Home / Guides / How to Get More Google Reviews: A UK Guide to Asking the Right Way

How to Get More Google Reviews: A UK Guide to Asking the Right Way

By Sam · Last updated 11 October 2026 · 7 minute read

Contents

• Why reviews matter
• The rules first
• Seven steps
• What to say
• What not to do
• Measure it
• Frequently asked questions
• Sources

Why reviews matter

• BrightLocal’s 2025 consumer survey, as relayed by UK guides, found 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. Earlier editions put the share who read them always or regularly at 75% to 77%.
• In its 2024 edition, 81% of consumers used Google to find local reviews.
• In 2025, 35% of customers said they had written only positive reviews in the last year against 6% only negative.
• An older edition found 12% of consumers had left a review every time a business asked, and a further 23% more than half the time. In other words, asking works.
• Guides also note that customers tend to trust a rating of around four stars, and that volume and recency both matter for local results.

Always state the survey year when you quote these. They are tier A publishers relayed by UK guides, so open the BrightLocal survey before quoting.

The rules first

Three things get businesses into trouble. Google’s review policies, as summarised by specialists, prohibit incentives, review gating (asking only happy customers) and self-reviews. UK law now bans fake and misleading reviews, and explicit rewards for positive reviews are likely to be problematic under the ASA’s guidance. Read our full guide to the UK rules on rewarding reviews before you start.

Seven steps

1. Get your review link. Search for your business while signed in to your Google Business Profile and copy the link customers should use.
2. Make it short and easy to remember. Shorten the link, or redirect from your own address, for example your website address followed by /review.
3. Ask at the right moment. Straight after a job is finished or a problem is solved, when the experience is fresh.
4. Ask every customer. Not only the ones you think are happy. Asking only satisfied customers breaks Google’s rules.
5. Make it one tap. Send a text or email with the link, add a QR code to invoices and cards, and put a review page on your website. See our review request templates.
6. Reply to every review, good or bad. See how to respond to a bad Google review.
7. Keep it steady. A regular flow beats a burst once a year.

What to say

Keep the request short and honest. Thank them, say why reviews help other local people choose, give the link and invite feedback if anything could have been better. Our templates give wording for text, email, in person and QR cards.

What not to do

• Offer discounts, gifts, vouchers or prize draws for a review.
• Ask only happy customers, or filter who receives the link.
• Write reviews yourself or ask staff, friends or family to.
• Buy reviews or use AI-generated reviews.
• Claim a rating you cannot show evidence for.

If you suspect someone has left a fake review about you, see how to report a fake Google review.

Measure it

Each month count new reviews, your average rating, your reply rate and how many customers you asked. If reviews stall, check that your process is simple and that the link works on a phone.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get more Google reviews?

Ask every customer soon after the job, give a direct link or QR code, reply to every review and never offer rewards.

How many reviews do I need?

There is no fixed number. Aim for a steady flow of recent, honest reviews rather than a target total.

Can I ask customers by text?

Yes, with a short message and a link. Keep it to a simple request after a job, and check the rules on messages; see UK rules for emailing and texting customers.

Can I offer something in return?

No. Google’s guidance says businesses should not offer incentives, and UK rules treat explicit rewards for positive reviews as a serious problem.

What if a customer is unhappy?

Ask them anyway, and reply professionally to any critical review. See how to respond to a bad Google review.

Sources

• Whito, How to get more Google reviews in the UK, checked 11 October 2026.
• Simply Business, How to get Google reviews for your business, checked 11 October 2026.
• BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey, checked 11 October 2026.
• ASA, Fake consumer reviews, checked 11 October 2026.

Sam, Editor at Clariti Digital.

Related guides

• How to respond to a bad Google review: How to reply calmly to a bad review, with examples.
• How to report a fake Google review: How to flag a review you believe is fake, and what UK law says.
• Review request templates: Copy and edit messages that ask for honest reviews.

This guide is general information, not legal advice.