10 Best Ways to Get More Google Reviews in 2024 + Examples

Did you know that 90% of modern consumers consult customer reviews and recommendations when making their final purchasing decisions?

After all, Google reviews can significantly influence your business’s online visibility and credibility, which ultimately impacts your customers’ decisions.

So read on to learn how to get more reviews on Google (with actionable tips, practical advice, and expert insights) and how they impact your business.

How do Google reviews work, and why do they matter?

When users search for a service on Google, the search engine provides results that consider the proximity to the user and the ratings of local businesses on Google. That rating is aggregated by the reviews people submit via Google Search or the Google Maps app.

So why do people read Google reviews? In a nutshell:

Google reviews offer valuable information about а business’s operations and customers’ real interactions and experiences with that business. Ultimately, Google reviews matter because the vast majority of customers discover local businesses there, making Google the most important review platform for local businesses.

The way businesses climb the rating ladder is via effective digital marketing tactics and SEO practices, one of which is the number of genuine reviews they collect—the more you have (bad and good), the better since more reviews equal greater relevance.

Therefore, if you have many a positive review and your business is close to your searchers, your business will appear at the top of the SERPs.

Note: Once your collect negative and positive Google reviews on your Google Business Profile, your potential customers will be able to see them in local search results when searching for a certain product (or your business specifically) and when they access your location on Google Maps. Usually the location with the top Google reviews rating will appear first, for example:

FYI: You can automatically embed Google reviews widget on your website and show authentic user-generated reviews, increasing trust for more sales. Try it now.

How to get Google reviews for my business: 10 Effective methods

Ready to use Google reviews to boost your brand’s reputation and ranking? Here are some of the best ways to get Google reviews that can help achieve just that:

1. Setup and optimize your Google Business Profile
2. Ask for reviews via email or SMS
3. Get feedback when sending invoices.
4. Mention reviews during phone calls.
5. Embed Google review CTAs on your pages.
6. Automate the review collection process.
7. Obtain reviews via surveys.
8. Get reviews on Google via social media platforms.
9. Add a Google reviews badge on your website.
10. Use Google Reviews NFC card.

However, to successfully collect reviews, you must first get your Google review link. To do that, you only have to find your business on Google, tap ‘Ask for reviews’ in your Google Business Profile, and copy the link that appears in the pop-up window.

So, without further ado, let’s check out ten proven strategies to help you get more Google reviews to boost your online reputation and get more customers.

1. Setup and optimize your Google Business Profile

First things first: you cannot collect Google reviews or appear in search results without creating a Google Business Profile.

It is a very straightforward process that you can complete by navigating to https://www.google.com/business/.

Once there, click ‘Manage now’ (top-right corner) and follow a few simple steps, such as inputting your business name and category, choosing your location on the map, and providing details like your delivery service, business hours, and messaging options.

Are you done verifying your profile? Good. Now let’s optimize it!

There are various changes you can make to your profile to make it more visible and accessible to potential customers, including but not limited to adding photos of your products, services, and physical stores, describing your offerings, and using Google Posts.

Additionally, you should choose appealing photos, be detailed with your business information and descriptions, and respond to every review you receive.

Remember: people want to see that your business is actively improving its offering and interacting with potential customers, so you must show that regularly.

2. Ask for reviews via email and SMS

Your happy customers will gladly review your business—all you have to do is ask!

One of the most straightforward strategies is to collect Google reviews via email after confirming a transaction or rendered service.

You just need to send a personalized email thanking them for their business and kindly ask them to leave a review. However, make sure to include a direct link to your Google review page to make the process as easy as possible for your customers:

3. Get reviews on Google My Business when sending invoices

Another good moment to ask for a review is when you send a bill or an invoice—a method that can be particularly effective for businesses that provide ongoing services. Just include a note in your invoice emails asking for a review and provide a link to your Google page.

4. Mention reviews during phone calls

If your business requires regular phone interaction with customers, consider asking for reviews at the end of a successful call. This can be a great way to get customer reviews on Google, especially if customers are satisfied with the service they receive.

