=== Reviews Feed – Add Testimonials and Customer Reviews From Google Reviews, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and More ===
Contributors: smashballoon, craig-at-smash-balloon, am, smub
Tags: Google reviews, reviews, testimonials, yelp, Google business
Requires at least: 4.1
Tested up to: 6.9
Stable tag: 2.6.3
Requires PHP: 7.4
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

No API key required. Display Yelp and Google reviews for any business in a clean, customizable feed on your site.

== Description ==

Display Yelp and Google business reviews on your site, either in the same single feed or in multiple different ones. Provide social proof through real customer testimonials that will turn site visitors into paying customers.

https://vimeo.com/1166356273

If a Google business listing has a physical location, you can display your latest reviews for it in an attractive feed. You can also enter the website address of any Yelp business and instantly create a feed of your Yelp reviews as well. Business ratings are an important part of social proof to increase customer confidence in your online business. Website visitors will instantly increase their trust in your business if they can see real customer reviews from real customers.

Showing Google rating and Yelp reviews on your website is one of the best ways to convince site visitors to do business with you and boost your conversions. Customer testimonials are crucial to building positive brand trust for online businesses.

Our plugin makes it easy to set up an automatically updating feed of Yelp and Google reviews. After installing the plugin, create a feed by visiting the Reviews Feed menu item that appears in your dashboard. Configure a source of reviews for your feed, customize the look and feel, then use a shortcode to display your reviews feed anywhere on your site. It takes less than a minute to get started.

In our free version, an API key is required only if you would like ongoing updates to your reviews feed. If you don't have an API key, you can still display up to 10 of the latest reviews for a single business without needing an API key. Simply verify your email address to unlock this feature!

= Features =
* Super **simple to set up**
* Display reviews from **multiple Google and Yelp accounts** in the same feed or in separate feeds
* Completely **responsive** and mobile ready - layout looks great on any screen size and in any container width
* **Completely customizable** - Customize the width, height, number of reviews, number of columns, text size, background color, review spacing and more!
* Display **multiple reviews feeds** on the same page or on different pages throughout your site
* Customize the length of the review text with the ability to show the entire text with a click
* Choose to show your Google reviews translated in many supported languages or show them without translation
* Display the reviewer's name, date and start rating of each Google review or Yelp review
* Show the **overall star rating** of your Google or Yelp listing in a customizable header at the top of the feed
* Prompt site visitors to leave a review on Google or Yelp with a button in the header
* Display your Yelp and Google reviews in chronological order or reverse chronological order.
* Automatically show new reviews, collected daily when you enter you own API keys (free and easy to get)
* **New!** Display up to 10 of the latest **free Google reviews** or **free Yelp reviews** for a single business without needing an API key. Simply verify your email address to unlock this feature!
* Handy block for easily adding your reviews feed to posts and pages using the block editor

= Benefits =
* **Build Brand Trust** - Customer reviews are essential to building trust with customers
* **Social Proof** - Real customer reviews, proven to increase sales.
* **Display Your Reviews Your Way** - Customize your Google review and Yelp review feeds to look exactly the way you want, so that they blend seamlessly into your site or pop out at your visitors!
* **Keep Your Site Looking Fresh** - Show your latest Yelp and Google reviews and Yelp reviews updated automatically every day.
* **Super Simple to Set Up** - Once installed, you can be displaying your Yelp and Google reviews within a minute! No confusing steps or special account needed.

= Pro Version =
In order to maintain the free version of the plugin on an ongoing basis, and to provide quick and effective support for free, we offer a Pro version of the plugin. The Pro version allows you to:
* Include Trustpilot, TripAdvisor, WordPress.org and Facebook reviews in your feed
* Filter reviews by star rating
* Create and add reviews manually to feeds
* Create custom collections of specific reviews to display anywhere
* Show reviews in a carousel slider
* Show images from Yelp reviews that open in a large popup lightbox
* Show avatar images for all reviewers
* Filter customer reviews by keyword or phrase
* Moderate your review feeds with a visual moderation mode, select specific reviews to display in the feed
* Choose from several attractive preconfigured templates
* Highlight a specific Google review or Yelp review
* Even more advanced customization options than the free version
* Block reviews by specific users
* Integrate with WPML (WordPress Multilingual) to show translated Google reviews in the chosen site language
* **Unlock more reviews and automatic updates without API keys!** The Pro version allows you to display up to 50 initial reviews from Google and Yelp and receive weekly automatic updates from multiple sources - all without needing to add an API key.
* **Collect and display user-submitted reviews!** Seamlessly integrate with WPForms and Formidable Forms to collect customer reviews directly through your forms and display them in your review feeds.
* **NEW! Display WooCommerce product reviews!** Showcase reviews from your WooCommerce store by selecting individual products, categories, or tags.

