You do good work, customers tell you so in person, and yet your Google Business Profile has a handful of reviews from years ago. Meanwhile a competitor down the road has plenty. Getting more Google reviews rarely comes down to how good you are. It mostly comes down to asking, at the right time, in the right way.
The good news is you don’t need to be pushy. Most happy customers are glad to help. They just need a reminder and an easy way to do it.
Why Google reviews matter for a local business
When someone searches for a plumber in Ballina or a physio in Lismore, your Google Business Profile often appears before your website does. Your star rating and the number of reviews are some of the first things they see.
Reviews also give new customers something they can’t get from your own marketing: what it’s actually like to deal with you. A few honest sentences from a real customer often carry more weight than anything you write about yourself.
Recent reviews help too. A steady trickle shows you’re active and busy now, not just a few years ago. If your profile isn’t set up properly yet, start with our guide to setting up your Google Business Profile.
Make it easy: get your review link
The biggest barrier is effort. If a customer has to search for your business, find the listing and work out where to click, many will give up.
Google Business Profile gives you a direct link that opens the review box straight away. You’ll find it in your profile under the option to ask for reviews. Google Business Profile Help has current instructions if the menus have moved.
Once you have the link, put it where it’s handy:
- saved as a text message template on your phone;
- in your email signature;
- on your invoice or receipt;
- as a QR code on a small card at the counter or in the work van.
When and how to ask
Timing matters
Ask when the customer is happiest. For a tradie, that’s when the job’s finished and they’re looking at the result. For a clinic, it might be after a follow-up appointment when they’re feeling better. For a café, a small card handed over with the coffee works well for regulars.
If you wait weeks, the moment passes. A same-day message is much more likely to get a response.
Keep the message short and personal
Something like this works well:
Hi [name], thanks again for having us out today. If you were happy with the job, would you mind leaving us a quick review on Google? It really helps a small local business like ours. Here’s the link: [your link]
Use their name, mention the job and make it clear it’s optional. That’s it. No pressure and no long explanation.
Ask in person first
A quick word face to face, followed by the link by text, works better than an email out of the blue. “Would you mind if I sent you a link to leave a review?” is a polite question most people will happily say yes to.
What not to do
Google has rules about reviews, and breaking them can get reviews removed. Keep it simple:
- Don’t offer discounts, freebies or prizes in exchange for reviews. Incentivised reviews go against Google’s policies.
- Don’t only ask the customers you think will be happy. Ask everyone the same way.
- Don’t write reviews for yourself, or ask friends and family to pose as customers.
- Don’t keep chasing. One polite ask, and perhaps one gentle follow-up, is plenty.
Reply to every review, good and bad
Replying shows future customers that a real person is behind the business. It also encourages more people to leave a review, because they can see you read them.
For positive reviews, a short thank-you that mentions the job is perfect. For negative ones, stay calm and polite. Thank them for the feedback, acknowledge the issue and offer to sort it out by phone. People reading later often pay as much attention to your reply as to the complaint.
Try not to reply in the heat of the moment. If a review stings, wait until the next morning, then write something short and professional. Keep private details out of it, and never argue the point in public.
Make Google reviews part of your routine
The businesses with lots of Google reviews usually aren’t doing anything clever. They just ask consistently, every time, as part of finishing a job.
Set yourself a simple habit: every finished job or happy customer gets a text with the link that same day. It takes thirty seconds, and over a few months it adds up.
Reviews also work best alongside a website that backs them up. When someone reads a good review and clicks through, your site should look just as trustworthy. We cover how your profile, reviews and site work together in local SEO basics for Northern Rivers businesses. And if you’d like your Google Business Profile, website and socials set up properly and connected, that’s what our digital setup service is for.
We can’t promise a particular number of reviews or a spot in the search results. But a well set up profile, a clear review link and a good habit of asking give your business the best start.
Want a hand with your Google presence?
If your Google Business Profile needs some attention, or you’re not sure your website is doing its part, we can help. Book a free website health check and we’ll look at both and give you plain-English advice. Call us on 02 6610 9202, Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm.
