Manual Review Management Now Live in Labs – Add & Showcase Offline Reviews Easily

The Manual Review Management update brings four major features — all built to help you gather, manage, and showcase customer feedback that used to fall through the cracks.

1. Add Reviews Manually
Now you can enter reviews by hand. Capture real customer feedback that was collected in person, over the phone, or via third-party sites that aren’t integrated with GHL. You can include:

• Customer name
• Rating
• Review text
• Review date
• Source platform (select from known or add your own, like Checkatrade or “No Platform”)
• Profile photo and attachments (images, receipts, screenshots)

2. Bulk Upload Reviews via CSV
Import multiple reviews at once. The uploader supports:

• Reviewer info
• Ratings and review text
• Dates
• Source platforms
• Links to attachments

You’ll get a downloadable CSV template and built-in validation so you don’t accidentally break your import.

3. Unified Review Display
All manual reviews now show up inside your Reputation dashboard alongside fetched reviews from Google, Facebook, and others. They look and feel exactly like native reviews — complete with:

• Source filter support
• Platform labels
• Visual consistency
• AI summary compatibility

4. Display Manual Reviews in Widgets
Your widgets just leveled up. Manual reviews can now appear inside:

• List
• Grid
• Carousel
• Slider
• Flash
• Legacy layouts

You can even filter which reviews show up, control max count, or override “Write a Review” links — total control over your reputation display.

Before this update, GoHighLevel users could only showcase reviews that came from supported integrations — mainly Google, Facebook, and a few others. That meant any feedback collected through offline channels, trade sites, or direct conversations was either lost or buried in a spreadsheet.

Now, Manual Review Management flips the script. You’re no longer tied to platform integrations. If a client texts you a compliment, jots a review on a feedback card, or sends a thank-you email — you can log it, attach proof, and make it part of your public-facing reputation.

• Displayed right alongside your auto-fetched reviews
• Filterable by source
• Branded with platform tags like “Amazon”, “Checkatrade”, or “No Platform”
• Included in AI summaries
• Shown in widgets with complete layout flexibility

Think about referrals, in-store comments, or reviews left on niche sites like Checkatrade, Houzz, or even email chains. They’re real. They’re persuasive. But until now, you had no way to showcase them alongside your Google or Facebook reviews.

• Agencies can finally unify all client reviews in one dashboard
• Local businesses can display their strongest praise, no matter where it came from
• Niche industries (contractors, medical practices, service-based pros) aren’t left out just because their clients don’t “do” Google reviews

It’s also a game-changer for SEO and conversions. Social proof doesn’t care where it came from — it works. And when your review widget is packed with diverse, authentic voices from real customers, people trust you faster.

This update isn’t just about collecting reviews. It’s about controlling your narrative online.

Ready to activate Manual Reviews and start showcasing all that untapped praise? Here’s exactly how to do it inside your GoHighLevel account:

Step 1: Enable Manual Reviews from Labs

• Go to Settings → Labs
• Scroll down to Manual Reviews
• Toggle it ON for each sub-account where you want this feature available

Step 2: Add a Review Manually

• Navigate to Reputation → Reviews
• Click “Add Review”
• Fill in the customer details:
  • Name, rating, text, date, source (e.g. Checkatrade, Amazon, or “No Platform”)
  • Upload a profile picture or attachment like a screenshot or photo of a handwritten note
• Click Save — it will instantly appear in your Reputation dashboard

Step 3: Bulk Upload Reviews via CSV

• In the same “Add Review” area, click Bulk Upload
• Download the provided CSV Template
• Add your data (name, rating, text, date, source, attachment links)
• Upload the file
• The system will validate your entries and alert you to any errors — no messy imports

Step 4: Display in Widgets

• Head over to your Review Widgets
• Select the widget layout you use (List, Grid, Carousel, Flash, etc.)
• Toggle on Manual Reviews in the source filter
• Choose how many reviews to display, minimum star rating, and whether to show source labels
• Optionally override the “Write a Review” link if you don’t want users redirected to a specific platform

That’s it. Your manual reviews now blend seamlessly with the rest — and can be proudly showcased anywhere you embed GHL review widgets.

Manual reviews aren’t just there to fill space—they can actually be your biggest asset for boosting conversions when used the right way. Here are some tips to help you make the most of them for your business or your clients:

1. Use Platform Labels Wisely
   When you manually enter a review make sure to tag it with a familiar platform name like “Checkatrade,” “Yelp,” or “No Platform.” This makes it easier to sort later and adds some credibility when it’s displayed to the public.
2. Don’t Forget the Attachments
   A quick snap of a handwritten note, a signed invoice, or a screenshot of an email can seriously boost trust. Visuals equal credibility.
3. Focus on Your Best Reviews
   If you’re uploading lots of reviews at once start with the ones that pack a punch—like longer reviews that highlight specific praises and have those shiny 5-star ratings. You can even tweak the widget settings to give these reviews a little extra love.
4. Mix in AI Summaries for Extra Impact
   These manual reviews work great with GHL’s AI review summaries. This means your system-generated “Overall Feedback” will show both manual and synced reviews so potential customers get a fuller picture.
5. Bring Back Old Testimonials
   Got testimonials hiding in PDFs, websites, or old brochures? Now’s the perfect time to bring them into GHL so they can shine and make an impact.

This feature is more than just a nice touch. It’s like a reputation booster when you use it the right way.

This update brings a big change for GHL users when it comes to managing trust and credibility. 

For a long time, your review strategy was stuck to what you could pull from Google or Facebook. If a client didn’t leave a review on either of those sites, you were out of luck. But now? You can create a fully unified reputation engine.

Here’s what Manual Review Management means:

• You won’t be limited by integration issues anymore.
• Businesses in niche industries and those that operate offline can finally compete on equal terms.
• Agencies can help their clients capture all the good words, not just the ones linked to specific platforms.

And now, with GHL’s widgets and AI recognizing manual reviews just like the synced ones, your whole public review presence is going to be more complete, flexible, and ready for the future.

It’s all about taking charge of your reputation instead of depending on third-party platforms to share your story.

Let’s chat about what you can expect when you start using Manual Review Management. Here’s what you might see.

1. Better On-Site Conversions
   When folks check out more reviews—especially the ones that are detailed and come from visible platforms—they’re likely to feel more confident about you and take action. More trust means more clicks, calls, and filled out forms.
2. Boosted SEO with Great Content
   When your review widgets are full of real content, it keeps people on your site longer and helps with your local SEO. Manual reviews are a way to make sure you’re getting all the value you can, rather than missing out just because it wasn’t pulled from some integration.
3. A Neat Reputation Hub
   Say goodbye to juggling spreadsheets or copying testimonials from emails. Everything you need is stored in one spot: your GHL Reputation dashboard.
4. More Control Over How Things Look
   Want to show only your Checkatrade reviews? You got it. Need to filter out anything under 4 stars from your widget? No problem. You’re not just gathering reviews; you’re crafting the story that your potential customers see.

Manual reviews let you shape how people see you with intention instead of just relying on automation.

This isn’t just another feature in Labs — it’s like that missing puzzle piece that finally fits.

With Manual Review Management, you can now:

• Bring in offline, verbal, or reviews from places that aren’t connected
• Upload past feedback all at once
• Mix manual and synced reviews together in one neat spot
• Show off everything nicely in your existing widgets

No matter if you’ve got a local service business, a brand with multiple locations, or you’re an agency helping clients grow — this tool gives you total control over building your reputation.

Just go to Settings → Labs → Manual Reviews, switch it on, and start gathering all that love from your customers. Your best reviews should shine bright — no matter where they came from.