business profile data, including reviews and performance data. However, the data is only available in JSON format, so you need to convert it to your preferred file type.

The main drawback of using Google Takeout is that you must be proficient in data analytics to clean and make sense of the files.

3. Using Google’s API

Google’s Business Profile API allows developers to programmatically fetch and modify data from a GBP before displaying reviews on external platforms.

The main benefit of using the API method is that you have real-time data access, which is integral to continuous monitoring and improvement. However, this option is only available to the GBP owner, which makes it ineffective for competitor analysis.

4. Web Scrapers

These are web-based tools or browser extensions designed to extract review data from Google Maps and Google business listings.

They are convenient for exporting and analyzing Google review data from multiple businesses, which is unavailable when using Google Takeout or API methods. However, many scrapers often violate Google’s Terms of Service, which could get your IP banned.

How to Download Google Reviews in Different Formats

You can export Google reviews into three main formats, including CSV, Excel, and Google Sheets — each format is suitable for different purposes. For example, CSV is the preferred format for organizing data for analysis or importing it into a secondary database. 

Below is a step-by-step guide for exporting Google reviews into various formats:

How to Export Google Reviews to CSV

To export Google Reviews to a CSV file, follow the steps below.

1. Sign up FREE to SociableKIT.
2. Create a Google Reviews widget.
3. On the upper right corner, click “Options.”
4. On the drop-down, click “Export CSV.”
5. Our system will download the CSV file with your Google Reviews data.

How to Export Google Reviews to Excel

To export Google Reviews to an Excel file, follow the steps below.

1. Follow the steps above about how to export Google Reviews to CSV.
2. Right-click the CSV file.
3. Click “Open with…”
4. Find and click Microsoft Excel.
5. The Google Reviews data is now exported to Excel.

How to Export Google Reviews to Google Sheets

To export Google Reviews to Google Sheets, follow the steps below.

1. Open Google Sheets.
2. Click “File” > click “Open”.
3. On the popup, click the “Upload” tab.
4. Click the “Browse” button and select the CSV file.
5. The Google Reviews data is now exported to Google Sheets.

Tips to Organize a Large Google Review Dataset

Managing Google reviews is easy when dealing with a small dataset of fewer than 100 testimonials. However, it becomes a challenge when your business has thousands of Google reviews or when handling multiple datasets for competitor analysis.

Below are practical tips to help you organize the exported Google review data:

• Choose the Right File Format: Export the Google review data in the most suitable format, such as CSV, Excel, or Google Sheets. For example, you could convert the CSV file to Excel if you want to represent the data using bar graphs and pie charts.
• Use Standard Fields: Ensure the column headers align with the data type. For instance, customer names should appear in the ‘Reviewer Name’ column.
• Conditional Formatting: Use filters and color scales to visually identify clusters.
• Categorize the Reviews: Apply hierarchical clustering algorithms to group reviews based on topical themes, business locations, and sentiment patterns.
• Use Pivot Tables: Create additional columns to track the Google review data over time. Also, consider generating charts to summarize the data.

Common Issues and How to Fix Them

Below are the most likely issues you might encounter when exporting Google reviews and how to resolve them:

• No Direct Export Option: Google lacks a built-in feature for downloading customer testimonials directly from your GBP. Instead, you must leverage Google’s API or other third-party tools. Our SociableKIT widget lets you export your Google reviews to your website within 2 minutes.
• Large Datasets: Copying Google reviews manually from your GBP to an Excel sheet is time-consuming when dealing with hundreds or thousands of customer testimonials. Also, it causes data accuracy issues, skewing your analysis report. SociableKIT provides a hassle-free way to export Google reviews to Excel without corrupting the data.
• Data Safety: Web-based scrapers are notorious for retaining copies of the Google review data for unauthorized third-party use. In contrast, SociableKIT is safe and does not store your data without consent.
• Data Not Updating: Unfortunately, most methods require you to export Google review data regularly to get the updated version, which can be hectic when copying the feedback manually. We recommend using the SociableKIT widget, which refreshes regularly to export recent Google reviews to your website.
• Compatibility Issues: This is a significant challenge when exporting Google review data from one platform to another using the API method. For example, your API requests might be rejected when using specific operating systems or web browser versions. This is not the case with SociableKIT, as our widget is compatible with all major web builders and browsers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section answers commonly asked questions about exporting Google reviews.

Are There Free Tools to Export Google Reviews Automatically?

Yes. There are free tools for exporting Google reviews automatically. At SociableKIT, we offer a free plan to give users a hands-on experience with our widget.

You can then upgrade to a premium subscription. Check out our pricing page and pick a plan that works for you.

Can I Export Reviews From Multiple Locations or Business Profiles?

Yes. You can export reviews from multiple locations or business profiles. Our SociableKIT widget lets you showcase Google reviews from various locations on one website. 

Suppose you manage several outlets. You could have a separate landing page for each outlet and embed its unique reviews on the web page.

How Often Should I Export and Back Up My Google Reviews?

There’s no specific timeline on how often you should back up your Google reviews. Some people archive their reviews monthly, while others do it quarterly. 

SociableKIT exports your Google reviews regularly to ensure recent testimonials appear on your website.

Are There Privacy Concerns When Exporting Google Reviews?

Yes. There are several privacy concerns when exporting Google reviews. For instance, Google reviews often include customers’ personally identifiable information, including their names, profile pictures, and location. 

Exporting the data for unauthorized third-party use often violates Google’s terms of service.

How to Ensure Exported Reviews Stay Updated Regularly?

The best way to ensure exported reviews stay updated regularly is by collecting new testimonials periodically, such as weekly or monthly. 

Even better, use our SociableKIT widget, which refreshes regularly, exporting recently submitted testimonials so they appear on the embedded Google reviews feed on your website.

Conclusion

This article should help you export your Google reviews to an external platform for the intended use. Just ensure the file format is compatible with the tool you’ll use.

However, people looking to export their Google reviews to their websites need not worry about file formats.

Our SociableKIT widget exports your Google reviews directly to your website or personal blog without altering the data. This reduces the risk of losing your Google reviews during the export process. Also, our widget is easy to set up and customize, taking about 2 minutes even for a first-time user.

Create a SociableKIT widget for a seamless way to export your Google reviews to your website!