If you are comparing layouts, features and plans rather than installing the code, explore our Google reviews widget.
How to embed Google reviews on your website
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1
Create your free account
Create a GR Widget account and search for your business by name. You can also use your Google Maps listing when needed to help identify the correct business. There is no Google API key for you to create, no Google Cloud project to configure and no need to give GR Widget access to your Google account just to find your public business listing.
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Choose how your reviews should look
Choose the review display you want to place on the site and customise it to suit the page. Depending on your plan and layout, you can adjust options such as colours, fonts, spacing, review count, filters and the way reviews are presented. The important part for installation is that the design is controlled from GR Widget. You do not need to rebuild the embed code every time you change the appearance later.
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Copy your Google reviews embed code
Open the install/embed area for the review display and copy the code.
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Paste the embed where you want the reviews to appear
Paste the code into a part of your website that accepts custom HTML or scripts. The exact place depends on the platform you use. On a hand-coded website that may be directly inside the page HTML. On a website builder it will usually be a Custom HTML, Embed, Custom Element or Custom Liquid block. Place the div at the exact point where you want the reviews to appear.
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Publish and check the live page
Publish or deploy the page and open the public URL. Check desktop and mobile: the reviews render correctly, the display fits the available width, the surrounding section has enough spacing, buttons or links inside the review display work, the page does not clip a carousel or feed, and the correct business and rating are shown. Once it is live, future review syncs and most design changes do not require you to paste the code again.
<script src="https://grwidget.com/v1/grwidget.js" async defer></script> <div class="grwidget-embed" data-grwidget-key="YOUR_WIDGET_KEY"></div>
The first line loads GR Widget. The second line tells GR Widget which review display should appear in that position.
If the same page contains more than one GR Widget embed, the script only needs to be loaded once. Additional placements only need their own div with the appropriate key.
Google Reviews Embed Code: What the Two Lines Do
A Google reviews embed does not require you to copy individual reviews into your website. The page contains a small piece of installation code, while GR Widget handles the review data and presentation.
The standard GR Widget embed uses two parts:
The script
<script src="https://grwidget.com/v1/grwidget.js" async defer></script>
This loads the JavaScript needed to render the reviews. The async and defer attributes allow the browser to continue processing the page rather than waiting for the script before continuing with the rest of the document.
The placement div
<div class="grwidget-embed" data-grwidget-key="YOUR_WIDGET_KEY"></div>
This marks the position where the reviews should appear and identifies the review display using its unique key.
Because the settings live in GR Widget, changing colours, layouts or supported display options later does not normally require a new embed. The code on your website can stay in place while the presentation is updated from your account.
More than one embed on the same page
If you place several review displays on one page, load the GR Widget script once and use a separate placement div for each one.
For example:
<script src="https://grwidget.com/v1/grwidget.js" async defer></script> <div class="grwidget-embed" data-grwidget-key="FIRST_WIDGET_KEY"></div> <div class="grwidget-embed" data-grwidget-key="SECOND_WIDGET_KEY"></div>
Do not duplicate the script unnecessarily for every placement.
Where to Paste a Google Reviews Embed
The same basic embed can work across very different website platforms. What changes is the place where that code is pasted.
If your CMS strips script tags from normal content areas, look for its dedicated custom-code, HTML or embed component instead. Some hosted website builders only permit custom code on particular plans.
Need a platform-by-platform list in one place? See the installation guides.
How to Embed Google Reviews in HTML
On a hand-coded website, the process is particularly simple because you control the page markup directly.
Paste the script and placement div into the <body> of the page at the point where the reviews should appear:
<script src="https://grwidget.com/v1/grwidget.js" async defer></script> <div class="grwidget-embed" data-grwidget-key="YOUR_WIDGET_KEY"></div>
For a site that uses a shared header, footer, template or layout file, you can load the script once in that shared file and place individual embed divs in the pages or components that need reviews.
Do not put the visible review placement inside the <head>. The placement div belongs in the page body at the location where visitors should see the reviews.
If the website uses a strict Content Security Policy and the embed does not load, check the browser console for a CSP error. Your policy may need to allow the GR Widget script and any required connections to GR Widget’s domain.
Create your Google reviews embed
Can You Embed Google Reviews Without a Plugin?
Yes. A plugin is not required when your website allows custom HTML and JavaScript.
