Reviews Are Currency. Counterfeiting Got Expensive.
Getting more Google reviews is one of the few marketing jobs that costs almost nothing and pays twice. Reviews help decide where you appear on Google Maps, and they help a stranger decide whether to call. A business with a steady stream of recent, specific reviews looks alive. A business with eleven reviews, the newest from 2022, looks like it might have closed.
That pressure created an industry of shortcuts: review-buying services, "reputation management" firms that post on your behalf, and software that asks only the happy customers. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule aimed squarely at those shortcuts. Google has had its own rules for years.
This guide covers what is off-limits, what is fine, and a simple routine that produces honest reviews week after week. It is general information, not legal advice. If you have questions about a specific practice, ask an attorney.
What the FTC Rule Prohibits
In August 2024, the FTC announced a final rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, and it took effect that October. In broad strokes, it prohibits:
- Fake reviews and testimonials, including reviews from people who never used the business and reviews that misrepresent who wrote them. AI-generated fakes count.
- Buying reviews conditioned on sentiment, meaning compensation or incentives tied to a review being positive (or negative, about a competitor).
- Undisclosed insider reviews from owners, managers, employees, or their relatives, in certain circumstances.
- Company-controlled "independent" review sites that pretend to be neutral.
- Review suppression, such as using threats, intimidation, or false accusations to stop or remove negative reviews.
- Fake social media indicators, such as bought followers or views, used to misrepresent influence.
The rule lets the FTC seek civil penalties from violators. The details matter, so read the rule itself or ask counsel before designing any review program that involves incentives.
What Google Prohibits
Google's own review policies are stricter in some places:
- No incentives at all. Google does not allow discounts, gifts, or drawing entries in exchange for reviews, even if you never ask for a positive one.
- No review gating. You may not ask only the customers you expect to be happy, or route unhappy customers away from Google with a "Were you satisfied?" screen first.
- No reviews from the inside. Owners and employees should not review their own business.
- No conflicts of interest. Reviewing a competitor, or trading reviews with another business, is out.
Google has also long advised against in-store review stations, and reviews posted in bulk from one device or location may be filtered. Violations can lead to removed reviews and restrictions on your profile. The cheap shortcut gets expensive.
What Is Allowed, and Works
Asking. Simply asking every customer, consistently, is allowed and effective. Most satisfied customers are happy to leave a review. They need a reminder and a link.
- Ask every customer, not only the ones you expect to be pleased.
- Ask soon, while the job is fresh.
- Make it easy, with a direct link that opens the review form.
- Respond to every review, good and bad.
The Routine
Here is a routine that fits a service business. Adjust the details to yours.
1. Get your direct review link. In your Google Business Profile, find the option to ask for reviews and copy the short link. Turn it into a QR code for invoices and leave-behind cards.
2. Make the ask part of the job. For home service companies, the technician is the right person to ask, because they are the person the customer just met. Something like: "We'd appreciate an honest Google review. I'll text you the link." Practice it until it sounds like a person, not a script.
3. Send the link the same day. A short text with the link, sent automatically when the job is marked complete in your scheduling software. People read texts. Email is where review requests go to retire.
4. Send one reminder. A few days later, one polite follow-up to customers who have not reviewed. Then stop. Three reminders is a nuisance.
5. Reply to every review within a few days. Thank people specifically. For a negative review, respond calmly, acknowledge the problem without arguing, and offer to sort it out offline. Never reveal private details. Medical and dental practices should keep replies general, since even confirming that a reviewer is a patient can raise privacy issues.
6. Track it monthly. Count requests sent, reviews received, and average rating. If requests go out and reviews do not come back, look at the wording and timing. Our free local SEO checker gives a quick read on how your profile compares.
Automation handles steps three and four. Our marketing automation setups connect your scheduling or CRM software to review requests so nobody has to remember.
What to Do About Bad Reviews
You will get some. A business with only perfect reviews looks curated. A thoughtful reply to a fair complaint often persuades readers more than another five stars.
- Fair complaint: apologize, explain what you are doing about it, and offer to make it right.
- Mistaken complaint: stay calm, state the facts briefly, and invite a direct conversation.
- Fake or policy-violating review (a competitor, a person who was never a customer, abusive language): flag it through your Google Business Profile and keep records. Removal is not guaranteed.
Never offer money or a refund in exchange for deleting a review. That collides with Google's policies and with the FTC's concerns about review suppression.
Why Honest Reviews Win Anyway
Reviews feed what Google calls prominence, one of the three local ranking factors in our Google Maps ranking explainer. Volume, recency, and your replies also shape how customers choose, which we cover in how San Antonio customers pick a contractor.
Specific reviews (the technician's name, the neighborhood, the problem solved) tell Google and customers what you actually do. Fake reviews rarely contain that detail. Real customers write it without being asked.
Our Google Business Profile management and local SEO services include review routines, reply templates, and monthly tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to ask customers for Google reviews?
Yes. Asking customers for honest reviews is allowed under Google's policies and the FTC's rule. What crosses the line is offering incentives for reviews, asking only customers you expect to be positive, writing fake reviews, or pressuring people to remove negative ones. Ask every customer consistently and let them say what they think.
Can I offer a discount in exchange for a Google review?
No, not under Google's policies. Google does not allow incentives in exchange for reviews, even if you never require the review to be positive. The FTC's rule separately prohibits incentives conditioned on a review's sentiment. Ask every customer for an honest review and offer nothing in return.
What is review gating and why is it a problem?
Review gating means screening customers first, usually with a satisfaction question, then sending only happy ones to Google while steering unhappy ones elsewhere. Google's policies prohibit selectively soliciting positive reviews this way, and it gives readers a distorted picture. Send the same review request to every customer instead.
What does the FTC fake review rule mean for a small business?
The FTC's rule, announced in August 2024, prohibits fake reviews and testimonials, buying reviews conditioned on sentiment, certain undisclosed insider reviews, and suppressing negative reviews through threats or false claims. Small businesses are covered. The safe practice is to ask every customer for an honest review and never write, buy, or filter reviews.
Want a review routine that runs without anyone remembering it? We will look at your profile, your reviews, and your follow-up process, then send a free written plan you keep whether or not you hire us. Request your free plan or call (210) 346-0848.
Filed under
- Google Reviews
- Reputation
- FTC
- Local SEO
- Compliance