[Find out more about the Pro version](https://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-pro-upsell&utm_content=FindOutMore).

= Featured Reviews from Smash Balloon Products =
"The plugins created by Smash Balloon are absolutely solid! I’ve used them all on various websites. But recently, there was a code conflict caused by another plugin. I reached to Smash Balloon’s customer support, and they went over and beyond to help me resolve the issue." - walterhnry

"The guys @smashballoon are the bomb! thank you! I’ve been looking for an Instagram plugin like yours forever! Thank you Thank you Thank you!" - ApisCera

= Feedback or Support =
We're dedicated to providing the most customizable, robust and well supported Yelp and Google reviews feed plugin in the world, so if you have an issue or have any feedback on how to improve the plugin, then please open a ticket in the [Support forum](http://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviews-feed 'Reviews Feed Support Forum').

For advanced review moderation by star rating or curated list, to display Yelp review images, display reviews in a carousel slider + more, check out the [Pro version](https://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-pro-features&utm_content=MoreAdvanced).

== Installation ==

1. Install the Review Feeds plugin either via the WordPress plugin directory, or by uploading the files to your web server (in the `/wp-content/plugins/` directory).
2. Activate the Reviews Feed plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Navigate to the 'Reviews Feed' settings page to connect your Google business or Yelp account.
4. Use the shortcode `[reviews-feed feed=1]` in your page, post or widget to display your reviews.
5. You can display multiple reviews feeds by using shortcode options, for example: `[reviews-feed feed=2]`

For simple step-by-step directions on how to set up the Reviews Feed plugin, please refer to our [setup guide](http://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/free/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-setup&utm_content=SetupGuide).

= Display your Feed =

**Single Reviews Feed**

Copy and paste the following shortcode directly into the page, post or widget where you'd like the Yelp and Google reviews feed to show up: `[reviews-feed feed=1]`

**Multiple Reviews Feeds**

If you'd like to display multiple review feeds, then you can set different settings by creating another feed using the customizer: `[reviews-feed feed=2]`

You can display as many different Yelp and Google reviews feeds as you like, on either the same page or on different pages, by just using the shortcode options below after creating multiple reviews feeds in the customizer. For example:
`[reviews-feed feed=2]`
`[reviews-feed feed=3]`
`[reviews-feed feed=4]`

= Setting up the Free Reviews Feed WordPress Plugin =

1) Once you've installed the Reviews Feed plugin, click on the Reviews Feed item in your WordPress menu

2) Click on the "Add New" button. Then add a source by clicking the "Add New" button on the source selection page.

3) Select either "Yelp" or "Google" as the review provider. For Yelp reviews, enter the URL of the business page on yelp.com. For Google reviews, use the provided link to find a place ID for the business.

4) After connecting and selecting your review sources, select the "default" feed template.

5) You will now see a preview of your reviews feed along with customization options.

6) After you are done customizing, save your changes and click the "Embed" button. Choose the option to copy and paste a shortcode wherever you'd like or select a page to embed with a Gutenberg block.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Can I display multiple reviews feeds on my site or on the same page? =

Yep. You can display multiple reviews feeds by creating multiple feeds and using multiple shortcodes: `[reviews-feed feed=1] [reviews-feed feed=2]`.

= Can I show reviews from more than one account in one single feed? =

Yep. You can add multiple accounts from both Google and Yelp using the customizer.

= How do I find my Google business place ID? =

We include a handy link to Google's place ID finder when connecting your Google account to the plugin.

= My review feed is empty. What happened!? =

There are a few common reasons for this:

* **Your Google business does not have a physical address.** At this time, only Google businesses with a physical address can be included in the feed.

* **There are no reviews available for the provider.** Make sure there are reviews available on Google or Yelp for your chosen business.

If you're still having an issue displaying your feed, then please open a ticket in the [Support forum](http://wordpress.org/support/plugin/reviews-feed 'Reviews Feed Support Forum') with a link to the page where you're trying to display the reviews feed and, if possible, a link to your Google business or Yelp business page.

= How do I get a Google business (Google Maps) API key? =

It’s free and simple to get an API key for Google reviews. This allows you to continue to get fresh Google reviews daily. [See our guide here](https://smashballoon.com/doc/creating-a-google-api-key/?reviews&utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-google-key&utm_content=CreateKey).

= How do I get a Yelp reviews API key? =

Yelp also provides a free API key that is easy to obtain. This allows you to continue to get fresh Yelp reviews daily. [See our guide here](https://smashballoon.com/doc/creating-a-yelp-api-key/?reviews&utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-yelp-key&utm_content=CreateKey).

