How to get more Google reviews (without begging)

Most happy customers never leave a review. Not because they don't like you, but because nobody asked, and finding where to leave one takes four taps too many. Fix both and the reviews come.

Ask at the right moment

The best time is right after the job went well: when they've just said thanks, paid, or told you they love it. That's when the feeling's fresh. A week later, they've moved on, and so has the feeling.

Ask in person if you can, then send the link straight after so it's waiting on their phone.

Send your direct review link

Google gives every Business Profile a link that opens the review box directly. In your Business Profile, look for Ask for reviews (or Get more reviews) and copy the link. Two taps for them instead of six.

Put that link:

• in a text or email after each job;
• at the bottom of your invoices;
• on a QR code on your card, counter or van.

What to send

Thanks again for having us, Sam. If you've got a minute, a Google review would really help a small business like ours: [your link]

Jos

Short, personal, one link. Don't send a paragraph about your marketing goals.

Reply to every review

Thank people for the good ones by name, and reply calmly to the bad ones (here's how to reply to a bad review). It shows the next person reading that a real human runs the place.

What not to do

• Don't pay or reward people for reviews. No discounts, no prize draws. Google's rules forbid it, and reviews can be removed for it.
• Don't write your own, or have staff and family write them. Same rules, same result.
• Don't only ask the happy ones in a way that filters out the rest. Ask everyone, and fix what the unhappy ones tell you.

I'd leave you five stars myself, but I'm a cat and Google has opinions about that.