How to Spy on Your Competition with Google Reviews and Tableau Dashboards

At Sapphire Analytics, we specialize in transforming publicly available data into actionable insights. Recently, we explored how to utilize Google’s Places API to analyze pub reviews in Newcastle and Central London, providing a competitive edge for businesses.​

The Challenge: Limited Review Data

Google’s Places API restricts access to only the five most relevant reviews per business, without pagination options . This limitation poses challenges for comprehensive sentiment analysis.​

Our Solution: Expanding the Data Horizon

To overcome this, we:

• Expanded the Geographic Scope: By increasing our search radius to 100 miles, we gathered data from a broader range of pubs, enhancing our dataset.​
• Utilized Aggregate Metrics: We extracted each pub’s overall rating and total number of reviews using the user_ratings_total field .

Visualizing Insights with Tableau

We developed an interactive Tableau dashboard featuring:​

• Top 10 and Bottom 10 Pubs: Ranked by average rating and review volume.​
• Interactive Map: Geospatial representation of pubs, color-coded by performance.​
• Recent Reviews: Display of the latest five reviews per pub, offering qualitative insights.​

Why This Matters

Understanding your competitors’ customer feedback can reveal areas for improvement in your own business. If a nearby pub consistently receives praise for its ambiance or service, it might be time to evaluate your offerings.​

Take Action

Curious about how your business compares? Reach out to Sapphire Analytics, and let’s uncover the insights hidden in your competitors’ reviews.