How to Generate Fantastic Google Business Profile Reviews

Updated October 2025

The main Google reviews strategy is more reviews = more map visibility, clicks, and calls. This playbook focuses on earning steady Google Business Profile reviews with a simple, repeatable system.

Want help setting this up? Our Google Business Profile optimisation service installs a reviews engine and keeps it running.

Why Google Business Profile Reviews Matter

Reviews influence two things that decide your pipeline:

• Prominence (ranking): steady, genuine reviews boost your chance of appearing in the local 3-pack.
• Conversion: star ratings, keywords in reviews, and owner replies turn views into calls, directions, and website clicks.

Related overview: start with our GBP “top of search” guide, then use this playbook to grow social proof.

Build a Simple, Repeatable Reviews System

A good system is easy, quick, and consistent. Here’s the blueprint:

1. Create your review link and save it where your team can find it.
2. Ask at the right moment (after a successful job) via SMS or email.
3. Follow up once (48–72 hours later).
4. Reply to every review within 48 hours.
5. Report monthly on new reviews and response time.

Google Business Profile Reviews: The System That Works

Step 1: Create Your Google Review Link (and Make It Easy to Share)

• In your GBP dashboard, open “Ask for reviews” and copy your unique link.
• Make a shortlink you can remember (e.g., yourbrand.com/review).
• Generate a QR code and place it on receipts, vans, counter cards, job-complete sheets.

Tip: keep one cloud doc called “Review Toolkit” with the shortlink, QR code, and message templates below.

Step 2: When to Ask (Timing = 80% of success)

Ask immediately after a win: job sign-off, successful meeting, resolved ticket, or delivered result. Aim for same day while the experience is fresh.

• Trades/field: technician texts the link at sign-off.
• Professional services: advisor emails after a completed deliverable.
• Hospitality/retail: hand a thank-you card with the QR + shortlink.

Step 3: What to Say (copy-and-paste templates)

SMS (≤160 chars):
Thanks for choosing us for [service] in [town]. A quick Google review really helps local customers: [short review link] – Steve

Email (short):
Subject: Quick favour about your recent [service]
Hi [First name], thanks again for choosing us for [service] in [town]. Would you mind leaving a quick Google review? It helps locals find a reliable option.
➡️ [short review link]
Really appreciate it – Steve, Steve Welsh Marketing

Follow-up (48–72 hours):
Hi [First name], just checking you received our review link. Your comments really help local customers. If anything wasn’t 5-star, reply to me directly so I can fix it.
➡️ [short review link] – Steve

Step 4: Reply to Every Review (Owner Response Framework)

Fast, human replies boost trust and conversions.

• Positive (CARE): Congratulate/thank • Acknowledge the specific service • Reinforce benefit • Encourage next step “Thanks, Jamie! Delighted our GBP optimisation improved calls in Kilmarnock. We’ll share more tips soon—shout if you need help with posts or photos.”
• Negative (CALM): Calm tone • Apology for experience • Line to resolve offline • Make-right step “Sorry this missed the mark, Alex. I’ve messaged you to fix it today. We aim to resolve within 24h and will update here.”

Add keywords naturally (service + location) once; never stuff.

Step 5: Showcase Reviews to Convert More Clicks

• Website: feature a reviews strip near the top of your local landing page with a “Read more on Google” link.
• GBP Posts: quarterly post sharing a standout review (with permission).
• Proposals/emails: add 1-2 relevant quotes that match the prospect’s sector.

See the GBP optimisation checklist for landing-page best practice.

Step 6: Stay Within Google’s Review Policies

Play it straight no incentives, no gating, no review-only links to happy customers. Ask all customers the same way.

Add a single external link: point “Google’s review policies” to the official Help Centre page.

Step 7: Track, Target, and Improve Monthly

• Targets: +3 to +5 new reviews/month, <48h average reply time.
• Metrics: new reviews, average rating, keywords mentioned, response time.
• GBP Insights: watch Calls/Directions/Website clicks alongside your review cadence.
• Automation: use calendar reminders or a simple Make/CRM workflow to send requests + follow-ups automatically.

Troubleshooting

• Nobody replies? Shift timing closer to the “win”; switch SMS → email or vice versa; add a polite follow-up.
• Competitor fake review? Flag it, respond calmly with facts, and invite the poster to contact you directly.
• Old address reviews? Merge or remove legacy listings; reply once on old reviews with a brief note and your current details.

