Playbooks

# How to get more Google reviews: when to ask, what to say, and what not to do

June 23, 2026 · 7 min read · By the Fullweek team

![](/media/agents/lena.jpg)

Lena, Fullweek agent

Short answer

To get more Google reviews, ask every customer, every time, at the moment they are happiest: on-site when the tech finishes, then by text within an hour with your direct review link. Make it one tap, keep the script short, reply to every review, and never offer incentives or only ask happy customers. Google bans both, and the FTC now fines fake reviews.

## Key takeaways

-   Ask **twice**: in person when the job is done, then a text with your review link within the hour.
-   Google says **more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking**, and LSA ranking uses your **rating and number of reviews**.
-   Never offer discounts or gifts for reviews, and never ask only happy customers. Google prohibits both.
-   The FTC's rule on fake reviews took effect **October 21, 2024** and allows **civil penalties** against knowing violators.
-   Reply to negative reviews within a day or two, briefly and without private details, and take the fix offline.

On this page

1.  [Why reviews move the phone, not just your ego](#why-reviews-matter)
2.  [When to ask: the two-touch system](#when-to-ask)
3.  [Set up your review link once](#review-link)
4.  [Scripts your techs and office can copy](#scripts)
5.  [What Google and the FTC prohibit](#what-google-prohibits)
6.  [How to respond to reviews, including the bad ones](#responding)
7.  [Set a monthly target and track it](#math)
8.  [Where Fullweek fits](#fullweek)

## Why reviews move the phone, not just your ego

For a plumber, HVAC company or electrician, Google reviews do two jobs. They convince the homeowner who is comparing three listings, and they feed the ranking systems that decide which three listings show up in the first place.

Google says local results are based on relevance, distance and prominence, and that review count and rating are part of prominence: "More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking." For Local Services Ads, Google lists your rating and number of reviews as part of profile quality, alongside responsiveness and photos.

| Where you show up | What reviews affect | Other big factors |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Google Maps and the local pack | Prominence (count and rating) | Distance, relevance of your categories and services |
| Local Services Ads | Profile quality (rating, number of reviews) | Bid, responsiveness, missed calls, photos |
| The homeowner's decision | Trust: recent, specific, from real neighbors | Whether you answer the phone |

You can't change your distance to the searcher. You can change how many reviews you get each month. That makes reviews one of the few ranking levers fully in your control.

## When to ask: the two-touch system

The best time to ask is when the customer is relieved: the water is off, the AC is blowing cold, the panel is safe. That window is short. A week later they have forgotten your tech's name. Use two touches.

1.  **On-site ask (the tech).** After the work is done and the invoice is settled, the tech asks in person and says a text is coming.
2.  **Text within the hour (the system).** A short text with the direct review link. Sending it while the tech is still pulling out of the driveway works well, because the customer just heard about it.
3.  **One reminder after two or three days**, only if they haven't left one. Then stop. More than one reminder starts to feel like pressure.

Ask everyone, not just the happy ones

Make the request automatic for every completed job in your field-service software. That keeps you inside Google's rules (more on that below) and removes the tech's judgment call about who to ask.

## Set up your review link once

Every extra tap loses people. Don't tell customers to "search for us on Google." Send the direct link that opens the review box.

1.  Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile and search your business name on Google or open it in Maps.
2.  Find the option to ask for reviews (Google labels it along the lines of "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews") and copy the short link. Google can also give you a QR code.
3.  Test it on your own phone, logged out, to make sure it opens the right business.
4.  Load the link into your text templates in ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or Jobber, and print the QR code on leave-behind cards and invoices.

Customers need a Google account to post a review. Most Android users already have one, and Google notes people can create one with a non-Gmail address.

## Scripts your techs and office can copy

### On-site script for the tech

"Thanks for having us out. We're a local company and Google reviews are how neighbors find us. I'm going to send you a text with a link. If you have 30 seconds, an honest review would help us a lot. And if anything wasn't right today, call me first so I can fix it."

Notice the last line. It invites problems back to you, but it does not tell unhappy customers to stay off Google. That distinction matters for compliance.

### Text right after the job

"Hi Maria, this is Jake from Valley Plumbing. Thanks for trusting us with your water heater today. Would you leave a quick review of how it went? \[link\] It really helps a small local business."

### One reminder, two or three days later

"Hi Maria, quick follow-up from Valley Plumbing. If you have a minute, here's that review link again: \[link\]. Thanks either way, and call us anytime if the new heater gives you trouble."

-   Use the customer's first name and the tech's name. Personal requests get answered more often than ones from "the team."
-   Mention the actual job ("your water heater") so it doesn't read like a blast.
-   Keep it under about 300 characters so it fits on one phone screen.
-   Spanish-speaking customers should get the request in Spanish.

## What Google and the FTC prohibit

This is where contractors get burned, often because a marketing vendor sold them a "review funnel." Google's policy on fake engagement is clear, and since 2024 there is a federal rule too.

| Practice | Allowed? | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Asking every customer for an honest review | Yes | This is what Google expects |
| Discount, gift card or raffle entry for a review | No | Google prohibits incentives in exchange for reviews |
| Review gating: ask "were you happy?" and only send happy people to Google | No | Google bans selectively soliciting positive reviews |
| Employees, family or friends posing as customers | No | Fake engagement under Google policy; undisclosed insider reviews under the FTC rule |
| Buying reviews or using AI to write them | No | Banned by Google and by the FTC rule |
| Pressuring or threatening someone to remove a bad review | No | The FTC rule covers review suppression by threats or intimidation |

Google's prohibited content policy says merchants may not "discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers," and may not offer money, discounts or free goods or services in exchange for a review. Google can remove reviews that break these rules and may restrict your profile.