5. Embed Google review CTAs on your pages

Including a call-to-action (CTA) for getting Google reviews in your email signature, newsletter, website, or other digital destinations is another effective way to encourage Google reviews. This could be a text prompt or a clickable button that directs users to your Google review page:

6. Automate the review collection process

Automating your review requests and collection process can save you plenty of time since you’ll ensure that every customer is asked for a review and is granted the option to submit one quickly. Various online tools allow you to send automated email or SMS review requests after a certain trigger event, such as after finalizing a product or service purchase or subscription.

For example, check out this automatic review collection email a Shopify store automatically sends out to customers after they make a purchase:

7. Obtain reviews via surveys

Surveys can be a great way to gather customer feedback and encourage the submission of future reviews.

However, once they do, you’ll get much more than a review; you’ll also obtain highly-valued feedback that will help you devise a strategy to improve your services. While customers fill in the survey, you can add a link to your Google reviews page, and include this as an option for them to further help you out and provide you a public review.

Here’s one such example of a beauty salon survey:

8. Increase reviews on Google via social media platforms

Perhaps the most convenient method for getting Google reviews is to utilize your social media channels. You can occasionally add a quick review request underneath your posts or in your link in bio, especially when you are showing off your latest products and services. Also, remind your followers about the importance of reviews and how they help your business.

Check out this Instagram link-in-bio section of an Origami store:

9. Add a Google reviews badge on your website

Last but not least, a very practical, effective, and aesthetically pleasing solution is to add a Google reviews badge on your website that will show the rating from your posts and also add a link to your Google reviews page.

Check out some of the Google review badges you can embed to redirect users to your Google location so they can submit their testimonials via the Google review form:

However, always remember to thank your customers for leaving a review, especially if they leave a glowing review. Here are some excellent positive responses to use!

10. Use Google reviews NFC card

NFC (Near Field Communication) business cards are gaining popularity and can be a useful tool for soliciting reviews from customers. Here’s a potential method to utilize them for this purpose.

Here is how it works.

1. Integration with review platforms: First, ensure that your NFC business cards are programmed to link directly to review platforms relevant to your business. This could be Google Reviews, Yelp, Trustpilot, or industry-specific review sites.
2. Personal interaction: When you hand over your NFC business card to a customer, personally encourage them to leave a review. A genuine request can make a significant impact.
3. Ease of use: The convenience factor plays a crucial role. With an NFC card, customers can simply tap the card with their NFC-enabled smartphone, and they will be taken directly to the review page. This removes the need for them to search for your business online.

Check the possibility of getting your own Google reviews NFC card by EmbedSocial.

Why do you need to get more Google reviews from customers?

As we briefly mentioned above, collecting more Google reviews does wonders for your business since they come with a slew of benefits for your reach and sales:

• They improve your brand trust and credibility—Google is the most used and trusted search engine so people consider these reviews to be very reliable, which builds confidence and a positive perception in potential customers;
• They increase your online exposure—having a higher number of Google reviews often leads to increased visibility in search results, making your business more likely to be discovered by potential customers searching for related products or services;
• They boost your position in local SERPs—positive Google reviews for online businesses can influence your local SEO rankings, ensuring your business appears higher up in search results when people are looking for services or products in your area;
• They provide feedback about your products—these reviews act as a valuable source of customer feedback, offering insights into what customers love about your products and areas where you might improve, helping you to refine your offerings;
• They improve conversions on landing pages—seeing positive reviews on your landing pages can significantly enhance trust, encouraging visitors to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service;
• They boost your sales numbers—the enhanced trust, visibility, and improved search engine ranking contributed by Google reviews often lead to an increase in sales, as more potential customers find and choose your business over competitors;
• They greatly impact your CTR in search results—the top result in Google organic search results gets 27.6% of all clicks on average. Naturally, as you get closer to the top, you’ll get a larger piece of that CTR pie since you’ll be much more visible to consumers.

As you can see, Google reviews have become very important for today’s businesses as they represent a vital part of their Google Maps marketing strategy and online presence. Ultimately, Google hosts the vast majority of online reviews (over 90%) compared to Facebook.

Also, Google’s algorithm tries to produce the most relevant results to user queries. If many users review you, whether with 5- or 1-star reviews, Google considers all of them. So, having more reviews increases your chances of climbing the search results.

Learn more how reviews and other types of UGC content impact the consumer decision-making process

How UGC Impact Consumer Decision-Making Process? + Examples.

