Reviews are one of the biggest factors in whether your business shows up in Google Maps and whether people call once they find you. The businesses with the most reviews usually aren’t the best ones; they’re the ones that ask every time.
Step 1: Get your review link
In your Google Business Profile, choose Ask for reviews (or Get more reviews) to copy a short link that opens the review form directly. Save it somewhere easy to reach.
Step 2: Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is right after a customer says something positive: when the job is done, the problem is fixed or they thank you. Ask in person, then send the link by text within the hour while it’s fresh.
A simple script:
“Thanks again for choosing us. Would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It really helps a local business like ours. Here’s the link.”
Step 3: Make it a habit, not a campaign
Ten reviews in one week followed by nothing for six months looks unnatural and doesn’t help much. A few new reviews every week keeps your profile fresh and your ranking steady. Build the ask into your normal process: job completion, invoice or follow-up text.
Step 4: Ask for details
Reviews that mention the service and location (“they fixed our furnace in South Ogden the same day”) help you rank for those searches. You can’t tell customers what to write, but you can say “it helps if you mention what we did for you.”
Step 5: Respond to every review
- Positive reviews: thank them by name and mention the service naturally.
- Negative reviews: stay calm, don’t argue, acknowledge the issue and offer to resolve it offline. Future customers read your reply more than the complaint.
What not to do
- Don’t buy reviews or write them yourself. It violates Google’s policies and FTC rules, and it can get your profile suspended.
- Don’t offer discounts or gifts for reviews. Incentivized reviews are against Google’s rules.
- Don’t only ask happy customers through a filter that sends unhappy customers elsewhere (“review gating”). Google prohibits it.
Need a review system that runs itself?
We set up automated review requests by text and email, plus monitoring and responses, as part of our Google Business Profile service.