Other posts that helpmyou improve your ranlking:

• GBP mistakes to avoid →
• GBP isn’t ranking →

1) Channel Playbook: Exactly How to Ask (SMS, Email, WhatsApp, In-Person)

SMS (≤160 chars):
Thanks for choosing us for [service] in [town]. A quick Google review really helps local customers: [short review link] – Steve

Email (short):
Subject: Quick favour about your recent [service]
Hi [First name], thanks again for trusting us for [service] in [town]. Would you mind leaving a quick review on Google? It helps locals pick a reliable option.
➡️ [short review link]
Really appreciate it – Steve

WhatsApp (friendly):
Great working with you today. If you’ve got 30 seconds, this Google review link helps other local customers find us: [short review link]. Thanks so much!

In-person / field teams:
At sign-off, show the QR card and say: “If everything was 5-star, this link lets you leave a quick Google review. It really helps local customers.” Hand the card; don’t hover.

Follow-up (48–72h):
Hi [First name], just checking you saw our review link. If anything wasn’t 5-star, reply to me and I’ll fix it today.
➡️ [short review link] – Steve

2) Owner Response Library (copy/paste)

Positive (CARE):
“Thanks, Jamie! Delighted our GBP optimisation helped in Kilmarnock. Appreciate you taking the time shout if you need help with posts or photos.”

Mixed:
“Thanks for the feedback, Priya. Glad the results helped; we’ve noted the timing issue and will tighten our process. Appreciate you highlighting it.”

Negative (CALM):
“Sorry this missed the mark, Alex. I’ve messaged you to fix it today. We aim to resolve within 24h and will update here once sorted.”

Suspicious/competitor:
“Hi, we can’t find a matching project under this name. Please contact us at info@… so we can look into this and put it right.”

3) Create & Share Your Review Link (step-by-step)

1. In the GBP dashboard, open Ask for reviews and copy your unique URL.
2. Save a short link (e.g., yourdomain.com/review).
3. Generate a QR code and put it on vans, counter cards, job sheets and invoices.
4. Store everything in a shared “Review Toolkit” doc (short link, QR, scripts).
5. Track requests sent vs reviews received each week.

4) Measurement & Targets (know what’s working)

• Targets: +3 to +5 new reviews/month, <48h average reply time.
• Metrics to log monthly: new reviews, average rating, keywords mentioned, response time, Calls/Directions/Website clicks in GBP Insights.
• Attribution tip: add UTM tags to the GBP website URL (e.g., ?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp) so you can see GBP traffic in Analytics and improve the landing page.

5) Compliance Essentials (keep it clean)

• No incentives, no gating (don’t only ask happy customers).
• Don’t write reviews for your own business or competitors.
• Ask all customers the same way; one polite follow-up max.
• If you embed Google reviews on your site, avoid marking them up with Review schema unless they’re native to your site and follow Google’s structured-data guidelines.

Review Cadence Targets & Dashboard
Aim for +3-5 new reviews/month and <48h average reply time. Track requests sent vs reviews received, reply time, and keywords mentioned in reviews. Log Calls / Directions / Website clicks from GBP Insights alongside your review cadence. If replies slip or requests drop, adjust timing (ask closer to the “win”), switch channel (SMS ↔︎ email/WhatsApp), and refresh your scripts quarterly.

Team Roles & Scripts
Assign simple roles so the system keeps running: Owner/Manager (sets monthly targets), Frontline (asks at the right moment and sends the link), Admin (sends the 48–72h follow-up and logs results). Keep a shared “Review Toolkit” doc containing your short review link, QR code, and the SMS/email/WhatsApp scripts. Train the team to use CARE for positives and CALM for negatives, and to escalate tricky cases quickly.

Team Rollout SOP (make reviews automatic)

Roles: Owner/Manager (sets monthly targets), Frontline (asks at the winning moment and sends the link), Admin (sends 48–72h follow-up and logs results).
Toolkit: one shared doc with your short review link, QR code, and the SMS/email/WhatsApp scripts.
Rhythm: every job gets a request; one polite follow-up only. Reply to all reviews within 48h using CARE (for positives) or CALM (for negatives).
Dashboard: track requests sent, reviews received, average reply time, and keywords mentioned in reviews. Check GBP Insights monthly (Calls, Directions, Website clicks) alongside your review cadence.
Quality control: refresh scripts quarterly; rotate one new review showcase on your landing page each month; spot-check replies for tone and usefulness.
The aim is a steady +3–5 reviews/month—small, consistent actions beat one-off pushes.

Conclusion

A steady, honest reviews routine compounds into higher visibility and more enquiries. Stick to the timing, send the link every time, reply fast, and showcase your best quotes your Google Business Profile reviews will do the selling for you.

Prefer a done-for-you setup? Our Google Business Profile optimisation service includes a reviews engine, posting rhythm, and monthly reporting.

Book your free consultation →

For the rules, see Google’s official review policies on the Help Centre.