How to Embed Customer Reviews on Your Website (Step-by-Step)

Why Embed Reviews on Your Website

Displaying customer reviews on your own website — rather than only on third-party platforms — gives you control over the narrative and keeps visitors on your site longer. The data speaks for itself:

• Pages with reviews see 35-50% higher conversion rates (Spiegel Research Center)
• 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations (BrightLocal)
• Review content improves on-page SEO by adding unique, keyword-rich text

The question is not whether to display reviews on your site. It is how to do it well.

Choosing the Right Widget Type

There are six main types of review widgets, each suited to different placements:

1. Badge Widget

A compact trust badge showing your average rating and review count. Perfect for headers, footers, or sidebars where space is limited.

Best placement: Header, footer, checkout page sidebar

2. Carousel Widget

A horizontal slider that cycles through individual reviews. Eye-catching and interactive without taking up too much vertical space.

Best placement: Homepage, above the fold

3. Grid Widget

A Pinterest-style grid showing multiple reviews at once. Works well when you want to showcase volume and variety.

Best placement: Dedicated testimonials page, landing pages

4. List Widget

A vertical list of reviews, similar to what you see on Amazon or Trustpilot. The most familiar format for consumers.

Best placement: Product pages, service pages

5. Floating Widget

A small widget that sticks to the corner of the screen as visitors scroll. Always visible without taking up page real estate.

Best placement: Any page — especially checkout and pricing pages

6. Wall of Love

A full-page display of your best reviews, designed to impress. Great for showcasing social proof on a dedicated page.

Best placement: Linked from your navigation as "Reviews" or "Testimonials"

Method 1: Using a Review Platform Widget

The easiest way to embed reviews is through a review platform that provides ready-made widgets. Here is how it works with Gradefy:

Step 1: Create Your Account

Sign up at gradefy.app and create your first project.

Step 2: Collect Some Reviews

Send review requests via email or share your review collection link. You need at least 3-5 reviews before embedding a widget.

Step 3: Get Your Widget Code

Go to Dashboard > Widgets, choose your widget type, customize colors and layout, and copy the embed code.

Step 4: Paste on Your Website

Add the snippet to your website's HTML. It is typically a single script tag that loads asynchronously — under 15kb with no performance impact.

The advantage of platform widgets is that they update automatically as new reviews come in. No manual maintenance required.

Method 2: WordPress

If your site runs on WordPress, you have several options:

Option A: HTML Widget (Any Platform)

Go to the page where you want reviews

Add a "Custom HTML" block

Paste your widget embed code

Save and preview

Option B: Shortcode Plugin

Some review platforms offer WordPress plugins with shortcodes. Check your platform's documentation.

Option C: PHP Template

For theme developers, you can add the widget code directly to your theme template files (e.g., single.php, page.php).

Method 3: Shopify

• Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize
• Add a "Custom Liquid" section where you want reviews
• Paste your widget embed code
• Save

For product-specific reviews, add the code to your product template instead of a page template.

Method 4: Wix

• Open your Wix Editor
• Click "Add" (+) > "Embed Code" > "Custom Element"
• Paste your widget script
• Position and resize as needed
• Publish

Method 5: Static HTML Sites

For static sites or custom-built applications, simply paste the embed code before the closing body tag:

Place the widget's container div wherever you want reviews to appear on the page, and include the script tag that loads the widget JavaScript.

Performance Considerations

Review widgets should not slow down your site. Here is what to look for:

• Async loading — The widget script should load asynchronously so it does not block page rendering
• Lightweight — Under 20kb for the initial script load
• Lazy loading — Images in reviews should load only when scrolled into view
• CDN-hosted — Script served from a global CDN for fast delivery
• No layout shift — The widget should reserve space to prevent Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Gradefy widgets are under 15kb, load asynchronously, and are served from a global CDN. They score zero on CLS impact.

SEO: Adding Schema Markup

Embedding reviews is only half the story. To get star ratings in Google search results, you need JSON-LD structured data.

Your review platform should automatically inject the correct schema markup when the widget loads. This tells Google:

• Your aggregate rating (e.g., 4.8 out of 5)
• Total number of reviews
• Individual review details

Gradefy's Pro plan includes automatic JSON-LD schema injection. No manual code needed.

Best Practices for Displaying Reviews

• Show recent reviews first — Fresh reviews signal an active, thriving business
• Include negative reviews — A mix of ratings builds credibility. Filter spam, not criticism
• Display reviewer names — Named reviews are more trustworthy than anonymous ones
• Show verified badges — Indicate which reviews come from verified customers
• Place near CTAs — Reviews next to "Buy Now" or "Sign Up" buttons boost conversions by up to 380%
• Update regularly — Stale reviews from two years ago hurt more than they help

Getting Started

The fastest path from zero to embedded reviews:

• Sign up for a Gradefy account (14-day free trial)
• Send review requests to your last 20 customers
• Choose a widget type and paste the code on your site
• Watch conversions improve

The entire process takes under 30 minutes.