Chapter 4
How to get more Google reviews
Ask every customer, at the moment they're happiest, with a direct link to your review page. The moment matters more than the wording.
Do reviews really matter for a small business?
They do. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 US adults, 97% said they read reviews for local businesses, 74% said they only care about reviews from the last three months, and 83% of people who were asked to leave a review did. Asking is most of the work.
When to ask for a review
Ask when the work is fresh and the customer is pleased: the drain runs clear, the client says how good they feel, the haircut gets a smile. Send the request that day. A week later the feeling has faded.
What to send when you ask for a review
A short text or email with one link that goes straight to the review form. Your Google Business Profile gives you a link to share for reviews. Copy wording from the review request templates.
What Google's rules allow
You can ask every customer for a review. Google's policy bars offering a discount, gift or anything else for one, and bars asking only the customers you expect to be happy. Reviews that break these rules can be taken down.
US law adds its own rules. The FTC's review rule, in force since 21 October 2024, bans offering pay or perks for a review on condition that it's positive (or negative), and bans baseless legal threats or intimidation to get a review removed.
What to do when a bad review comes in
Reply calmly, briefly and in public, then take the details offline. Scripts by situation, including what health practices must leave out.
Questions owners ask
Can I offer a discount for a review?
No. Google's rules don't allow offering anything in return for a review, and reviews given for a reward can be removed.
Can I ask only my happy customers?
Google's rules don't allow asking only the customers you expect to be happy. Ask everyone the same way. A steady stream of honest reviews reads as more real than a page of perfect ones.
Sources
- Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 BrightLocal Checked
- Prohibited and restricted content (Maps user contributed content policy) Google Checked
- Tips to get more reviews Google Business Profile Help Checked
- 16 CFR 465.4: Buying positive or negative consumer reviews (FTC rule, in force 21 October 2024) Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School Checked
- 16 CFR 465.7: Review suppression Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School Checked
Updated 3 November 2026