How to get more Google reviews without breaking the rules

Ask every customer, at the same point, in the same way. A short message after the job or a card at the counter with a link to your review page is enough.

Make it easy. Your Google Business Profile gives you a direct review link. One tap should take the customer to the stars.

Then keep doing it. Ten reviews a year, every year, looks far more believable than thirty in one week.

Google. Its content policy does not allow a business to offer payment, discounts or free goods for a review, to discourage negative reviews, or to ask only customers likely to be positive. It also says staff should not be given review targets.

Australian law. The ACCC says it is against the law for a business to create fake or misleading reviews or arrange for others to. Reviews from family, staff or anyone paid can mislead if the connection is not stated.

Incentives. The ACCC says any incentive must apply whether the review is positive or negative, and be clearly disclosed. Since Google bans incentives outright for its own reviews, the simple answer for Google is: offer nothing.

Google's advice is to reply to reviews. Thank people by name and mention something specific.

For a bad review, stay calm, state the facts briefly and invite the person to contact you. You are writing for everyone who reads it later.

Do not try to have genuine negative reviews removed. The ACCC says suppressing or removing them can mislead consumers. If a review is fake or breaks Google's policy, report it to Google.

General information, not legal advice. The ACCC and Google publish the rules, and their own pages are the place to check your situation.