How to Get More Google Reviews

Ask everyone, at the right moment

Reviews come from asking, and from asking at the point where the customer feels good about the result. Many satisfied customers will not think to write a review unless someone asks. The best moment differs by business.

Whatever the business, ask every customer. Google's policy bars merchants from selectively soliciting positive reviews, so do not skip the people who seem unhappy. If a customer is unhappy, you would rather find out early.

Set up the link in five minutes

1. On a computer, open your Business Profile.
2. Choose to read your reviews, then use the share icon for getting more reviews.
3. Copy the review link, or save the QR code as an image.
4. Test it on your own phone, signed in to a Google account. Customers must be signed in to post, and a non-Gmail address works.
5. Add the link or QR code to receipts, thank-you emails and the end of chat conversations, or print the code in your premises.

Google says review QR codes can currently only be generated on a computer browser, so do this once at a desk.

What to say

Keep requests short, personal and free of pressure. Three examples you can adapt:

In person: "I'm glad that went well. If you have a minute, a Google review helps other people find us. I'll text you the link."

By message: "Thanks for choosing us today, Elena. If you were happy with the service, would you leave a short review here? [link]"

On a receipt or card: "Tell us how we did. Scan to leave a Google review."

Do not tell customers what to write, and do not ask them to mention a particular person. Google's policy says merchants cannot ask for specific content, including naming a staff member.

The rules Google enforces

Reviews that break these rules can be removed, and repeated breaches can put the whole profile at risk. Never pay an agency or website for a bundle of reviews. Paid reviews are prohibited, and so are posts made from several accounts controlled by one person.

How to reply

Reply to every review, briefly and specifically. Google advises keeping replies professional and polite, using the reviewer's name and avoiding generic thanks. For negative reviews, acknowledge a real mistake without taking responsibility for things you did not do, apologise where it is right to, and share no private details. If the issue is complicated, invite the reviewer to call or email you. Do not use replies to promote offers.

An illustrative reply to a three-star review about a delayed appointment might read: "Thank you for telling us, Andreas. You waited longer than you should have, and I'm sorry. I have changed how we schedule Tuesday appointments. Please call me on the number on our profile if you would like to talk about it."

How many reviews to expect

You will get fewer than you hope and more than nothing. Here is a worked example with invented numbers; please replace them with your own.

A clinic sees 60 customers a month and asks all of them. Suppose one in eight leaves a review. That is about 7 or 8 reviews a month, or roughly 45 after six months. If the clinic asked only half its customers, it would collect about half as many. Google does not publish response rates, so measure yours. For four weeks, count requests sent and reviews received, then adjust.

The effort pays because people read reviews. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 US consumers, 97% said they read reviews for local businesses. A weekly routine is also easier to sustain than a one-off campaign, and it keeps the replies prompt, which Google recommends.

Make it routine

1. Weekly: send the link to every customer served that week.
2. Weekly: reply to every new review within a couple of working days.
3. Monthly: count the reviews received and requests sent.
4. Quarterly: change the wording or the moment of the ask if the response rate is low.

If you already run a CRM or booking system, an automation can send the link after each job is marked complete. Make sure it goes to every customer, not only the ones who gave a high score, otherwise it becomes the selective solicitation Google prohibits.

Cyprus note

Customers in Cyprus may prefer Greek, English or another language. Send the request in the language you served them in, and let them write in theirs.

Next step

Create your review link today and send it to the next five customers you serve. After that, read how to rank on Google Maps to see where reviews fit among the other factors, or work through the Business Profile checklist. If you want help setting up a review routine in Limassol, see our local SEO service.