Trustpilot vs G2 vs LinkedIn: Where Should Your B2B SaaS Focus?

A common debate rages in B2B marketing Slack groups every week. It usually starts with a frantic message from a Founder or VP of Marketing:

"We need more social proof! Should we push everyone to write G2 reviews to get on the Grid? Or should we focus on Trustpilot for SEO? Or should we just get people to tweet about us?"

The answer usually dissolves into chaos. The SEO manager screams "Google!" The Demand Gen manager screams "G2!" The Brand manager whispers "LinkedIn."

Here is the truth: They are all right, but they are all wrong about the timing.

If you treat all review platforms the same, you will fail. You cannot simply blast your user base with a generic "Review Us" link. You need to map the platform to the Buyer’s Journey.

Here is the definitive B2B reputation management strategy to decide where your focus should be.

The Insight: Map the Platform to the Funnel

The mistake most SaaS companies make is viewing reviews as a "score."
Reviews are not a score; they are answers to specific questions your buyer is asking at different stages of the funnel.

1. LinkedIn (Top of Funnel: Awareness & Vibe)

The Question the Buyer is asking: "Is this company cool? Do smart people use them?"

LinkedIn isn't a "review platform" in the traditional sense, but it is the most important social proof engine you have.

• The Role: Buzz, virality, and cultural fit.

• The Strategy: You don't want a star rating here. You want a narrative. You want a user to tag you in a post saying, "Finally found a tool that handles X without crashing."

• When to Ask: Early. During the "Honeymoon Phase" (Day 1–14). The user is excited, the UI is fresh, and they want to show off their new toy.

2. G2 / Capterra (Middle/Bottom Funnel: Comparison)

The Question the Buyer is asking: "Does this tool actually have the features I need, or is it just good marketing?"

Buyers visit G2 when they have already narrowed their list down to You vs. Competitor X. They are looking for reasons to disqualify you. They are looking for "feature gaps."

• The Role: Feature combat and "Grid" placement.

• The Strategy: You need depth here. A one-sentence review on G2 is useless. You need technical users to write 500 words about your API integration or your reporting module.

• When to Ask: Mid-term. (Day 30–60). Once the user has actually implemented the software and knows the technical nuances.

3. Google / Trustpilot (The "Sanity Check" & SEO)

The Question the Buyer is asking: "Is this company a scam? Will they steal my credit card?"

This is the most overlooked area in B2B. Marketers think, "We are B2B, we don't need Google Maps reviews."
Wrong. When a prospect Googles your brand name, the Knowledge Panel on the right side of the screen is the first thing they see. If you have a 2.5-star rating there because you ignored it, you look illegitimate.

• The Role: SEO Dominance and Trust.

• The Strategy: This is a volume game. You need a high number of 4 and 5 stars to dominate the search results.

• When to Ask: Long-term. (Day 90+ or Renewal). These are your "stable" reviews.

The Data: Why You Need a Mix

According to the Demand Gen Report, B2B buyers have a split brain when it comes to trust:

1. They give the most credence to independent third-party sites (like G2) when validating features and functionality.

2. However, they look to social networks (LinkedIn) to validate vendor reliability and cultural fit.

If you have G2 badges but zero LinkedIn presence, you look like "Vaporware."
If you have LinkedIn hype but zero G2 reviews, you look like a "Flash in the pan."

The "Sequence" Strategy: How to Automate It

Do not choose one platform. Sequence them.

The best review platforms for B2B software are the ones you use at the right time. Stop sending a generic link. sophisticated automation rules in your CRM (HubSpot/Salesforce) based on the user's lifecycle stage:

• Trigger 1: The "First Win" (Day 7)

  • The Ask: "Glad you hit your first milestone! Mind giving us a shoutout on LinkedIn? We’ll repost you!"

  • Goal: Awareness.

• Trigger 2: The "Power User" (Day 45)

  • The Ask: "You’re using our advanced reporting features heavily. Could you write a review on G2 specifically about the reporting?"

  • Goal: Comparison/Depth.

• Trigger 3: The "Renewal" (Year 1)

  • The Ask: "Thanks for sticking with us for a year. Could you leave a quick star rating on Trustpilot/Google?"

  • Goal: SEO/Longevity.

Summary

Stop asking, "Which platform is best?"
Start asking, "Which question is my buyer trying to answer right now?"

• For Buzz, go to LinkedIn.

• For Battle, go to G2.

• For Trust, go to Google.

Build a machine that feeds all three, and you will own the narrative from the first search to the final contract signature.