How to get more Google reviews without breaking the rules

1. Ask at the right moment

The best moment is right after a finished experience: at payment, when the customer picks up their order, at the end of an appointment or at check-out. The visit is fresh and the phone is in their hand.

A simple, honest question works best, for example: "It helps us a lot if you leave us a Google review, whatever your experience was." Say it the same way to every customer.

2. Make the path as short as possible

Every extra step loses people. Searching for the business in Maps, scrolling to the reviews and tapping the stars puts many off. Give them the link to the review form directly:

• an NFC card or stand on the counter: the customer holds their phone near it and the form opens;
• a QR code on the table, the receipt or the door, for phones without NFC;
• the link in an appointment confirmation, only if the customer agreed to receive messages.

3. Google's rules you must not break

Google's Maps content policy is clear, and worth following: Google can remove reviews and take action against the business profile.

• Don't ask only happy customers. Ask everyone the same way. Tools that ask for a rating first and send only high ratings to Google do exactly what Google forbids (see why review gating is risky).
• Don't offer anything in exchange for a review: discounts, free products, prize draws or money.
• Don't review your own business, and don't ask staff or relatives to.
• Don't discourage negative reviews. Reply to them and fix the problem.

In the European Union, Romania included, consumer protection law also forbids fake reviews and presenting reviews in a misleading way.

4. Reply to reviews

Customers read your replies too. A short, personal reply to every review shows you listen. For negative ones see how to respond to negative reviews; for good ones, how to respond to positive reviews.

5. Track what works

Note how many customers you have and how many reviews you get each month. With an NFC card or QR code, taps and scans show where it is best placed and on which days it works. To see what a better rating may be worth to your business, try the calculator.