Why Google reviews matter
Reviews do two jobs at once. They're one of the signals Google uses to decide which local businesses to show in the Maps results, and they're what people read before deciding whether to call you or the business next to you. A profile with a handful of recent, detailed reviews looks busy and trustworthy. A profile with none looks like a gamble.
Step 1: Get your review link
The easiest way to get reviews is to send customers a direct link that opens the review box straight away. Searching for your business and hunting for the review button loses people, especially for service-area businesses that don't have a pin on the map.
- Search for your business name on Google while signed in to the account that manages your profile.
- In your Business Profile panel, click Ask for reviews (or Get more reviews).
- Copy the review link. It looks like g.page/r/…/review.
If the copy button doesn't work, click inside the link box, press Ctrl + A, then Ctrl + C. The same window also gives you a QR code you can save and print.
Step 2: Ask at the right moment
The best time to ask is straight after you've finished a job and the customer is pleased. That might be when you hand over the keys, finish the haircut or send the final invoice. A day or two later is still fine. A month later, most people won't bother.
Step 3: Make it easy
Send the link where your customers already are. For most local businesses that's WhatsApp or text, followed by email. Keep the message short and personal:
Hi Sarah, thanks again for choosing us. If you were happy with the work, would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It really helps a small local business like ours: [your review link]
Other easy ways to ask:
- Add the link to your invoices and email signature
- Print the QR code on a small card to leave after a job, or display it at your counter
- Mention it in a follow-up message checking everything's OK
Customers need a Google account to leave a review. Most people with an Android phone or Gmail already have one.
What not to do
Breaking the rules can get reviews removed or your profile suspended, so it's worth knowing where the lines are.
- Don't offer anything in return. Discounts, prize draws or freebies for reviews break Google's policies.
- Don't only ask happy customers. Google's rules prohibit selectively asking for positive reviews. Ask everyone the same way.
- Don't review your own business. That includes owners, staff and anyone posting on the business's behalf.
- Don't post reviews for customers. Even if a customer gives you their feedback, they need to post it themselves from their own account.
- Don't buy reviews. Since April 2025, UK consumer law under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has specifically banned fake reviews and concealed incentivised reviews, on top of Google's own rules.
Why reviews sometimes disappear
Google runs automated filters to catch suspicious reviews, and genuine ones occasionally get caught. Common triggers include reviews posted from the same Wi-Fi network or device as the business, a sudden burst of reviews in a short time, and reviews from brand-new accounts with no history. The safest approach is a steady flow of reviews from real customers on their own phones. If a genuine review vanishes, there's often little you can do, so focus on getting the next one.
Reply to every review
Replying shows customers, and Google, that you're active and that you care. Keep replies short and natural:
- Positive reviews: thank them by name and mention the job if you can. "Thanks Dave, glad the new boiler's keeping you warm."
- Negative reviews: stay calm, don't argue in public, acknowledge the issue and offer to sort it out offline. A polite reply to a bad review often reassures future customers more than the review itself worries them.
If a review breaks Google's policies, for example it's spam, abusive or clearly not from a customer, you can flag it from your Business Profile for Google to check.
How many reviews do you need?
There's no magic number. Look at the businesses in the Google Maps top three for your main search in Milton Keynes and aim to match them over time. A steady flow, even one or two a month, beats twenty in a week followed by nothing. Recent reviews count for a lot, both with Google and with customers.
Need a hand?
Setting up a simple review process is part of our Google Maps and Business Profile management. For more ways to strengthen your profile, read our Google Business Profile tips.