Why do Google reviews matter so much for a tradesperson?
They do two jobs. First, they help you get seen. Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking, in its guide to local ranking. Second, they help you get chosen. When three firms appear on the map, the reviews are what a customer reads before deciding who to ring.
For a trade they carry extra weight, because the customer is letting a stranger into their home. A review from a neighbour in the same town, describing the same kind of job, is the nearest thing online to a recommendation over the garden fence.
When is the best time to ask for a review?
On the day you finish, while the customer is standing in front of the new boiler or the finished patio and is pleased with it. Every day you wait, the job matters a little less to them and the request is easier to ignore.
- Ask in person first. "Would you mind leaving us a Google review? I will text you the link now." It is easier to say yes to a person than to a message.
- Send the link straight away, before you leave the drive.
- Send one polite reminder a few days later if nothing has appeared. Then leave it.
For longer jobs, such as an extension or a full garden, ask at handover, and consider asking again a few months on. A review saying the work has lasted is worth a great deal.
How do you make it easy for the customer?
Customers who agree to leave a review and then do not are often put off by the effort, not by you. Remove the effort. Google suggests sharing a link or a QR code that takes the customer straight to your review page, and you can get both from your Google Business Profile.
| Where to put the link | How |
|---|---|
| A text message | The best option. One tap opens the review box on their phone. |
| Your invoice or receipt | Add the QR code and one line asking for a review. |
| A card you leave behind | A QR code on a small card, handed over with the paperwork. |
| Your email sign-off | A short line with the link under your name. |
Save the link as a ready-made message on your phone, so sending it takes a few seconds on the customer's doorstep.
What should you say when you ask?
Keep it short, personal and honest. Something like this works for most trades:
- "Hi Sarah, thanks for having us in today. If you were happy with the new boiler, a quick Google review would really help a small local firm like ours. Here is the link."
Three things make that message work. It uses their name. It mentions the job, which nudges them to mention it too. And it says why it matters to you.
Do not write the review for them, and do not tell them what to say or what rating to give. A review in the customer's own words, even a short one, is more convincing than a polished paragraph that sounds like an advert.
What do Google's rules say you must not do?
Google is strict about this, and breaking the rules puts your whole profile at risk. Its guidance is in its tips to get more reviews.
- Do not offer anything for a review. No discount, no gift card, no prize draw. Google treats incentives as fake engagement and prohibits them.
- Do not post fake reviews, or ask friends and family who were not customers to post them. Reviews must reflect a real experience.
- Do not ask only the customers you expect to be kind. Ask everyone, and accept the odd four-star.
- Do not offer a deal in your reply to change someone's mind.
A profile with nothing but perfect scores can look less believable than one with the occasional honest grumble, politely answered.
How should you reply to reviews, including bad ones?
Google recommends replying to reviews, and that includes the negative ones. Your reply is not really for the person who wrote the review. It is for the next customer reading it.
- Good reviews: thank them by name and mention the job. Two lines is plenty.
- Bad reviews: reply calmly, within a day or two. Say you are sorry they were unhappy, state briefly what you did or will do, and offer to talk by phone. Do not argue the details in public.
- Reviews you believe are fake: you can report them to Google from your profile. Reply politely in the meantime, saying you have no record of the job.
A fair, calm reply to a bad review often does more for your reputation than another five-star would.