Guides · Get found on Google

How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Small Business

A practical guide to getting more Google reviews, with a direct review link, text templates you can copy, and what Google and UK law don't allow.

By Sachin Shah · 16 October 2026 · 7 min read

Quick answer: Ask every happy customer, on the day the job finishes, with a direct link to your Google review page sent by text or WhatsApp. Make it a habit rather than a one-off push. Reply to every review, and never pay for reviews, offer rewards for them or write fake ones.

Reviews are one of the first things people look at when choosing a local business. They also help decide which businesses Google shows in the Maps results. More good reviews means more people trust you, and more people find you.

The problem is that happy customers rarely leave a review on their own. You have to ask.

Step 1: Get your direct review link

Typing your business name into Google and hunting for the review button is too much effort for most people. Give them a direct link instead.

1. Sign in to your Google Business Profile.
2. Find the option to ask for reviews or share review form.
3. Copy the link.

Save it somewhere you can grab it quickly, like a note on your phone or a quick-reply in WhatsApp. You can also turn it into a QR code for your van, counter, receipts or invoices.

Step 2: Ask at the right moment

The best time to ask is when the customer is happiest. For most businesses that’s:

• Trades: the moment the job is finished and they’ve seen the result
• Shops and cafés: at the till, after a compliment
• Salons: when they’re looking in the mirror
• Services: when you’ve delivered something and they’ve said thank you

Ask in person first (“Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps a small business like ours”), then send the link straight away so they don’t forget.

Step 3: Use a simple text template

Here are a few you can copy and change:

Hi Tom, thanks again for having us today. If you’re happy with the work, would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It really helps us. Here’s the link: [link]. Thanks, Dan

Thanks for coming in today, Priya! If you’ve got 30 seconds, a Google review would mean a lot to us: [link]

If they don’t leave one, a single gentle reminder a few days later is fine. After that, leave it.

Step 4: Make it a habit

A burst of reviews followed by nothing for a year looks odd to customers. A steady trickle is better. Build it into your routine so that asking for a review is part of finishing every job, like sending the invoice.

Step 5: Reply to every review

Replying shows future customers that you care. Keep it short and personal.

For a good review:

Thanks so much, Tom. It was a pleasure working on your kitchen. Enjoy it!

For a bad review:

Stay calm and don’t argue. Thank them, apologise where it’s fair, and offer to sort it out offline.

Hi Mark, I’m sorry to hear you weren’t happy with the finish. That’s not the standard we aim for. Please give me a call on [number] and I’ll come back and put it right.

Future customers read how you handle complaints. A calm, fair reply can win you more trust than a five-star review.

What you must not do

Don’t	Why
Offer discounts or gifts for reviews	Against Google’s rules, and incentivised reviews can break UK consumer law
Write reviews yourself or ask friends and family to	Fake reviews are banned under UK law and Google removes them
Only send happy customers to Google	Google calls this review gating and doesn’t allow it
Buy reviews	Illegal in the UK and can get your profile suspended
Ask for lots of reviews all at once from one location	Google may filter them as suspicious

Since April 2025, the UK’s competition regulator can fine businesses directly for fake or misleading reviews, so it’s not worth the risk.

Put your reviews to work

Once you have good reviews, use them. Add a few to your website, especially next to your contact button. Real reviews from real customers are one of the most persuasive things on any small business website. Our guide to turning website visitors into customers has more on this.

Want more help getting found on Google?

Reviews work best alongside a complete Google Business Profile. Read our Google Business Profile guide for tradespeople, or get a free website check and we’ll show you how your reviews and listing compare with competitors near you.

Sachin Shah, founder of SS Consultancy Group. Sachin started his career making cold calls and has spent more than ten years helping businesses grow their sales. He now builds websites and sales systems for small businesses in London and across the UK.