How to Get More Google Reviews

5 Smart Strategies That Work

Turn happy customers into powerful advocates with these proven strategies that busy small business owners can implement immediately—no pushy tactics required.

Does this sound familiar to you?

You know you’re doing great work. Your customers leave happy, your service is spot-on, and people genuinely enjoy coming to your business. But when potential customers look you up online, your Google reviews don’t tell that story.

Maybe you have just a handful of reviews, or worse, that one negative review from six months ago is still sitting at the top. Meanwhile, you’re watching competitors with mediocre service but dozens of glowing reviews attract customers that should be yours.

Here’s the thing: most happy customers simply don’t think to leave reviews. They’re satisfied, they leave, and life moves on. But those unhappy customers? They’re motivated. They’ll find Google, create an account, and tell the world about their bad experience.

The solution isn’t to beg, bribe, or badger customers for reviews. It’s to create a simple system that naturally encourages your happiest customers to share their experience—in ways that actually work long-term.

Google Reviews can help your business!

81% of consumers read Google reviews before engaging with a business, and 93% say reviews influence their purchasing decisions.

Research by BrightLocal shows that going from a 3-star to a 5-star rating can earn a business 25% more clicks from Google’s Local Pack. Even small improvements matter: a study by Taggbox found that an increase of just 0.5 stars can increase revenue by 20%.

Most small businesses have room for improvement—many local businesses have a small number of reviews, missing out on the visibility and trust that comes with a robust review profile.

The 5 Smart Google Review Strategies

Here’s a straightforward approach that respects your customers and builds authentic reviews over time:

1. Perfect Your Timing (The Golden Window)

The best time to ask for a review is immediately after you’ve delivered exceptional service—when the positive experience is fresh and the customer feels genuinely grateful.

This might be:

Right after resolving a problem brilliantly
When a customer compliments your service unprompted
After you’ve gone above and beyond their expectations
During their checkout when they’re clearly satisfied

Never ask during stressful moments, when they’re rushed, or if the experience was just “okay.”

2. Make the Ask Personal and Easy (2 minutes)

Instead of generic requests, make it personal and specific:

Poor approach: “Please leave us a review on Google!”

Better approach: “Sarah, I’m so pleased we could get your order sorted perfectly for your daughter’s birthday. If you have 30 seconds, a quick Google review mentioning how we helped would mean the world to us. I can show you exactly how.”

Then physically show them:

Pull up Google on your phone or tablet
Search for your business
Point to the “Write a review” button
Hand them the device if they’re keen

3. The Follow-Up Text (1 minute per customer)

For customers who seemed genuinely happy but were rushed, send a thoughtful follow-up within 24 hours:

Template: “Hi [Name], thanks again for choosing us yesterday. Hope [specific detail about their purchase] worked out perfectly! If you have 30 seconds and felt we earned it, a quick Google review would really help our small business. No pressure at all, and thanks again for your support!”

This connects beautifully with the 3-minute daily ritual for customer retention we discussed previously—you’re already reaching out to past customers, so mentioning reviews becomes natural. If you’re running a small business loyalty program, you already have customer contact details and purchase history, making these personalized follow-ups even more effective.

4. The Review Station (One-time setup)

Create a simple “Review Station” in your business:

A tablet or sign with QR code linking directly to your Google review page
A small sign: “Loved your experience? Share it in 30 seconds!”
Position it near checkout or waiting areas
Make it optional and friendly, never pushy

5. Train Your Team (15 minutes)

If you have staff, spend 15 minutes teaching them:

How to identify genuinely happy customers
The exact words to use when asking
How to show customers the review process
When NOT to ask (stressed customers, problems with service, etc.)

Simple Steps to Get Started This Week

Day 1: Set Up Your Foundation

Find your Google Business listing and note the direct review link
Create a QR code pointing to your review page (use any free QR generator)
Write 2-3 follow-up message templates

Days 2-7: Practice the System

Ask one genuinely happy customer per day in person
Send one follow-up text to a satisfied customer from the previous day
Track your asks and results in a simple notebook

Example tracking:

Monday: Asked Sarah (in-person) – left review same day
Tuesday: Texted Mike from Monday – no response
Wednesday: Asked Tom (in-person) – said he would later

What NOT to Do (Avoid These Mistakes)

Never:

Offer discounts or incentives for reviews (against Google’s policies and can backfire)
Ask friends/family to leave fake reviews (easily detected and removed)
Buy reviews from online services (major red flag for Google)
Pressure customers who seem reluctant
Ask immediately after a complaint or problem

Note: Whilst loyalty rewards programmes for small business are great for retention, don’t tie review requests directly to rewards—keep them separate.

Always:

Only ask customers who genuinely seem happy
Make it easy but never mandatory
Be specific about which platform (Google)
Thank customers whether they review or not

Handling the Inevitable Negative Review

When (not if) you get a negative review:

Respond within 24 hours
Stay professional and empathetic
Acknowledge their concern specifically
Offer to make it right
Take the conversation offline when possible

Example response: “Hi John, thank you for the feedback. I’m sorry your coffee was cold—that’s definitely not the experience we want to provide. I’d love to make this right. Could you give me a call at [number] so we can discuss how to improve? – [Your name], Owner”

Measure Your Progress

Track these simple metrics weekly:

Number of review requests made
Number of new reviews received
Overall rating trend
Total review count

Don’t expect every ask to result in a review. A 20-30% success rate is excellent.

Your 30-Day Challenge

For the next 30 days:

Ask one genuinely satisfied customer per week for a review in person
Send three follow-up texts per week to happy customers
Set up your QR code review station
Respond to any reviews (positive or negative) within 24 hours

By month’s end, you should see a noticeable increase in both review quantity and quality—all earned through smart systems and great service.

The Long Game

Remember, this isn’t about gaming the system or manipulating customers. It’s about making it easier for people who already love your business to share that love with others.

The smartest review strategy is simply excellent service paired with systems that capture authentic feedback. Whether you’re just getting started or already have a loyalty rewards programme for small business in place, these review-gathering techniques work because they’re built on genuine customer satisfaction.

Start with just one satisfied customer this week, and build from there.

Your reputation is worth the effort—and so is your business.

Want more practical tips for building customer loyalty? Check out our 3-minute daily ritual to keep customers coming back.