Reviews help people choose you, and they help your Google Business Profile look active and trusted. Most happy customers are willing to leave one. They just need to be asked at the right moment, in the right way.
What Google does not allow
Start here, because breaking these rules can get reviews removed or a profile suspended:
- Paying for reviews, or giving discounts or gifts in exchange for them
- Writing reviews yourself, or asking staff and family to pose as customers
- Only asking customers you expect to be happy ("review gating")
- Buying reviews from any service
1. Get your direct review link
In your Google Business Profile, find "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews" and copy the short link. It opens the review box directly, which removes most of the effort for the customer.
2. Ask at the happiest moment
The best time is right after a good result: the job is finished, the event went well, the customer just said thank you. A request a week later gets far fewer replies.
3. Make the ask personal and short
A simple message works best. For example:
"Thanks again for choosing us, Sarah. If you have a minute, a quick Google review really helps a small business like ours: [link]"
4. Use more than one channel
- A text or WhatsApp message with the link
- A line in your invoice or thank-you email
- A small card or QR code at your counter or in your van
- Asking in person, then sending the link right away
5. Make it a habit, not a campaign
A steady flow of new reviews looks more natural and keeps your profile fresh. Build the request into your process so it happens after every job.
6. Reply to every review
Thank people by name for good reviews. For a bad review, stay calm, apologise for the experience, and offer to fix it offline. Future customers read your replies as much as the reviews.
7. Mention what customers can write about
You cannot tell people what to say, but you can say "it helps if you mention the service you had". Reviews that mention services and places can help people find exactly what they need.
Reviews are one part of showing up on the map. See our Google Business Profile checklist, what to do if your profile is not showing, or let us handle it with our Google Business Profile optimization.