Make it easy
- Open your Business Profile and choose Ask for reviews (or "Get more reviews"). Google gives you a short link.
- Put that link where customers already are: a text or email after the job, the bottom of your invoice, a QR code on a card you leave behind.
- Keep the ask short: "Thanks for having us out today. If you have a minute, a Google review really helps a small shop like ours." Then the link.
Ask everyone, at the right moment
A good time to ask is right after the job is done and the customer is happy you came. Ask every customer, not only the ones you think will be glad. Picking only the happy ones (sometimes called review gating) goes against Google's rules.
What not to do
- Don't pay or trade for reviews. No discounts, gift cards or entries into a drawing. Google doesn't allow it, and it can get reviews removed.
- Don't write reviews for yourself or have staff or family post them.
- Don't buy reviews. Google catches a lot of these, and it can hurt the listing.
- Don't ask people to review from your shop's Wi-Fi or a tablet at the counter. Lots of reviews from one spot can look suspicious.
Reply to the reviews you get
A short, personal reply to each review shows future customers someone is paying attention. For good ones, thank them and mention the job. For a bad one, stay calm, don't argue, and offer to make it right offline. People read the replies to bad reviews closely.
Be patient
A steady trickle beats a sudden burst. A few honest reviews a month, every month, looks natural and keeps your listing fresh.