Asking for Google customer reviews: Email and SMS examples

Let’s check out a few practical and industry-specific email templates designed to encourage customers to fill out surveys and leave Google Reviews for various businesses, including restaurants, hotels, dental clinics, auto repair shops, and fitness centers:

For restaurants

Here is a simple email on how to get reviews on Google for your restaurant:

Subject: We’d love to hear about your dining experience at [Restaurant Name]!

Body: Hi there!

Thank you for choosing [Restaurant Name] for your meal. We hope you enjoyed the food and ambiance. As a small business, we’d appreciate it if you could take a moment to share your experience with us on Google Reviews.

Here’s the link: [Google Review Link]

Your feedback helps us improve and continue to serve delicious food in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Thank you for your support!

Best regards, [Your Name / Restaurant Name]

Review request email template

For hotels

Use the email template below to generate reviews on Google for your hotel:

Subject: How was your stay at [Hotel Name]?

Body: Dear [Customer Name],

Thank you for choosing [Hotel Name] for your recent stay. We hope you had a comfortable and enjoyable time with us. We’d love to hear about your experience and kindly ask if you could share your thoughts on Google Reviews.

Please click here to review us: [Google Review Link]

Your valuable feedback allows us to improve our services and ensure future guests have an exceptional experience. We appreciate your time and support!

Warm regards, [Your Name / Hotel Name]

For dental clinics

Subject: Share your experience with [Dental Clinic Name]!

Body: Hello [Customer Name],

Thank you for trusting [Dental Clinic Name] with your dental care. We hope you had a positive experience during your visit. We’d be grateful if you could take a moment to review our clinic on Google Reviews and share your thoughts.

Please click here to review us: [Google Review Link]

Your feedback helps us maintain our high standards and provide the best dental care for our patients. We appreciate your support!

Best regards, [Your Name / Dental Clinic Name]

For auto repair shops

Subject: How was your experience at [Auto Repair Shop Name]?

Body: Hi [Customer Name],

Thank you for choosing [Auto Repair Shop Name] for your vehicle’s needs. We hope we were able to meet your expectations and provide excellent service. We’d appreciate it if you could share your experience with us on Google Reviews.

Here’s the link to review us: [Google Review Link]

Your feedback is crucial in helping us improve our services and support our local business. Thank you for your time!

Best regards, [Your Name / Auto Repair Shop Name]

For fitness centers

Subject: How’s your fitness journey going at [Fitness Center Name]?

Body: Hey [Customer Name],

Thank you for being a valued member of [Fitness Center Name]. We hope our facilities and services are helping you achieve your fitness goals. We’d love to hear about your experience with us and ask if you could kindly leave a review on Google Reviews.

Please click here to review us: [Google Review Link]

Your feedback helps us improve our center and provide the best possible environment for our members. We appreciate your support!

Stay fit, [Your Name / Fitness Center Name]

You can also send out SMS requests to get more Google reviews!

Keeping it simple is one of the best Google review ideas for businesses. So, here are a few text message templates:

Hey [first name]! Please take a moment to leave us a review of your experience with [company name] today at [review link]. Thanks!

Or by specific industry:

Restaurants:

“Hi [Customer Name]! Thanks for dining at [Restaurant Name]. Enjoyed your meal? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please review us on Google: [Shortened Google Review Link] – [Your Name / Restaurant Name]”

Hotels:

“Dear [Customer Name], thank you for staying at [Hotel Name]. We hope you had a great time! Share your experience with us on Google Reviews: [Shortened Google Review Link] – [Your Name / Hotel Name]”

Dental clinics:

“Hello [Customer Name], thanks for visiting [Dental Clinic Name]. We’d appreciate your feedback on Google Reviews: [Shortened Google Review Link] – [Your Name / Dental Clinic Name]”

Auto repair shops:

“[Customer Name], thank you for choosing [Auto Repair Shop Name]. Let us know how we did on Google Reviews: [Shortened Google Review Link] – [Your Name / Auto Repair Shop Name]”

Fitness centers:

“Hey [Customer Name], how’s your fitness journey at [Fitness Center Name]? Share your thoughts on Google Reviews: [Shortened Google Review Link] – [Your Name / Fitness Center Name]”

Remember to shorten the Google Review Link to fit within the SMS character limit and make it more convenient for customers to click.

Check out 60+ industry-based review request templates in The Reviews Plan eBook.

Managing your existing Google reviews is not that hard!

