18 Ways to Get More Google Reviews (with Examples)

Let’s talk reviews real quick: 93% of people are influenced by online reviews.

Now let’s talk Google real quick: Google has 86% of the search engine market share. For context, "second place" goes to Bing at 9%.

Now let’s put the two together: Google reviews have a major, widespread influence on your business. Not to mention the fact that Google hosts 73% of all online reviews for businesses.

If you want to expand your reach across the net, improve your reputation among customers, and rank higher on Google, you need to make Google reviews a priority. 

In this post, we’re going to cover:

• The quantifiable importance of getting Google reviews
• How to get more Google reviews
• Examples and templates you can use to ask for Google reviews.

Why you need to ask for Google reviews

Getting more Google reviews benefits your business across the board, from reputation to rank and ultimately revenue. 

• Get feedback about your business: Reviews of course give you insights into what's working well that you can harness and what's not working so well that you can improve. It's a tool for evolving your business to stay aligned with customer needs.
• Rank higher on local search: Reviews are a clear local search ranking factor. The higher you rank in search results, the more customers you will attract (not to mention increased brand awareness).

• Rank higher on Google Maps: Your Google Business Profile is one and the same with your Google Maps listing. People searching for a service via Maps have very high purchase intent!
• Show up on the Local Pack: This is the Google Maps section that appears in regular search results—and it appears at the top, just below ads and above organic page results. This is another hot area that gets engagement with customers looking to buy now.

Local Pack rankings are highly influenced by quantity and quality of reviews.

• Attract more leads and customers: 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. The more reviews you have, the more trust you'll earn and the more confidence customers will have in choosing you over competitors.

In short, higher visibility and rank and a more attractive listing (those stars make a big difference) ultimately helps you to generate qualified leads for your business, which results in more sales and higher revenue.

Google review stats

Here are a few more stats about Google reviews from BrightLocal to give you the kick in pants you may need:

• 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses (this is up from 63% in 2020).
• 98% of consumers use the internet to find information about local businesses
• The top industries where consumers see business reviews as most important are: Healthcare, Automotive Services, and Service Businesses/Tradespeople.
• Google is the most trusted review platform across all industries,
• Consumers read a minimum of 10 reviews before making purchasing decisions
• 86% of consumers are willing to write a review.

How to get more Google reviews

Now let's get to the good stuff: exactly how to get more Google reviews for your business.

1. Claim your Google Business Profile

Before you start getting more Google reviews, you need to claim your Google Business Profile. This will allow you to read, respond to, and manage your reviews.

How to claim your Google Business Profile:

Search for your business name plus your business location in Google.

If you have already claimed your business and are the owner, you’ll see options come up right in search results, like this:

If you haven’t claimed your business, you’ll see your Knowledge Panel result with an option to claim the business:

2. Generate a Google review link

Customers leave Google reviews by finding your Google Business Profile, navigating to the reviews section, and clicking on “write a review.”

Now this can all happen in a flash—faster than it takes to write out the steps.

Sooo...instead of giving them a three-step process, simply generate a Google review link that you can share with them.

How to generate a Google review link:

1. Look up your business on Google
2. Find your profile in search results
3. Click on Reviews
4. Click on “Get more reviews"
   
5. Copy the review link.
   
   

3. Use a link shortener

You'll notice that the review link is rather long...and hard to remember. Use a link shortener like bitly.com to make it easy to remember and to get it to fit on physical materials. Better yet, use this next tip...

4. Generate a QR code for Google reviews

Make it even easier for your customers to leave a Google review by generating a QR code that you can put on business cards, thank you notes, postcards, and even your website.

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How to generate a Google Review QR code

Simply go to any free QR code generator, like Bitly’s QR Code Generator, Canva’s QR Code Generator, or QR Code Monkey or Cloutly input your review link that you generated above. Easy peasy.

5. Know Google’s review solicitation policies

Make sure you follow Google’s policies on review solicitation. If you get a bunch of reviews in a not-so-kosher way, you could lose them or your entire profile. Plus, it’s no way to run or market your business. Take the time to put a true positive customer experience and a proactive review strategy together so that you’re collecting genuine feedback that markets your business over time.

ReviewTrackers provides a nice explanation of Google’s review policies here.

6. Use review request templates

There are plenty of free resources available for you today to display and request reviews from customers. For example:

• Google’s Marketing Kit has free stickers, posters, social posts, and more.
• Canva's free review templates for social posts, thank you notes, business cards, and more.
• WordStream's review request templates written by yours truly. Copy and paste those templates into emails, social posts, and more!

How to get more Google reviews online

The above tips are just the basics for getting more Google reviews in general. Here are some strategies for getting Google reviews online.

7. Create a Google review page on your website

A review page is a must-have on any home improvement website.

Take a look at this roofing company’s website. They have a “Leave us a review” section right in their main navigation. Click on it and you land on a nicely designed page with a smiling homeowner couple, a big “Leave us a Google review” CTA button, and examples of Google reviews right below it.

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Which leads me to the next tactic…

8. Display your existing Google reviews

In all the places you request Google reviews, like on your website and social profiles, you should also share existing ones. This does three things:

• Shows people that you’re awesome—that it’s not just you, but also customers, that think you’re reliable, reputable, credible, and worth the money.
• Gives people ideas on what to write in their own reviews. It’s always easier to have something in their head than to start from scratch, and you’d be surprised at how much of a barrier to entry this can be.
• Adds more keyword-rich content to your website which helps you to rank higher for local search terms.

