What you can do
- Ask any genuine customer to leave an honest review
- Send them a direct link to your Google review page
- Send one polite reminder
- Reply publicly to reviews, good or bad
- Ask people to mention the type of work, so the review is useful to others
What you must not do
- Write reviews yourself or get friends, family or staff to post them
- Pay for reviews, or offer discounts, gifts or prize draws in return for them
- Only ask customers you expect to be happy (sometimes called review gating)
- Ask for positive reviews only, or tell people what to write
- Buy reviews from a third party
- Pressure customers to withdraw an honest negative review
Why the rules matter
Google can remove reviews and suspend business profiles that break its policies. In the UK, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 gave the Competition and Markets Authority stronger powers over fake and misleading reviews, including fines for businesses that break the rules. Rules on exactly how reviews must be handled continue to be set out in regulator guidance.
A quick yes and no list
| Action | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Asking a genuine customer for an honest review | Yes |
| Sending one polite reminder | Yes |
| Giving a discount, gift or prize for a review | No |
| Asking only customers you think will be happy | No (review gating) |
| Writing a review yourself or getting someone to | No |
| Telling customers what to write | No |
| Replying publicly to reviews | Yes |
| Pressuring someone to remove an honest review | No |
Review gating, explained
Review gating means filtering who gets asked, or who gets sent to your review page, based on how happy you think they are. For example, asking customers whether they were satisfied and only sending the happy ones to Google. It skews your reviews and is against Google's rules. The simple way to stay safe is to ask everyone the same way, however the job went.
Friends, family and staff
People with a close link to the business should not review it. A review from a relative or an employee gives a misleading picture and risks your profile being penalised. Ask real customers.
Using review software
Tools that send review requests can be fine, as long as they ask all customers and do not filter, reward or write reviews. Check what any tool does with your customers' details, and make sure your messages follow the rules on contacting people.
Keep records
If you are ever asked why a review appeared or how you collect them, it helps to be able to show your routine: who you ask, when, and with what wording. A short note in your own files is enough.
Messaging customers
Texts and emails are covered by privacy and electronic communications rules. As a general principle, you should only message people you have genuinely just worked for, say who you are, and make it easy to stop hearing from you. Some regulators treat requests for reviews as marketing in certain circumstances, so follow the Information Commissioner's Office guidance for your situation. Sending one request and at most one reminder keeps you on the careful side.
Where to check the rules
- Google's own policy pages on prohibited and restricted content for Maps reviews
- The Competition and Markets Authority guidance on online reviews
- The Information Commissioner's Office guidance on direct marketing and electronic messages
- Your trade body or a solicitor if you have a specific question
Common questions
Is asking for a review by text OK?
Generally yes, for someone you have just worked for, if you say who you are and make it easy to stop hearing from you. Check the ICO's current guidance.
Can I ask a customer to remove a bad review?
You can politely ask to resolve the problem, and a customer who is happy with the fix may choose to update their review. Never pressure someone, and never offer anything in return.
Are incentives ever allowed?
Google's policies prohibit offering incentives for reviews. UK law also targets fake and misleading reviews.
Where do I check the current rules?
Google's policy pages for Maps reviews, the CMA's guidance on online reviews and the ICO's guidance on direct marketing.
Our website includes a printable review kit: your Google review link, a QR card and message templates. We build a free preview first.
Get a free preview