How to ask for Google reviews

What Google allows and what it doesn't

Google's Maps content policy says merchants may ask for reviews that reflect a genuine experience, "without offering incentives to do so or attempting to influence the rating or the contents of the review". In practice that means four things to avoid.

• No incentives. No payment, discounts, free goods or services in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing a negative one. Google's Business Profile help calls this "strictly prohibited".
• No review gating. Don't discourage negative reviews, and don't selectively ask only the customers you expect to be positive. A survey that only sends happy customers on to Google does exactly that.
• No pressure on the premises. Google says merchants shouldn't require or pressure people to leave ratings or write reviews while they're on the premises.
• No requested content. Don't ask for specific wording, and don't ask people to name a member of staff. Google also lists staff targets, such as asking staff to collect a certain number of reviews, as not allowed.

Reviews that break these rules can be removed from your listing, and Google's Maps help says removed reviews aren't reinstated.

Step 1: get your review link

There are two ways to get a link that opens your review box straight away.

From Google Business Profile (if you manage the listing), as described in Google's help:

1. On a computer, go to your Business Profile.
2. Select Read reviews, then Get more reviews.
3. To copy the link, select Copy.
4. To save the QR code, right-click it and select Save image as...

Google notes that review QR codes can only be made in a computer browser, not on a phone.

From your Place ID (if you don't manage the listing, or want the message and QR code in one place): paste the ID into the tool below. It builds the review link, a QR code to download and a message to send.

Step 2: choose when to ask

Ask soon after the visit, while it's fresh, and ask everyone at the same point. A few natural moments:

• The receipt or invoice. Print the QR code or add the link at the bottom.
• The thank-you email after a booking, order or appointment.
• The end of a chat on WhatsApp, SMS or your website, once the question is answered.
• A printed QR code by the till or on the table, so people can scan it later in their own time.

Google's help also mentions sending review requests by email, WhatsApp message or Facebook post.

Step 3: send a short message

Keep it short, personal and neutral. Ask for their experience, not for a good rating. Here are three templates you can copy. The tool above writes similar ones with your business name and link filled in.

Short (SMS or WhatsApp):

Thanks for choosing [business]. Would you leave us a quick Google review? [link]

Friendly (email or WhatsApp):

Hi [name], thanks for visiting [business] today. If you have a minute, we'd love to hear how it went in a Google review. [link]

Formal (email after a service):

Thank you for choosing [business]. We'd be grateful if you could take a minute to share your experience in a Google review. Your feedback helps others find us and helps us improve. [link]

None of them mention stars, a discount or a prize, and none ask for particular words. Keep it that way when you edit them.

Step 4: make leaving a review easy

Customers must be signed in to a Google Account to post, and Google says they can create one with a non-Gmail address. A direct link saves them from searching for your listing, so always include it. On a printed card, add one line of text next to the QR code so people know what it opens, and test it with your own phone first.

Step 5: reply to the reviews you get

Google suggests replying to reviews to show customers their feedback matters, and valuing all reviews: a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy. Keep replies short and polite, and don't use them to offer deals. If you think a review breaks Google's policies, flag it rather than arguing in public.

For more on finding your link and printing it, see the Google review QR code generator. Our post on how to get your Google review link walks through both ways of finding it.