How do I getmore Googlereviews formy business?

Ask for them, every time, on the day you finish the job. Most people who are happy with your work will leave a Google review if you ask at the right moment and give them a direct link. Google gives you that link and a QR code for free in your Business Profile.

The short version: Get your review link, send it to every customer the same day, and keep asking every week, not in one big push. Never offer anything in return, and never ask only the customers you think liked you. Both break Google's rules and can get your profile restricted.

Why do Google reviews matter so much?

Because people count them before they call you. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 American consumers, 47% said they won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews. The same survey found 74% look for reviews written in the last three months.

That second number is the one most owners miss. Fifty reviews from 2023 tell a customer you used to be good. Three reviews from this month tell them you still are.

BrightLocal's CEO, Myles Anderson, summed up this year's results this way: "Reviews are stable, sticky, and more important than ever." It's a U.S. survey, and we couldn't find a Canadian one that asks the same questions, so treat the numbers as a guide.

How do I get my Google review link?

It's in your Google Business Profile, the free listing that shows your business on Google Search and Maps. If you don't have one yet, start with our post on why a business isn't showing up on Google.

1. Sign in to your Business Profile on a computer.
2. Choose Read reviews, then Get more reviews.
3. Copy the link, or right-click the QR code and save the image.

Use a computer for this step. Google's help page says review QR codes can only be made in a computer's web browser for now, not on a phone. The same window also lets you share the link by email, WhatsApp or Facebook.

One catch: people need a Google account to leave a review. Google notes they can make one with any email address, not only Gmail.

When and how should I ask?

Ask while the job is fresh, ideally the same day. A house cleaner can text the link that evening. A bakery can put the QR code on a small card by the till. A landscaper can add it to the "thanks, here's your invoice" email. Google itself suggests receipts, thank-you emails, the end of a chat and a printed code in your store.

People do say yes when asked. BrightLocal found 78% of consumers were asked for a review in the past year, and 65% wrote one after being asked.

Keep the message short and personal. Here's the kind of text we'd tell a client to send:

Then the link, and nothing else. No survey first, no "only if you loved it".

What can get my business in trouble?

Paying for reviews in any form, and filtering who you ask. Google's Maps content policy bans offering money, discounts or free things for a review. It also says businesses may not ask only the customers likely to leave good reviews, and may not discourage bad ones.

Google says breaking these rules can lead to restrictions on your Business Profile. A few extra stars aren't worth losing the listing that brings people to your door.

What do most beginners get wrong?

They ask once, in a burst, and then stop. A big push in one week gets you a pile of reviews that look old by spring. One ask per customer, every week, keeps your newest review recent.

They also wait too long. A week after the job, the customer has moved on, and your text feels like a chore. And many owners never answer the reviews they do get. Customers read the replies too, so answer each one; our guide to responding to a bad Google review has examples you can copy.

Skip anyone selling reviews. Paying for them breaks the same Google rules as the table above, whoever does the paying.

What should I do this week?

1. On a computer, open your Business Profile and copy your review link and QR code.
2. Save the link as a text shortcut or note on your phone so it's one tap away.
3. Write your two-line thank-you message once, and reuse it.
4. Send it to every customer from the past two weeks, then to every new customer on the day you finish.
5. Reply to every review that comes in, within a day or two.

Once the reviews start coming, people will click through to see your work. That's where a website earns its keep: our post on getting found in ChatGPT and Google's AI answers shows how your profile and site work together. If you'd like a QR card for the counter that looks like your brand, or a website that turns those readers into bookings, that's what our content and website teams do. Book a free call and we'll look at your Google profile with you.

Drafted with AI help from our notes and checked against the sources above.

This post is general information and our own take, not legal, financial or professional advice for your situation. Prices, features and availability change, so check the linked sources before you act. Accurate as of November 12, 2026. See our terms.