You can easily manage the Google reviews you receive, including displaying them online and responding to them by using a top review management platform.

Plus, you should practice the following strategies daily:

• Check up on your reviews daily;
• Respond to each new review;
• Report defamatory reviews.

Responding to negative, neutral, and positive reviews requires a somewhat different approach. For instance, while you should offer your genuine thanks for positive reviews, you should acknowledge negative reviews and ask the customer how to improve!

To learn more, check out our step-by-step guide on responding to Google reviews.

FYI: You can automatically embed Google reviews widget on your website and show authentic user-generated reviews, increasing trust for more sales. Try it now.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the best method to build a good online reputation for your business is to get as many Google reviews as possible (bad ones included.

After all, a mix of great and bad reviews is a good thing—it shows that you are a real business and didn’t beg for or buy positive reviews about your services.

So, do as many of the above strategies as you can to get more reviews on Google. Then, you can pick the best ones and place them strategically on your website or all across your social media platforms to gain additional value and acquire new customers.

FAQs about Google Reviews

We summarized the most frequent questions about Google reviews. Here is the list:

How to generate Google reviews via email?

There are a few ways to get customers to leave Google reviews, but the easiest one is to use a Google review email campaign. Just send out emails to your customers after they’ve made a purchase, asking them to leave a review on your Google Business page. You can even include the needed link.

Should you buy Google reviews?

Buying Google Reviews is not recommended since that action violates Google’s policies and can damage your business’s reputation. Ethical alternatives like encouraging genuine customer feedback are more beneficial and sustainable.

Can you write a Google review without having a Google account?

Unfortunately, you cannot write and leave a Google review without a Google account. You need to sign into a Google account to ensure that reviews are authentic and reliable. Otherwise, fake customers would intentionally ruin businesses’ reputations.

Can you get fake Google reviews?

No, creating or obtaining fake reviews is against Google’s policies. Google requires that all reviews be honest and based on real experiences. Creating, buying, or encouraging fake reviews can result in penalties, including removal of reviews, suspension of accounts, or legal action.

How to get negative reviews removed?

To remove fake, negative, or defamatory reviews from your Google Business page, you can ask the reviewer to remove it, plead with Google to do it, or report it as spam.

How do I respond to Google reviews?

Usually, you receive an email that you got a new review. After clicking on the respond link, you are redirected to your Google My Business profile, where you can directly write your response. Remember to thank the reviewer for their feedback, apologize if they had a bad experience, and offer to help if they need assistance.

How do I fetch more Google reviews?

Some of the ways to encourage customers to leave reviews include asking them in person, sending them follow-up emails, and adding review links on your website.

How can I get more 5-star Google reviews?

The best way to get a 5-star Google review is to ask customers that you know are happy with your product or service to leave you a review.

Can you delete Google reviews as a business owner?

As a business owner, you cannot directly delete reviews left by others on your Google Business Profile. However, you can respond to reviews and, if a review violates Google’s review policies (e.g., spam, inappropriate content), you can flag it for Google to review and possibly remove.

Can I copy Google reviews to my website?

Yes, you can, and the easiest method to achieve that is to use a review management tool like EmbedReviews, which lets you embed an entire Google Business reviews widget on your website in just a few minutes and automatically syncs all future reviews.

How to generate reviews on Google?

Getting Google reviews is a multi-step process that may include any or all of the following steps:

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
• Provide excellent customer service
• Ask for reviews
• Make it easy for customers to leave reviews
• Respond to positive and negative reviews
• Create a review management strategy

How many Google reviews do you need?

Well, the more reviews you have, the better. There’s no such thing as too many reviews. That said, aim to get more reviews than your competitors, regardless of your niche.

FYI: You can automatically embed Google reviews widget on your website and show authentic user-generated reviews, increasing trust for more sales. Try it now.

How to display an aggregated star snippet in Google search?

Do you know those beautiful yellow stars with a review count besides some links in the search results? 
Well, that’s a review snippet – a simple code embedded on the website that signals Google to display the review count along with the results.

So, what do you need to start with Google rating snippets?

1. Google My Business account
2. At least 5 Google reviews
3. Schema code generator

Learn more: Steps to get an aggregated Google Rating.

Luckily for you, the EmbedSocial platform provides this functionality, and you can embed your schema.org code and get the rating count next to your search result.