How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Being Annoying)
When and how to ask for reviews, how to make it easy, and what to do when one goes badly.
Reviews influence both the customer reading them and where you appear in local results. Most tradies have far fewer than they've earned, for one reason: they don't ask.
Ask at the right moment
The best time is the moment the customer is happiest: standing in front of the finished work. Mention it then — "if you're happy with how it turned out, a quick Google review really helps me" — and send the link the same day.
Make it one tap
Nobody is going to search for your business and navigate to the review form. Get the direct review link from your Google Business Profile, save it as a text shortcut on your phone, and send it straight after the job.
Keep the message short
"Thanks again for having me out today — glad the hot water's sorted. If you've got 30 seconds, a quick review would help me out a lot: [link]". That's it. No template, no essay.
Make it routine
Two or three reviews a month, steadily, beats twenty in one week and then nothing for a year. Recency matters, and a sudden burst looks odd to everyone.
Reply to all of them
Short and genuine. Thank people by name, mention the job. It shows you're active, and future customers read the replies as closely as the reviews.
When you get a bad one
- Don't reply straight away, and don't reply angry.
- Respond publicly, briefly, and without arguing the details.
- Acknowledge the frustration and offer to sort it out directly.
- Take the rest of the conversation offline.
- Report it only if it breaches Google's policies — a genuine complaint won't be removed.
A calm, professional reply to a bad review often does more for you than a good review does. It shows exactly how you'd handle a problem on someone's job.
What not to do
- Buy reviews. They're detectable and it puts your profile at risk.
- Write reviews for yourself, or ask family to.
- Offer discounts or gifts in exchange.
- Only ask the customers you know will be positive after a run of trouble.
- Chase the same customer repeatedly.
Use them on your website
Put relevant reviews on the matching service page — hot water reviews on the hot water page — and near your enquiry form. Quote them accurately and don't tidy up the wording.
Review system
- Direct review link saved as a phone shortcut
- Ask in person at handover
- Send the link the same day
- Reply to every review, good or bad
- Aim for a steady few each month
- Relevant reviews placed on matching service pages
Related: setting up a Google Business Profile.
Want to Improve Your Google Visibility?
SEO varies enormously depending on your website, your market and who you're competing against, so there's no fixed package. Tell me what you do and where you work, and I'll tell you honestly what's realistic.
Talk to Mike About SEOCommon questions
- How many reviews do I need to compete?
- It depends entirely on your area and trade. Look at the businesses currently in the map results near you — that's your realistic benchmark.
- Can I get a false review removed?
- You can report reviews that breach Google's policies, such as ones from people who were never customers. It's not guaranteed, so reply professionally in the meantime.
Written by Mike — Web Guy Mike
I build and look after websites for Australian tradies and small service businesses. Every site is built by me — no outsourcing, no account managers. More about Mike.