How to get more Google reviews without being awkward

Reviews do two jobs. They help people choose you, and they help Google decide how well known you are, which counts on the map. Most happy customers are willing to leave one. The trouble is that nobody asks, or the asking is so clumsy it never happens.

Here’s how I’d do it, what the research says, and the rules that can get your reviews removed if you get them wrong.

1Ask everyone, soon after the job

The best moment is when someone is happy: the leak is fixed, the cake was perfect, their back feels better. Not three weeks later in a newsletter. Asking works, too. In BrightLocal’s 2026 survey, 78% of people had been asked for a review in the past year, and 65% wrote one after being asked.

Ask every customer, not just the ones you think loved it. Google’s content policy says a business must not selectively ask happy customers for reviews, or discourage unhappy ones.

2Send a link, by text

Every extra step loses people. Google says you can ask customers to visit a link or scan a QR code, and your Business Profile gives you that link. Send it in a text or an email right after the job, and put it on your invoice or receipt.

3Let people review from home

Here’s the part most review advice skips. Sterling Sky tracked Google profiles that had reviews turned off, and the same patterns kept coming up: reviews written inside the business, QR codes at the counter, tables or checkout, and bursts of 10 or more reviews in a day. Every block they tracked lasted the full 30 days. One business lost 342 of its 595 new reviews.

Google’s policy agrees on the first part: businesses shouldn’t require or pressure people to review while on the premises. So put your QR code on a card people take home, or on the invoice, not on the counter.

4Say it like a person

Here’s a text you can borrow:

Hi Sam, thanks again for having us out today. If you have a minute, a quick Google review would mean a lot to our small team: [link]. Thank you!

And one for email:

Thanks for choosing us. If we did a good job, would you share a few words on Google? It helps neighbours find a business they can trust. It only takes a minute: [link]

Notice what’s missing: any hint of what to write. Google’s policy says businesses shouldn’t ask for specific content in a review, so no keywords, no “mention the new bathroom!”, no staff names to include.

5Know what Google bans

These can get reviews removed or a profile suspended:

• No incentives. Google’s policy names payment, discounts and free goods or services, and I’d count a prize draw for reviewers as one too.
• No picking who you ask. Ask everyone the same way.
• No reviews from people with a stake. Google counts current or former staff, contractors and family as a conflict of interest. Not you, not your team, not your cousin.
• No fake reviews. In Canada this isn’t only Google’s rule. In 2015, Bell paid a $1.25 million penalty to the Competition Bureau after employees were encouraged to post positive reviews of its apps.

If you’re a regulated professional, like many health practitioners in BC, check your college’s rules too. Some limit how testimonials can be used in advertising.

6Reply to every review

People notice. In BrightLocal’s survey, 80% said they’re likely to use a business that replies to all of its reviews, and 89% expect owners to reply. Google says the same: a reply shows customers their feedback matters.

Thank people by name and mention what you did: “Thanks, Priya. Glad the new gutters survived their first big storm.” For the occasional bad review, take a breath first. Be calm and brief, share no customer details, and offer to sort it out directly. People reading later judge the reply as much as the complaint.

7Make the ask automatic

Remembering to ask every customer is exactly the job that gets skipped on a busy day. The review text can go out on its own when a job is marked done, an order is collected or an appointment ends. It’s the kind of small system we build, and it keeps working when you’re slammed.

Your best reviews also deserve a spot on your website, near the button where people decide to call or book. A few genuine, specific quotes beat a spinning carousel of stars.

What I’d do first

1. Today: copy your review link from your Business Profile and save the text above on your phone.
2. This week: ask every customer, a couple of hours after the job.
3. This month: reply to every review you’ve ever had, old ones included.
4. From then on: keep the pace steady, and move your best quotes onto your website.

Wondering how your reviews and profile look from the outside? Start with a free website check. Rather not write the replies yourself? Replies to your Google reviews are part of Care.