How to Manually Pull New Google Reviews Into WordPress (Trustindex SOP)

Most WordPress sites that display Google reviews on the front end use a plugin to pull them in — the reviews you see are not queried from Google in real time. On the free plan of the most popular Google reviews plugin (Trustindex, listed in WordPress as “Widgets for Google Reviews”), the plugin only refreshes reviews when someone manually clicks “Download new reviews”. This SOP walks through how to check whether a WordPress site has the plugin installed and how to pull in the latest reviews, using ManageWP as the multi-site dashboard.

What You Need Before You Start

• Access to ManageWP (the multi-site dashboard listing all your managed WordPress sites).
• A list of the client sites you are responsible for checking this round.
• WP Admin access to each site (available through ManageWP if the site is connected).

Note: Not every site has a reviews plugin installed. Part of this process is checking each site first, then only running the download step on the sites that actually have the plugin.

Why Reviews Need Manual Pulling on the Free Plan

Trustindex (Widgets for Google Reviews) is the plugin most WordPress sites use to display Google reviews. On the free plan:

• New Google reviews do not sync automatically to the plugin.
• The website continues to show only the reviews that were pulled last time.
• Someone has to manually click “Download new reviews” to fetch anything new from the connected Google Business Profile.

The paid plan syncs automatically, but the free plan is what most small business sites use. Building a monthly maintenance check for this ensures the on-site social proof stays current — otherwise the site can be months behind the actual Google Business Profile review count.

Step 1: Open the Site in ManageWP

1. Log in to ManageWP.
2. Locate the client site you want to check in the list of managed websites.
3. Open the site’s dashboard from ManageWP.

Step 2: Check the Plugins List for a Reviews Plugin

Inside the site’s dashboard in ManageWP:

1. In the left-hand menu, click Plugins.
2. Wait for the full plugins list to finish loading before searching.
3. Use the search box to look for a reviews plugin. Search for terms such as reviews or google reviews.
4. The plugin we use is usually listed as Widgets for Google Reviews — this is Trustindex.

Important: If the site has no reviews plugin, there is nothing to download. Note it as checked and move on to the next site. Some clients use different plugins (Elementor’s built-in reviews widget, hand-coded Schema markup, or manual review carousels) — those need their own process.

Step 3: Open the Reviews Plugin in WP Admin

For any site that does have the plugin installed:

1. Click into WP Admin for that site — the button appears next to Settings in the site card.
2. In the left-hand WordPress menu, find the reviews plugin. Widgets for Google Reviews appears in the sidebar as Trustindex.io.

Step 4: Download New Reviews from Google Business Profile

Inside the Trustindex plugin:

1. Open the My Reviews tab.
2. Click Download new reviews. This fetches all reviews from the connected Google Business Profile, including any new ones since the last pull.
3. Wait for the confirmation message (“Now, you can download your new reviews” flips to a success state).

Important: Because new reviews do not come through automatically on the free plan, this manual download is the only way the website stays up to date. Run it on schedule (once per month with maintenance is fine) even if you are not sure whether new reviews have come in. If the button is greyed out, the plugin is already synced — that means there is nothing new to pull today.

After You Have Downloaded

• Verify the on-site review widget is showing the latest reviews. Visit the page where the reviews are embedded (usually the homepage, contact page, or a dedicated Reviews page).
• If the site uses caching (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, host-level cache), clear the cache so visitors see the updated widget.
• Log the check in your maintenance record for the site.

Common Issues

• Download button is greyed out or shows “No new reviews”. Trustindex checks the Google Business Profile and finds nothing newer than what is already in the widget. Nothing to do — the site is up to date.
• Plugin is installed but no reviews are pulling. The plugin may have lost its Google Business Profile connection. Reconnect it via the plugin’s settings, then run the download.
• Reviews download but do not show on the site. Clear both the site cache and your browser cache. If still not showing, the shortcode or widget on the front-end page may need to be re-added.
• You cannot find the WordPress menu item. Some sites label the plugin “Widgets for Google Reviews” instead of “Trustindex”. Both are the same plugin.

Alternative Reviews Plugins to Recognise

Not every site uses Trustindex. Other Google reviews plugins you may encounter:

• Customer Reviews Collector for WooCommerce — for WooCommerce stores collecting reviews across Google, Facebook, Yelp and others.
• WP Business Reviews — pulls Google, Facebook and Yelp reviews.
• Reviews Feed by Smash Balloon — Google, Facebook and Yelp reviews with a customisable feed.
• Site Reviews — captures reviews on the site directly rather than pulling from Google.

Each has its own admin interface, but the pattern is similar: navigate to the plugin, find the reviews tab, look for a manual sync or download button.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do WordPress Google reviews plugins update automatically?

It depends on the plugin and plan. Trustindex on the free plan requires manual download; the paid plan syncs automatically. Most other reviews plugins have similar tier splits — free plans require manual triggers, paid plans handle sync in the background.

How often should I refresh reviews on client sites?

Once a month as part of routine maintenance is enough for most businesses. Local service businesses that actively request reviews may benefit from weekly pulls, especially if reviews are used prominently on their website.

What is the difference between Trustindex and Widgets for Google Reviews?

Nothing — they are the same plugin. Trustindex is the company; “Widgets for Google Reviews” is the WordPress.org listing name; the WP admin sidebar menu label is “Trustindex.io”. If you see any of those names, it is the same product.

What happens if I upgrade Trustindex to the paid plan?

Reviews sync automatically. You can display more than the 10-review limit of the free plan. You get access to over 130 review platforms (not just Google). For clients where reviews are a major conversion driver, the paid plan usually pays for itself.

Can I display Google reviews without a plugin?

Yes, using the Google Places API and a custom widget or shortcode. This gives you full design control and can be built to sync automatically. It requires developer time and a Google Places API key, so a plugin is the practical choice for most sites.

Where do the downloaded reviews live?

Inside the plugin’s own database tables in WordPress. They are not fetched live from Google every time a visitor loads the page — that would slow the site down and risk API rate limits. The plugin caches them locally, which is why the manual download is needed to refresh.

Need Help Keeping Reviews Fresh on Your Site?

Rank Haus manages Google Business Profile and website reviews plugins as part of every local SEO retainer, including monthly reviews sync, review response, and Google Business Profile posting. If you are a local Australian business and want your on-site reviews staying current without doing this yourself, get in touch.