Blog/Google reviews
Updated for Google’s April 2026 rules
How to get more Google reviews without breaking the new rules
Most happy customers never leave a review because nobody asks them at the right moment, in a way that takes less than a minute. Here’s how I’d do it, with messages you can copy, and what changed this year that could cost you the reviews you already have.
By James Restorick9 min readOctober 2026When I audit a Google profile, reviews are one of the first things I compare against the businesses showing above it. Not just the star rating, but how many there are and how recent the last one is.
The good news is that getting more reviews isn’t complicated. It comes down to asking every customer, at the right moment, with a link that does the work for them. The bad news is that some of the tricks businesses have used for years now break Google’s rules, and a few of them break UK law too. This guide covers both.
Do Google reviews help you rank?
Yes. In fact, they’re now one of the biggest factors in whether Google shows your profile or puts your competitors ahead of you.
Every year, Whitespark asks local search specialists which factors decide who shows in the top three on Google Maps. In their latest 2026 study, review signals grew faster in algorithm importance than almost any other group. Four distinct review factors made the top 15 out of 187:
Where review factors rank for Google Maps
Position out of 187 factors in the 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report
Two things stand out. First, a steady flow beats a big push: ten reviews spread across a year look healthier than ten in one week. Second, replying to reviews barely registers as a ranking factor. That doesn’t make replies pointless. When I manage a client’s reviews, every reply is written to protect their reputation with the next customer reading it, not to please Google.
And reviews aren’t only about ranking. When a customer searches for a trade or a local shop in your town and sees three businesses beside the map, the reviews are often what decides who gets the enquiry. If you’re curious what being outside that top three might be costing you, my lost revenue calculator gives you a rough figure in under a minute.
Why your happy customers don’t leave reviews
It’s rarely because they weren’t happy. It’s usually one of these.
Nobody asked
Most customers never think to leave a review unless asked. The ones who do it unprompted usually have a complaint.
The moment passed
Ask a week later and the job has faded from memory. The best moment is right after they’ve said they’re pleased.
It was too much effort
Asking customers to search for a business loses many of them. A direct link opens the review box in a single tap.
Step 1: Get your review link and QR code
It takes about 30 seconds, and you only need to do it once.
- Search for your business on Google while you’re signed in to the account that manages your profile.
- Click “Read reviews” or “Ask for reviews” in your profile panel. A box opens with your review link.
- Copy the link and download the QR code. It takes customers straight to your review box, no searching needed.
Then put that link everywhere a customer already hears from you:
- Your WhatsApp or text after a job
- Your invoice and receipt
- Your email signature
- Booking confirmations
- A QR card on the counter
- The card you leave after a visit
A QR code on a card is perfect. Handing over your own tablet or hovering while they type isn’t, because Google bans review pressure on your premises. I tell my clients to send the link after the visit instead.
Step 2: Ask at the right moment
Timing does more than any clever wording.
They say they’re happy
“Love it”, “thanks so much”, any sign they’re pleased. That’s your cue to ask, in person.
Send the link
Send a short message that evening, while the job or visit is still fresh in their mind.
One reminder
A friendly nudge if they haven’t got round to it. Most people are busy, not unwilling.
Leave it
Two asks are plenty. Any more than that starts to feel like pressure on the customer.
The real trick is consistency. If you only ask when business is slow, your reviews arrive in bursts, when a steady flow is what Google rewards. I tell all my clients to build this sequence into how they finish every job or sale.
Step 3: Use words that sound like you
My ready-made review requests, written to sound human. Choose your business and channel, then make it yours.
Hi [name], thanks again for today. Glad you’re happy with the [job]. If you’ve got a minute, an honest Google review would really help a small local business like mine. Here’s the link: [your review link] Thanks, [your name]
The rules: what’s fine, what’s risky and what’s banned
Google’s review policy and UK law both tightened recently. Here’s where the lines are.
Fine
- Asking every customer for an honest review
- Sending your review link or showing your QR code
- One polite reminder
- Replying to every review, good or bad
- Reporting reviews that break Google’s rules
Risky
- Asking your whole customer list in one goA sudden burst can look unnatural, and Google may filter some out.
