Get more Google reviews: a small-business checklist

Reviews give potential customers another source of information about a business. They can describe the work, communication and experience in words that a service page does not capture.

Google's local ranking guidance discusses relevance, distance and prominence, and notes that more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking. Google does not publish a universal percentage weight for each signal or guarantee that answering reviews improves a particular ranking.

Do not treat a review count as a complete reputation measure. Read what people actually say, look for recurring service issues and keep the surrounding business details accurate.

Before requesting feedback, make sure customers can recognise the business they are reviewing. Claim and verify the appropriate Google Business Profile and keep its details consistent with the website.

• Business name, address and telephone number
• Correct main category and relevant additional categories
• Opening hours, including holidays and temporary exceptions
• A clear description of the services and area served
• Genuine, useful photos of the business and its work

Choose useful information rather than an arbitrary photo quota. A complete-looking profile cannot make up for incorrect hours or a misleading service description.

Choose a moment when the customer can honestly assess the service: after a visit, a completed job or enough time to use a delivered product. The suitable timing depends on the work rather than one fixed delay for every sector.

Keep the request personal and neutral. For example: Thank you for choosing us. If you would like to share your experience, your honest feedback helps other customers decide.

Invite feedback consistently, not only from people you expect to give five stars. A polite reminder may be appropriate, but stop if someone declines and avoid repeated pressure. Never make support or a resolution conditional on a review.

Google explains how to share a review link or QR code from your Business Profile. Use it where a customer naturally receives a thank-you or completion message.

• A follow-up email after the work is complete
• A receipt, invoice or small printed card
• A relevant customer message after an appointment
• A clearly labelled area on the business website

Test the destination on a phone before sharing it. Tell the customer what the link opens and allow them to choose whether to proceed. Do not put tracking or personal details into the request that you do not need.

1. Choose one suitable review-request moment in each relevant customer journey.
2. Assign responsibility so requests do not depend on somebody remembering.
3. Keep a simple record of requests and opt-outs where appropriate.
4. Review new feedback regularly and respond in a useful, personal way.
5. Bring recurring complaints back into the service-improvement process.

A steady process gives customers a fair chance to describe recent experiences. It does not mean that reviews have a fixed expiry date or that one exact monthly quota is required. Start with a pace your real customer volume can support.

Google's contribution policy prohibits fake engagement, including incentivised reviews and selectively requesting positive reviews. Do not buy ratings, ask staff to pose as customers or offer a reward in exchange for a review.

Do not first screen customers for satisfaction and then show the public review link only to the happy group. You can collect private feedback, but it should not become a mechanism for suppressing genuine negative experiences.

Consumer-law obligations depend on the context and jurisdiction. Avoid treating a headline fine or a simplified rule as advice for a particular case. If you publish or verify reviews yourself, check the obligations that apply to that process.

Record the current profile details, review count, latest review date and any recurring concerns. Then implement the direct link and an appropriate request moment. Compare the process over time without promising that review requests alone caused changes in traffic or enquiries.

Use the local checks in the SEO audit guide to connect profile accuracy with the website. Marketing Scan helps you organise website findings; a public scan should not invent a current review score when it cannot verify it.