How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Breaking the Rules)

The short answer

Reviews pay off twice. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking [3], and customers read them: in BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 US adults, 97% read reviews for local businesses and 47% won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews [4].

That is why a steady flow beats a one-time push. A burst of reviews last spring does less for the customer reading today than a few from last week.

Get your review link

The printed QR code does a second job. A customer can take the card and leave the review later on their own phone, which keeps you clear of Google's ban on pressuring people to leave a review while they are on your premises [2].

How to ask for a review, and when

Staff can do the asking, within limits. Internet Archive captures show Google added two clauses to its policy between February 15 and February 23, 2026 [5]: businesses may not ask staff to collect a set number of reviews, and may not ask for reviews that include specific content, including content that names a staff member [2]. Staff can hand every customer the card or send the link. They can't have a quota to hit or a script that asks customers to mention them.

Ask everyone the same way. Asking only the customers you expect to be happy, known as review gating, is banned by Google [2], and FTC staff say that although the FTC's rule has no specific ban on it, the practice could violate the FTC Act [6].

Healthcare practices have extra limits. The ADA's guidance says reviews should not be posted by anyone employed by the practice, strongly recommends against paying for reviews, and notes that some jurisdictions may prohibit soliciting online reviews by patients [7]. The ethics codes for psychologists and social workers bar soliciting testimonials from current clients [8][9]; whether a review request counts is a question for your board or counsel. Read our article on HIPAA marketing rules before you ask patients anything.

Templates: text, email and in person

Text message. "Hi [first name], thanks for choosing [business] today. If you have a minute, we'd appreciate an honest review on Google: [link]"

Review request email. Subject: "How was your visit to [business]?" Body: "Hi [first name], thank you for choosing us. If you're willing, we'd appreciate an honest review on Google. It takes a minute: [link]. Thank you, [your name]"

In person. "Thanks for coming in. If you'd like to share how it went, this card has a link to our Google reviews. Whenever suits you." Hand over the card and let them go; don't wait while they write.

For healthcare, keep every detail of the care out of the message. "Thanks for visiting [practice] today" is enough.

Replying to every review

Google checks replies before they post, which usually takes up to 10 minutes and sometimes up to 30 days, and a customer can still change their review after reading your reply [12]. A calm reply to a complaint is your one public chance to have that review revised.

On negative reviews, Google's tips note that a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy [1]. Thank the reviewer, take the details offline, and never threaten anyone: the FTC's rule bans suppressing reviews through unfounded legal threats, physical threats or intimidation [13].

For healthcare, OCR has taken action over replies that disclosed patient information. New Vision Dental paid $23,000, with OCR's director calling such disclosures "a clear NO" [10], and a psychiatric practice, Manasa Health Center, paid $30,000 over its reply to a negative review [11]. The ADA's model reply stays in broad "all patient" terms and never references a specific person or incident [14]. More on what reviews do for rankings in do Google reviews help SEO.

What never to do: incentives, gating, fake reviews

The FTC announced the rule on August 14, 2024, and says it lets the agency seek civil penalties against knowing violators [13]. The rule makes it an unfair or deceptive practice for a business to write, create or sell a review that misrepresents whether the reviewer exists or used the business, or to buy a review it knew or should have known misrepresents those things [15]. It also covers insider reviews: reviews by a company's officers or managers need a clear and conspicuous disclosure of the relationship [15].

Google is stricter than the FTC. FTC staff say the rule itself does not ban an incentive with no sentiment condition [6]; Google bans every review incentive, from payment to discounts to free goods or services [2].

Google also says a spike in reviews can lead it to pause new reviews on the profile, alert the owner and display a notification banner [16]. Whitespark's experts rank reports of review gating sixth and fake review reports seventh among suspension risks for a Business Profile [17]. And the offers keep coming: 11% of consumers in BrightLocal's 2026 survey said they had been offered an incentive to write a positive review [4]. Any vendor who offers to "boost" your reviews belongs on your list of SEO red flags.

Reviews and the first of three places

Real reviews do most for the map results, the first of the three places our first page guarantee measures; the rest of the map picture is in how to rank higher on Google Maps. The guarantee is offered after an assessment, for a phrase list agreed in writing, and its page-one share is measured separately in each of the three places: the map results, the organic results and Google's AI answers, where the share counts only the phrases that show one at the check. If you want a second pair of eyes, start with a free SEO audit of your website.

This is general information, not legal advice.