Before calling you, a prospect compares. And the first thing they look at is often the stars under your name on Google. Reviews reassure people, help them choose between two professionals who seem alike, and also count toward your ranking on Google Maps. Yet most satisfied customers never think of leaving one. Here’s how to get Google reviews on a regular basis, while playing by the rules, and how to reply to them.

Why Google reviews matter so much

Reviews play two different roles at once:

  • with your prospects: they’re concrete proof of your reliability, written by people other than you;
  • with Google: a business’s prominence is one of the criteria for its local ranking, and both the number and the rating of its reviews contribute to it.

An unhappy customer is quick to leave a review; a satisfied customer rarely does so on their own. If you don’t ask, your rating may end up reflecting only the bad experiences.

What’s prohibited

Before getting to the best practices, let’s look at the pitfalls. Google’s policies on user-contributed content prohibit, among other things:

  • offering anything in return for a review: a discount, a gift, an entry into a contest;
  • writing reviews yourself, or having them written by your employees, your family or your friends;
  • asking only satisfied customers, by filtering out the ones who might leave a negative review;
  • buying reviews, in any form whatsoever.

In France, fake reviews also count as misleading commercial practices, which are punishable by law. It’s never worth the risk: lost trust can’t be bought back.

The right time to ask

The best moment is when your customer is at their most satisfied: right after delivery, at the end of a successful job, when they thank you. A few days later, the enthusiasm has faded and your request is more likely to get lost in their inbox.

Get into the habit of asking every customer, without exception: it’s also the best way to respect the rule that forbids filtering.

Make it easy

The more effort it takes to leave a review, the fewer you’ll receive. A few simple tools make all the difference:

  • the direct link: in your Google Business Profile, the “Ask for reviews” option gives you a short link that opens the rating window directly;
  • a QR code that leads to that link, on your invoices, your business cards or your counter;
  • a ready-to-send message by email or text message.

Here’s a sample message you can adapt:

Hello Ms. Martin, thank you again for your trust. If you’re happy with our work, a short review on Google would really help us get our name out there: [link]. It only takes a minute. Have a lovely day!

Short, personal, with the link: that’s all it takes.

Reply to all your Google reviews

Your replies are public for everyone to see. They speak as much to the author of the review as to the future customers who will read them.

For a positive review, thank the person in a personal way, mentioning the project or the service if possible. Avoid copying and pasting the same “Thanks for your review!” under every comment.

For a negative review, the method comes down to four steps:

  1. thank the person for taking the time to write;
  2. acknowledge the problem without lengthy justifications;
  3. explain what you have done, or will do, to put it right;
  4. offer to continue the conversation privately, by phone or by email.

Never reply in the heat of the moment: take the time to cool off first. An aggressive reply to a negative review does more damage than the review itself.

What should you do about a fake review?

If a review doesn’t match any of your customers, contains insults or clearly comes from a competitor, report it directly from your profile. Google will examine it and remove it if it breaks its rules. In the meantime, reply soberly that you can’t find any record of this person among your customers and that you’re available to talk about it.

Make asking for Google reviews a habit

Consistency matters more than volume. A few Google reviews every month show a business that’s alive and active, whereas a wave of reviews followed by a long silence raises questions. Here’s how to turn it into a habit:

  • add the request to the end of every job, just like the invoice;
  • prepare your message templates once and for all;
  • follow up just once, a few days later, without insisting;
  • write down the number of reviews you receive and your average rating each month to follow the trend.

After a few months, asking becomes second nature, and your Google reviews finally reflect how satisfied your customers really are.

Showcase your reviews on your website

Your reviews also have their place on your website: a dedicated page, plus a few testimonials on your homepage and your service pages. Ask your customers for their permission before using their name. You can see how I present mine on my client reviews page.

The bottom line

Ask every customer, at the right moment, with a direct link, and reply to every review: it’s a simple routine that, over a few months, transforms your local visibility. It complements a well-filled-out profile, as I explain in my Google Business Profile guide. To go further with your visibility, discover my WordPress SEO services, or let’s talk.