On that note, make sure the reviews are embedded or written out, rather than via screenshot. Google can’t read images!

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9. Promote your Google reviews on social

Social media is a useful tool for building an audience, generating leads, engaging customers, and...you guessed it...getting reviews. Share your Google reviews on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and even TikTok and in the caption, drop your review link to encourage other customers to do the same. 

(And use the Canva templates above to make 'em look nice!)

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10. Include a Google review widget in your footer

Your website footer can serve as both an SEO tool and a means for user engagement. After all—if someone makes it to the bottom of your website, their intent is likely pretty high.

Plus, it's a great way to make it a site-wide element without it being in your main navigation, if you need to prioritize. 

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11. Start with a survey

This is sort of like having a review funnel. Send out a customer feedback or NPS survey, and then create a second email campaign for those who engaged with the survey or who gave you the highest scores. This way you ensure you're reaching the people most likely to write a review.

12. Drop a Google review link in your email signature

This one comes from an earlier article I've written on how to get more Google reviews.

If you use email to communicate with customers, your email signature is a great spot for adding your review link. It can be a way of asking for a review without having to ask for a review.

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13. Respond to your existing Google reviews

People like to feel heard. Actively responding to reviews shows current customers that their feedback will be heard and it shows potential customers that you care. Note that this also (or rather, especially) refers to responding to negative reviews. 

A bad review is not the end of the world. In fact, a listing with only 5-star glowing reviews can be a little suspect, while a mix of reviews makes your business human and shows that you have nothing to hide. 

Just make sure to respond to the bad reviews properly. That is, respond publicly, validating the customer, and then offer to take the conversation offline so you can resolve it thoroughly.

You can follow our tips on responding to bad reviews or also consult industry forums for advice from peers. We've got a list of HVAC forums you can refer to here.

How to get more Google reviews - offline methods

Just because customer reviews exist online doesn't mean your methods of getting more reviews should only be online. Here are some offline tactics for getting more Google reviews.

14. Display review plaques and decor

Some home service businesses have a brick and mortar location where they meet with clients to discuss estimates, look at color swatches, sell supplies, and more. If this is you, consider an in-office piece of decor asking for a Google review.

Take a look at this Google Review request plaque on Etsy:

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Display that bad boy next to a jar of lollipops and you’re golden.

15. Send out thank you postcards with review requests

No matter what vertical you’re in, customers appreciate a thank you note. Have nice little postcards made up thanking them for their business, and send them out a week or two after the project is complete. Put a QR code on there for them to leave a review on Google and boom, you’ve got a review.

How to get more Google reviews in person

Upon completion of a job, ask for a Google review! This can be over the phone or in person. The key is not to just ask “How did everything go?” but to be specific and direct the conversation.

Ask questions like:

• How did everything go? I like to ask our customers to share one pro and one con from the project — if you’re open to it.
• Did you have any questions? Concerns?
• Did we meet your expectations?
• It’s important to me to know how our technicians are doing. Did you have a good experience with them?
• Do you have any feedback that comes to mind right away?

And once they engage, you can then request the review. For example:

• We’re so glad to hear that you are happy with the installation and that everything is going smoothly. If you are open to it and have the chance, it would be awesome if you could throw everything or even some of what you just said into a Google review for us.
• This feedback is really helpful—I appreciate you sharing that! Would you mind putting that into a review on Google for others to see?

Once they express their willingness, thank them and say that it really helps them to get found by more people like them and feel more confident in their investments.

How to get more Google reviews via text

The best way to ask for Google review is very different from channel to channel. In person, you want to sort of warm up the conversation. Via text, you should get right to the ask.

For example:

Hey Kai,

I’m so glad to hear the installation went well. If you get the chance, could you drop us a Google review? Your feedback matters and it helps more homeowners like you to find us.

Note that texting is one of the best ways to communicate with customers today. Learn more in our post about business text messaging.

How to get more Google reviews via email

Email is another channel where you should get right to the ask. You can precede the ask with a little more context than text.

Hey Paul,

Customer reviews not only help us to improve our services, but also help homeowners like you feel confident in choosing us as their [service] provider.

If you could take three minutes to write us a Google review, we would be forever indebted.

Ask in such a way that reinforces it is easy, and that they don’t have to write much.

• Would you take two minutes to write a quick Google review?
• Would you be able to write a sentence or two in a Google review for us?

Get more Google business reviews and start ranking higher

The more Google reviews you have, the higher your visibility, the greater your credibility, the more engagement you'll get, and the more leads and customers you'll attract to your business. Here is a recap of the 18 best ways to get more Google reviews for your business:

1. Claim your Google Business Profile
2. Generate a Google review link
3. Use a link shortener
4. Generate a QR code for google reviews
5. Know Google’s review solicitation policies
6. Use review request templates
7. Create a Google review page on your website
8. Display your existing Google reviews
9. Promote your Google reviews on social
10. Include a Google review widget in your footer
11. Drop a Google review link in your email signature
12. Start with a survey
13. Respond to your existing Google reviews
14. Display review plaques and decor
15. Send out thank you postcards with review requests
16. Ask for Google reviews in person
17. Ask for Google reviews via text
18. Ask for Google reviews via email