The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials took effect on October 21, 2024. It bans fake reviews (including AI-generated ones), buying reviews, incentives conditioned on positive or negative sentiment, undisclosed reviews by owners and managers, and suppressing reviews through threats. It lets the FTC seek civil penalties against knowing violators. This is a summary, not legal advice; talk to your attorney if you're unsure about a specific practice.

Watch your vendors

If a reputation tool shows a "How did we do?" screen and only sends 4 and 5 star answers to Google, that is review gating. Turn that feature off or switch tools. Your business is on the hook, not the vendor.

## How to respond to reviews, including the bad ones

Replies are read by the next homeowner, not just the reviewer. Google's own guidance: keep replies short, polite and professional, don't share private information, don't attack the reviewer, and invite them to contact you for complex issues.

### Positive review

"Thanks, Dave. Glad Marcus got your AC running before the heat wave. We'll see you at the fall tune-up." Use a detail from the job. Skip the coupon codes; Google advises against promotions in replies.

### Negative review

1.  Reply within a day or two. A fast, calm answer often matters more than the review itself.
2.  Acknowledge the specific complaint without arguing the facts in public.
3.  Give a name and a direct number, and move it offline.
4.  Fix it if it's fair. Many customers will update a review on their own after a good fix. Don't make a refund conditional on removing it.

Example: "Linda, I'm sorry the tech arrived outside the window we gave you. That's on us. I'm the service manager, please call me at (555) 010-0199 so I can make it right. Tom, Valley Plumbing."

If a review is fake (no record of the customer, a competitor, or spam), report it through your Business Profile instead of arguing in the reply.

## Set a monthly target and track it

Say your shop completes 200 jobs a month. If 1 in 10 customers leaves a review, that's 20 reviews a month. If the two-touch system gets you to 1 in 5, that's 40. Over a year, the difference is 240 extra reviews, which is often more than a competitor's entire profile.

| Completed jobs per month | Review rate | Reviews per month | Reviews per year |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 200 | 1 in 10 | 20 | 240 |
| 200 | 1 in 5 | 40 | 480 |
| 80 | 1 in 10 | 8 | 96 |
| 80 | 1 in 5 | 16 | 192 |

These are example rates for illustration; measure your own. Track reviews per tech each month and share the board at the team meeting. Recognition works, but don't pay techs per review, which can push them toward pressure tactics or the fake reviews you are trying to avoid.

## Where Fullweek fits

Fullweek manages your Google Business Profile and sends automatic review requests to every customer after the job is marked complete in ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro or Jobber, in English or Spanish. No gating, no incentives. Reviews only help if the phone gets answered, so our [AI answering service](/ai-answering-service) picks up missed and after-hours calls too. See [pricing](/#pricing) or ask for a [free city audit](/#audit) to see how your review count compares with the top three in your area.

## Sources

-   [Google Business Profile Help: How Google determines local ranking](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7091)
-   [Google Local Services Ads Help: How ad ranking works](https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/7527305)
-   [Google Maps user contributed content policy: prohibited and restricted content](https://support.google.com/contributionpolicy/answer/7400114)
-   [Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews](https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474122)
-   [FTC: Federal Trade Commission announces final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (August 2024)](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-rule-banning-fake-reviews-testimonials)
-   [Federal Register: Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465)](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/22/2024-18519/trade-regulation-rule-on-the-use-of-consumer-reviews-and-testimonials)

## FAQ

Can I offer a discount for a Google review?

No. Google prohibits offering money, discounts or free goods or services in exchange for a review. The FTC rule also bans incentives conditioned on a positive or negative review.

What is review gating and why is it a problem?

Review gating means asking customers how they felt first and only sending the happy ones to Google. Google's policy bans selectively soliciting positive reviews, so ask every customer the same way.

Do Google reviews affect Local Services Ads?

Yes. Google lists your rating and number of reviews as part of profile quality in the LSA auction, along with responsiveness, missed calls and photos.

Should I reply to every Google review?

Reply to every negative review and to positive ones where you can add something specific. Google recommends short, polite, personal replies rather than the same generic thank-you everywhere.

Can I delete a bad Google review?

You can't delete reviews yourself. You can report reviews that break Google's policies, such as spam or fake reviews. For honest negative reviews, reply professionally and fix the problem.

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## Related pages

-   [Answering service for contractors](/answering-service-for-contractors)
-   [Ai answering service](/ai-answering-service)

## See what your city is missing

Free audit: your Google profile vs the top 3 in your city, missed-call signals in your reviews, and the jobs you are losing.

[Get free audit](/#audit)

On this page

1.  [Why reviews move the phone, not just your ego](#why-reviews-matter)
2.  [When to ask: the two-touch system](#when-to-ask)
3.  [Set up your review link once](#review-link)
4.  [Scripts your techs and office can copy](#scripts)
5.  [What Google and the FTC prohibit](#what-google-prohibits)
6.  [How to respond to reviews, including the bad ones](#responding)
7.  [Set a monthly target and track it](#math)
8.  [Where Fullweek fits](#fullweek)

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Canonical URL: https://usefullweek.com/blog/how-to-get-more-google-reviews
Title: How to get more Google reviews: a contractor's playbook