GR Widget’s universal embed is useful for:
- hand-coded HTML sites;
- Squarespace;
- Webflow;
- Shopify Custom Liquid;
- Wix custom-code areas;
- WordPress Custom HTML blocks;
- custom CMS templates;
- websites built with frameworks that ultimately render HTML in the browser.
WordPress users can also use the dedicated GR Widget plugin if they prefer to manage the setup from wp-admin. The dedicated walkthrough is Embed Google reviews in WordPress.
Do You Need a Google API Key?
Not when using GR Widget.
Building your own Google reviews integration can involve Google APIs, credentials, billing configuration and development work. GR Widget handles the connection on its side, so the website receiving the embed does not need its own Google API key.
That means the installation on your website remains the same basic process: create the review display, copy the embed and paste it into the page.
Does a Google Reviews Embed Update Automatically?
With GR Widget, yes — review syncing is handled by your account rather than by the HTML pasted into your website.
Current sync schedules are:
- Free: monthly
- Site: every two weeks
- Business: daily
- Agency: daily
When GR Widget completes a scheduled sync, the updated reviews can appear through the existing embed. You do not need to paste the installation code again simply because a new review has been added.
The number of reviews available and other features depend on the plan.
Will the Embed Slow Down My Website?
The GR Widget script is loaded with async and defer, which means the browser does not need to stop parsing the rest of the page while waiting for the script to download.
That does not mean any third-party script has literally zero performance cost. The sensible approach is to:
- load the GR Widget script only on pages that actually display reviews;
- avoid including the same script several times on one page;
- reserve enough space for larger feeds or carousels where practical;
- test the live page on mobile as well as desktop.
If you use several review placements on the same page, load the script once and use additional embed divs rather than repeatedly loading the same JavaScript file.
Troubleshooting a Google Reviews Embed
Google Reviews Embed vs Copying Reviews Manually
You can copy a testimonial into a website manually, but that creates a very different workflow from an automatically managed Google reviews embed.
A manual testimonial can still be useful when you deliberately want to feature a particular customer story. An embed is more useful when the goal is to keep a broader review display on the website without manually replacing content whenever new Google reviews arrive.
Google Reviews Embed FAQs
What is a Google review embed?
A Google review embed displays reviews from a Google Business Profile inside a page on another website. Instead of manually copying each review, the website contains installation code that loads the review display from a service such as GR Widget.
Can I embed Google reviews on my website?
Yes. If your website allows custom HTML or JavaScript, you can add a Google reviews embed using GR Widget’s script and placement div. Platform-specific methods differ slightly, but the same approach works across HTML sites and many popular CMS and website builders.
Can I embed Google reviews without a plugin?
Yes. A plugin is optional. GR Widget provides an HTML/JavaScript embed that can be pasted into sites that permit custom code. WordPress users can choose between the dedicated plugin and a Custom HTML embed.
Can I embed Google reviews using HTML?
Yes. Paste the GR Widget script and placement div into the <body> of the page where the reviews should appear. If the script is already loaded elsewhere on that page, additional placements only need their own embed div.
Do I need a Google API key to embed Google reviews?
Not when using GR Widget. GR Widget handles the connection to the public Google business listing, so you do not need to create your own Google Cloud project or API key simply to install the embed.
Does the Google reviews embed update when I receive new reviews?
GR Widget syncs Google reviews automatically according to your plan. Free syncs monthly, Site every two weeks, and Business and Agency daily. Once a sync completes, the existing embed can show the updated reviews without requiring new installation code.
Can I use the same Google reviews embed on more than one page?
You can place a review display in more than one location subject to the domain/widget allowances of your account. Load the main script once per page and use the relevant embed div wherever the reviews should appear.
Can I add a Google reviews embed to Squarespace or Webflow?
Yes, provided your current platform plan allows the required custom code. Squarespace can use supported Code Blocks/custom-code areas, while Webflow provides an Embed element. Always preview the live page after publishing because editor previews can behave differently from the public site.
Create Your Google Reviews Embed
Create the review display once, paste the code into your website and let GR Widget handle the ongoing sync. Start free with no payment details and display up to 10 reviews, or use a paid plan for additional reviews, styling and faster syncing.
No charge for 7 days. Cancel before then to avoid the first payment of $5.99/month for Site or $14.99/month for Business.