How do you ask for Google reviews?
- Get your review link or QR code from your Google Business Profile (see Google’s tips to get more reviews).
- Ask in person at the end of the job, then send the link by text or email the same day.
- Keep the request short: thank them, ask for an honest review in one sentence, add the link.
- Send one reminder a few days later if they haven’t left a review, then stop.
- Reply to every review, positive or negative.
What do Google and the FTC allow?
| Practice | Allowed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Asking every customer for an honest review | Yes | Google’s own tips encourage it |
| Sending your direct review link or QR code | Yes | Google provides them for this purpose |
| Offering a discount, gift or prize draw for a review | No | Google’s policy bans incentives for reviews |
| Asking only the customers you expect to be happy (“review gating”) | No | Google’s policy bans selectively soliciting positive reviews |
| Rewarding only positive reviews | No | The FTC rule bans incentives conditioned on a positive or negative review |
| Asking customers to mention specific words or services | No | Google’s policy says merchants shouldn’t request specific content |
| Reviews of your business by you, your managers or your staff | No | Google bans conflict-of-interest reviews; the FTC rule restricts undisclosed insider reviews |
| Pressuring someone to remove a negative review | No | The FTC rule bans review suppression through threats or intimidation |
| Buying or writing fake reviews | No | Banned by both |
Sources: Google’s Maps user-generated content policy and the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, in force since October 21, 2024. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is it illegal to ask for Google reviews?
No. Asking customers for honest reviews is allowed, and Google encourages it. What is banned is fake or bought reviews, incentives, review gating, undisclosed insider reviews and pressuring people to remove negative reviews.
When is the best time to ask?
Right after the customer sees the result: when you finish the job, deliver the order or close the ticket. Ask in person if you can, and send the link the same day, while the experience is fresh. Let them post the review on their own device, in their own time.
Review request templates
Hi {first name}, thanks for choosing {business} for {job}. If you have a minute, an honest Google review helps other customers find us: {review link}
Subject: How did we do?
Hi {first name}, Thanks again for choosing {business}. If you have two minutes, we’d appreciate an honest review on Google: {review link} Every review helps us improve. {your name}
Hi {first name}, a quick reminder in case you’d like to leave a review for {business}: {review link}. Thanks either way!
How do you respond to a negative review?
Reply promptly, calmly and in public: thank the customer, acknowledge the problem without arguing, and offer to sort it out directly, with a name and a way to reach you. Never threaten or pressure a reviewer to take a review down.
You can report a review that breaks Google’s policies, such as spam, offensive content or a conflict of interest. A review that is simply negative stays up; a calm, useful reply is the best answer to it.
How do you automate review requests safely?
- Trigger the request from a completed job or a paid invoice, so every customer gets it.
- Send the same message to everyone, with no filtering by satisfaction score.
- Send one reminder at most, and stop when the customer leaves a review or opts out.
- Keep a log of what was sent, so you can show your process treats every customer the same.
Review requests are one of the automations in our AI automation service. We set them up for every customer, with no filtering and no rewards.