How to ask for Google reviews

What does Google allow when you ask for reviews?

Asking is fine. Asking only some people is not. Google's policy does not allow a business to selectively ask only happy customers for reviews, or to offer incentives for them.

That rules out the popular trick of sending a "how did we do?" survey first and passing only the happy answers on to Google. It also rules out a discount, a gift card or a raffle entry in exchange for a review, even if you do not care which way the review goes.

The safe version is boring. Send the same request, with the same link, to every customer you served.

How do you get your Google review link?

Google lets you create a link or QR code to request reviews from your Business Profile. The steps on Google's help page are short.

1. Go to your Business Profile.
2. Select Read reviews, then Get more reviews.
3. Copy the link, or download the QR code to print.

Google's page says you can put the link on receipts, in thank-you emails and at the end of a chat, and print the QR code for your counter. A link on a receipt is easy to forget, so pick one place and make it automatic.

Who should you ask, and when?

Ask everyone you served. Ask soon after the job, while the customer still remembers it. A plumber who asks the same afternoon gets a more specific review than one who asks three weeks later, and specific reviews are the ones that persuade the next customer.

Ask the people you are a little nervous about, too. That is the part that feels wrong and is the whole point of the policy.

What should the request say?

Short, friendly, one link. Here is a made-up example for a plumbing company. Change it to sound like you.

"Hi {name}, thanks for choosing {business}. If you have a minute, we would value an honest review on Google. Here is the link."

Notice what is missing. There is no rating question, no offer, and no hint about what you hope the review says. Asking for an "honest" review is fine. Asking for a "5-star" review is not.

How many reminders are too many?

One. Some customers meant to do it and forgot, and a single polite nudge reaches them. A second and third start to feel like pressure, and pressure produces the reviews you do not want.

In OpenGMB the reminder goes out 1 to 14 days after the first email, and only to people who have not clicked the link.

What mistakes cost you reviews or get you in trouble?

• Screening first. A survey that sends unhappy customers somewhere else is review gating.
• Paying for reviews. Any incentive tied to posting a review is out.
• Buying a list. Email only people who have actually done business with you.
• Asking and then not replying. When the reviews arrive, answer them. The guide on how to reply to Google reviews covers it.

How do you do this with OpenGMB?

OpenGMB sends the request as an email campaign for one location. Every recipient gets the same message and the same link to Google's review form. There is no rating question and no routing of unhappy customers. The feature is described on the Google review request links and QR codes page.

Use the opengmb MCP server. Call locations_list and find the location named
[LOCATION NAME]. Call reviewLinks_get for it. If it has no review link, stop
and tell me.

Otherwise create a draft email campaign with reviewRequests_create. Write a
short subject and a message of two to four sentences that thanks the customer
and asks for an honest review. Use {name} and {business}. Do not mention
ratings, stars, a survey, a discount or any other offer.

Do not start the campaign and do not add recipients. Tell me the campaign
name so I can review it.

Sources: Google Maps contributed content policy, Rating manipulation (read 2026-10-24). Google Business Profile Help, Get a review link or QR code (read 2026-10-24). Rule ids come from the OpenGMB guardrail packs.