= How do I filter my reviews by star rating? =

This is a feature of the [Pro version](https://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-star-filter&utm_content=ProVersion) of the plugin, which allows you to filter your review feeds, show Yelp review images, show reviews in a carousel + more!

= Can I control the reviews I want to appear in my feed? =
This is a feature of the [Pro version](https://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-mod-mode&utm_content=ProVersion) of the plugin, which lets you easily show specific reviews or hide certain ratings from your feed.
= Are other review providers available besides Yelp and Google? =

Our [Pro version](https://smashballoon.com/reviews-feed/?utm_source=reviews-free&utm_medium=readmefile&utm_campaign=readme-more-providers&utm_content=ProVersion) offers support for Facebook reviews, Trustpilot reviews, and WooCommerce product reviews in the "Plus" tier, and additionally TripAdvisor reviews and WordPress.org reviews in the "Elite" tier.

== Screenshots ==

1. Edit and manage multiple feeds
2. Display reviews from multiple platforms
3. Completely customize your feed
4. Responsive by design
5. Customize with a live preview
6. Choose between multiple layouts
7. Embed it anywhere

== Other Notes ==

Build positive brand trust in your Google business or Yelp listing with real Yelp and Google reviews on your website. Super simple to set up and tons of customization options to seamlessly match the look and feel of your site.

= Why do I need this? =

**Boost Social Proof**
Showing real customer reviews on your checkout page, pricing page, and in other places on your website has been shown to increase conversions and boost sales of your Google business or Yelp store.

**Save Time**
Don't have time to update the reviews on your site? Save time and increase efficiency by setting up a feed once and having the latest reviews show up automatically on your website.

**Display Your Reviews Your Way**
Customize your review feeds to look exactly the way you want, so that they blend seamlessly into your site or pop out at your visitors!

**No Coding Required**
Choose from tons of built-in Reviews Feed customization options to create a truly unique feed of your Yelp and Google reviews.

**Super simple to set up**
Once installed, you can be displaying your Yelp and Google reviews in under a minute! No confusing steps or registration needed.

**Mind-blowing Customer Support**
We understand that sometimes you need help, have issues or just have questions. We love our users and strive to provide the best support experience in the business. We're experts in the Yelp and Google reviews API and can provide unparalleled service and expertise. If you need support then just let us know and we'll get back to you right away.

= What can it do? =

* Display reviews from any physical Google business or Yelp business listing.
* Completely responsive and mobile ready –your reviews feed layout looks great on any screen size and in any container width
* Display multiple reviews feeds on the same page or on different pages throughout your site by creating multiple feeds in our customizer
* Choose a language for your Google reviews content to display in or leave reviews untranslated.
* Collect and permanently store new Yelp and Google reviews over time. Use our feature to load more reviews on the page.
* Encourage visitors to leave their own reviews with a link to Google or Yelp to rate your business.

== Changelog ==
= 2.6.3 =
* New: A modern Reviews Feed block for the WordPress block editor, plus a new Elementor widget — pick one of your feeds and drop it onto any page or post visually, no shortcode needed.
* Fix: Resolved a critical error on PHP 8 sites where an unexpected response from a review source could crash the page instead of being skipped over. Feeds now stay up and quietly ignore malformed review data.
* Fix: Adding or refreshing Google and Yelp sources is more reliable — when the reviews service is slow to respond, the connection no longer hangs or leaves you with an empty feed.

= 2.6.2 =
* Fix: Improved reliability on PHP 8 — when a review source can't be reached, the plugin now logs the issue quietly in the background instead of interrupting the feed builder.
* Tweak: Refreshed the Easy Digital Downloads source icon to match EDD's current branding.

= 2.6.0 =
* Tweak: Cleaner small-icon notice graphics — admin notification thumbnails now keep their aspect ratio instead of being stretched into a square.
* Tweak: Notification icons load reliably across the admin area; the small "Reviews Feed" thumbnails that occasionally appeared as broken images now resolve to the correct file.

= 2.5.5 =
* Fix: Background cron update optimizations — feed processing batches more efficiently, reducing Google Places API requests on sites with multiple feeds.
* Fix: Connection stability under transient server conditions such as cache events, brief deploys, and high-traffic parallel requests.
* Fix: Site URL recognition across proxy formats (Cloudflare, AWS, Nginx), www variations, and trailing-dot domain forms for consistent connectivity behind any hosting setup.
* Tweak: Update external links.

