How do you get more reviews the right way?
Ask every customer, at the moment the work is done, with a short message and a direct link, and make it easy. Ask everyone, not only the happy ones; do not pay for reviews or tie anything to a good rating; never write your own or have staff post without saying who they are. Then reply to every review, briefly and specifically.
How to ask
- Ask at the moment the customer is happiest: when the job is finished or the result arrives.
- Send one short message with a direct link to where you want the review.
- Ask every customer the same way, so the reviews reflect everyone's experience.
- Follow up once if there is no reply, then stop.
What the rules forbid
- Fake reviews, including ones written by AI, and buying or selling them (FTC rule, in effect since October 21, 2024).
- Paying or rewarding customers for reviews that must be positive or negative (FTC rule).
- Owners or managers writing reviews, or the business asking staff or relatives for reviews, without clearly disclosing the connection (FTC rule).
- Offering incentives such as payment, discounts or free services in exchange for posting a review on Google (Google's Maps content policy).
- Discouraging negative reviews, or asking only the customers you expect to be happy (Google's policy; the FTC says asking only happy customers could violate the FTC Act).
How to reply
Thank the customer by name, mention something specific about the work, and keep it short. For a negative review, acknowledge it, say what you will do, and offer to talk directly. Never argue in public, and never threaten a reviewer. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey, 80% of U.S. adults said they are likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews.
Not legal advice
This is a plain summary of public rules, not legal advice. If a review question involves a dispute or a threat of legal action, talk to a lawyer.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, "Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials" (August 14, 2024)
- Federal Trade Commission, "Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers" (November 2024)
- Google, "Prohibited and restricted content", Maps User Generated Content Policy
- BrightLocal, "Local Consumer Review Survey 2026" (Rosie Murphy, February 11, 2026; 1,002 U.S. adults)
Related answers
- Do online reviews matter for a small business?
- What is a lead system, and does a small business need one?
SEO for service businesses
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