Guide for business owners
How to get more Google reviews the right way
Ask every customer for a review, make it one tap with your review link, and reply to every review you get. Never pay for reviews, never ask only happy customers, and never write them yourself.
By Hypher. Published .
In three steps
Get your review link
In your Google Business Profile, find "Ask for reviews". Copy the link, or save the QR code it gives you.
Ask every customer
Ask in person, by text, or on the receipt, right after a good moment. Keep it to one short line.
Reply to every review
Thank people by name. For a bad review, stay calm, say what you'll do, and offer to talk.
Why do Google reviews matter?
People read reviews before they visit. Google also says the number of reviews and your rating are part of how it ranks local results. A steady trickle of honest reviews helps more than a burst and then nothing.
Where do I find my review link?
Open your Google Business Profile and look for "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews". Google gives you a short link and a QR code. Put the link in your text messages, email signature and receipts, and print the QR code for your counter.
When and how should I ask?
Ask right after a good moment: when you hand over an order, at the end of an appointment, or when a job is done. Something like: "Would you leave us a quick Google review? Here's the link." That's enough.
Ask everyone, not only the people who seem happy.
What should I never do?
Google's rules don't allow offering anything in return for a review. The FTC, the federal agency that protects shoppers, also has a rule against fake reviews and against paying for good ones. Breaking these rules can get reviews removed or your profile restricted.
- Don't offer discounts, gifts or entries for reviews.
- Don't ask only happy customers. That is called review gating, and Google doesn't allow it.
- Don't write reviews for your own business, or ask staff or family to.
- Don't buy reviews or use a service that posts them for you.
How should I reply to reviews?
Reply to every review, good or bad, within a few days. Thank the person, keep it short, and mention something specific when you can.
For a bad review, stay calm. Say sorry for the experience, say what you'll do, and offer to talk by phone or email. Never share a customer's private details in a reply. Other customers read your replies as much as the reviews.
Can I get a bad review removed?
Only if it breaks Google's rules, for example if it's spam, off-topic or hateful. You can report it from your profile. A review you simply disagree with will usually stay, which is why a calm reply matters.
How does Hypher help with reviews?
When a customer uses a Hypher code at a member business, they see a prompt to review that business on Google, right when the visit is fresh. Every customer sees the same prompt, whatever they thought of the visit, which keeps it within Google's rules. See what members get.
Questions people ask
Can I give a discount for leaving a review?
No. Google doesn't allow anything in return for a review, even if you don't ask for a good one.
Is it okay to ask by text?
Yes, if the customer agreed to get texts from you. Send one short message with your review link, and don't keep asking.
Should I reply to old reviews?
Yes. It's never too late to thank someone or answer a complaint.
What about Yelp and Facebook reviews?
The same ideas apply. Yelp's rules are stricter: it asks businesses not to request reviews at all.
This guide is general advice, not a promise of results. Google, Bing, Apple and the AI apps change how they work often. If something here looks out of date, tell us.