= 2.5.4 =
* Fix: Resolved a registration loop on multilingual sites (WPML, Polylang) where WordPress's home URL emitted different language paths across requests.
* Fix: Hardened the registration retry limiter so it correctly stops repeated requests even when the plugin successfully registers in a loop.

= 2.5.3 =
* Fix: Resolved a loop where sites that switched between http and https (for example after enabling SSL via their host) kept re-registering on every page load.
* Tweak: Added a safeguard that limits how often the plugin can retry registration when something goes wrong, so it never floods your site or our servers.

= 2.5.2 =
* Fix: Google reviews from authors with non-Latin names (Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Cyrillic, etc.) no longer disappear.
* Fix: Source address now shows under the business name for your Google sources.
* Fix: Total ratings no longer dips during a provider outage — falls back to last good count.
* Fix: Plugin self-heals on next admin load if settings get corrupted by a backup/migration tool.

= 2.5.1 =
* Fix: Resolved an issue where email verification could get stuck in a loop if the email was already verified.
* Fix: Resolved an error that could occur when clicking an expired email verification link.
* Fix: Email verification now completes successfully even if your session has expired.
* Tweak: Improved security for the email verification process.

= 2.5.0 =
* Fix: Resolved PHP 8.1+ deprecation warning when feed settings were not an array.
* Tweak: Added security fix with rel="noreferrer" on external links.
* Tweak: Accessibility improvements for interactive elements.

= 2.4.6 =
* New: Added deactivation feedback survey to help improve the plugin.
* Fix: Improved block editor performance by eliminating unnecessary database queries on page load.

= 2.4.5 =
* Fix: Resolved international character encoding issues (æ, ø, å, etc.) in source names causing API errors.
* Fix: Improved HTML entity decoding in review content display.
* Tweak: Enhanced source identification reliability for API communications.

= 2.4.4 =
* Fix: Resolved Borlabs Cookie 3.x compatibility issue preventing consent detection.
* Fix: Improved website registration token handling for better reliability.

= 2.4.3 =
* Tweak: Improved API key handling for all review providers.
* Tweak: Saved API keys are now used when adding new sources.
* Tweak: Enhanced API communication reliability.

= 2.4.2 =
* Tweak: Plugin hardening and miscellaneous fixes.

= 2.4.1 =
* Tweak: Add official support for WordPress 6.9.

= 2.4.0 =
* New: Full PHP 8.4 compatibility with all deprecation warnings resolved.
* New: Pagination for feeds and sources lists in the admin for better management of large numbers of items.
* Tweak: Plugin hardening and miscellaneous fixes.
* Fix: Fixed spelling errors in code.
* Fix: Various bug fixes and performance improvements.

= 2.1.1 =
* Fix - Fixed the issue that would cause the _load_textdomain_just_in_time deprecation warning.

= 2.1.0 =
* New - Added integration with the new Google Places API.

= 2.0 =
* New: Get an initial set of reviews without an API key after verifying an email address. Our Pro version will also update your sources without an API key. You can still add an API key for more frequent updates and unlimited sources.
* Tweak: Added additional logging to troubleshoot certain feed issues.
* Fix: Additional plugin hardening.

= 1.2.0 =
* Important: The minimum PHP version is now 7.4.
* Fix: Plugin hardening.
* Fix: Fixed an issue causing the cache to not work properly. Feeds and headers would not update.
* Fix: Miscellaneous fixes and enhancements.

= 1.1.2 =
* Fix: Fixed an issue that would cause feed sources to update more frequently than intended.

= 1.1.1 =
* Tweak: Added load more button in sources list.
* Fix: Miscellaneous fixes and enhancements.

= 1.1 =
* New: Add a minimum and maximum character length setting to hide short or long reviews if needed. In the feed customizer, visit the Settings tab, Filters sub-tab to configure this setting.
* Tweak: A source is automatically selected when it's added in the feed creation process.
* Fix: Fixed an issue that would cause reviews to be shorter than expected.
* Fix: Fixed the text for expanding reviews.
* Fix: Fixed issues and PHP warnings that affected sites using PHP 8.1+.

= 1.0.3 =
* Tweak: Added support for a combined endpoint to retrieve review and header information for Google in one API request.
* Fix: Fixed typos in some of the customizer settings.

= 1.0.2 =
* Fix: Fixed an issue causing duplicate reviews to show for Google sources under certain circumstances.
* Fix: Fixed the default URL to leave a review not working under some circumstances.

= 1.0.1 =
* Fix: Fixed PHP error "undefined index" when header data was not available for a feed.
* Fix: Changed relative file paths to absolute paths to prevent rare fatal PHP error when activating.

= 1.0 =
* New: Launched Reviews Feed!