- Handing customers your own phone or tabletGoogle says you mustn’t pressure people to review on your premises.
- Showing only your best reviews on your websiteUK law bans presenting reviews in a misleading way, such as hiding negative ones.
Banned
- Discounts, freebies or prize draws for reviewsBanned by Google. Hiding an incentive is illegal in the UK.
- Only asking customers you know are happyGoogle bans screening customers and steering unhappy ones away from reviews.
- Reviews from family, staff or friendsGoogle treats these as a conflict of interest.
- Staff review targets or asking for namesNew in April 2026: “Please mention Dave in your review” or a “five reviews a week” staff target now breaks Google’s policy.
- Buying reviews or writing your ownIllegal in the UK since April 2025.
What happens if you get it wrong
Under a 2025 deal with the Competition and Markets Authority, Google can flag a UK business caught faking reviews with a warning, switch its reviews off and, for repeat offenders, remove them for six months or more.
Since 6 April 2025, fake and hidden-incentive reviews are also illegal under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, with fines up to 10% of global turnover. Not sure your current setup is safe? My free audit checks it.
I keep a close eye on Google’s review rules, because a warning banner where your stars should be can cost you a big client the very week they’re choosing between you and a rival. I keep my clients’ review routines clean, so they’re not taking that risk.
How to reply to reviews, good and bad
Keep it short, personal and calm. You’re writing for the next customer as much as this one.
“Great job on our bathroom, tidy and on time.”
Your replyThanks so much, Paul. Glad the bathroom came out the way you wanted, and thanks for making us so welcome. Enjoy it!
“Turned up two hours late and didn’t let me know.”
Your replyThanks for letting us know, Mark, and I’m sorry we didn’t keep you updated on the day. Please get in touch on [number] so I can put it right.
How I recommend replying:
- Use the name they reviewed with
- Mention the job or visit
- Offer to talk things through privately
- Leave personal details out
- For clinics, keep patient details private
Can you remove a bad Google review?
Not just because it’s negative. I only report reviews that break Google’s policy: fake ones, attacks from competitors, abuse, or reviews meant for a different business. Google makes the final call.
For everything else, I reply calmly and keep genuine reviews coming. One three-star review among forty good ones reads as honest. One among four is what people remember.
I’m James Restorick, and I run Thrive Digital Media from Westcliff, Southend-on-Sea. I set up, optimise and manage Google Business Profiles for shops, trades and local businesses across Essex, including businesses here in Southend.
I’ve spent over two decades in digital marketing, and too much of it watching businesses pay for work they couldn’t measure. So I do it differently: clear work, clear reports, and a focus on leads, customers and revenue. I write these guides from the same playbook I use for my clients, so you know exactly what you’re getting. More about me.
How do I get more Google reviews for my business?
Ask every customer, at the moment they tell you they’re happy, and send them your direct review link so it takes them under a minute. Make it part of every job or sale rather than doing it in batches, so reviews arrive steadily. Don’t offer anything in return and don’t screen out unhappy customers, because both break Google’s rules.
How many Google reviews do I need?
There’s no magic number. What matters is how you compare with the businesses showing above you in your area, and whether new reviews keep arriving. A steady trickle every month does more than a big batch once a year.
Can I offer a discount or freebie for a Google review?
No. Google bans any reward for a review, including discounts, free products and prize draws. In the UK, hiding an incentive behind a review has also been illegal since 6 April 2025.
Can I ask customers to mention my staff or my services in their review?
Not any more. Since April 2026, Google’s policy says businesses mustn’t ask for reviews that include specific content, such as a member of staff’s name. Ask for an honest review and let customers write what they want.
Can friends and family leave my business a Google review?
Google treats reviews from family, staff, former staff and anyone with a business connection as a conflict of interest, and can remove them. Only ask real customers.
Why have some of my Google reviews disappeared?
Google’s filters remove reviews that look unusual, such as a sudden burst of reviews, reviews from people connected to the business or from accounts Google doesn’t trust. Genuine reviews are sometimes caught too. A steady flow from real customers is the best protection.
How do your reviews compare with the businesses above you?
In my free audit, I check where you show on the map, street by street, and how your reviews stack up against the top three in your area. You’ll have it within 3 working days.
Get my free audit →