On this page
Why reviews help you show up on Google Maps
Reviews count towards local search. Google says local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. Prominence means how well known a business is. To judge it, Google looks at, among other things, how many reviews you have. It also says that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking.
Google also says there is no way to pay for a better local ranking. For a shop in Lloret de Mar or a clinic in Girona, that means earning reviews one customer at a time. A complete, up-to-date profile matters too. With your address, opening hours and category filled in, Google has a clearer idea of what you do and which searches to show you in.
How to ask customers for reviews
From your Business Profile you can create a link and a QR code to ask for reviews. Google recommends using them to remind customers they can leave a review. Ask everyone with the same short, neutral message, such as “It would really help us if you told Google how it went”. Don't mention the rating you hope for or what you want them to say.
The best moment is right after the service, while the experience is still fresh. That way you don't have to chase people weeks later. Put the link wherever customers already hear from you, for example in these places.
- In the email or WhatsApp message you send after the visit.
- In the message confirming that an order has been delivered.
- On a QR code at reception, on the counter or on the menu, without pushing.
- At the end of a customer service chat.
Can I give a discount to customers who leave a Google review?
No. Google treats a discount in exchange for a review as fake engagement and bans it, just like payments or free products. If it finds out, Google removes those reviews and can restrict the profile. You can still ask for reviews, just without offering anything in return.
What Google bans when you ask for reviews
The basic rule is that every review must come from a genuine experience. That is why Google bans offering payments, discounts or free products and services in exchange for a review. You also can't offer anything to get a customer to change or remove a negative one. If you have front-of-house staff, explain these rules to them.
Google Maps rules also limit how you ask for reviews, even when no gift is involved. For example, you can't ask your staff to bring in a set number of reviews. You also can't do any of the following.
- Asking for reviews only from customers you know are happy.
- Discouraging or banning negative reviews.
- Requiring or pressuring customers to leave a review while they are on the premises.
- Asking for specific content in the review, such as a staff member's name.
- Asking employees, former employees or relatives to write reviews.
Do customers need a Google Account to leave a review?
Yes. People must be signed in to a Google Account to write a review. But Google explains that customers can create one with an email address that isn't Gmail. If many of your customers don't have an account, mention this in the message where you ask for the review.
Want us to look at your case? Leave us your details and we’ll tell you where we would start.
Let's talkWhat happens if Google finds fake or paid reviews
Google removes reviews that break its rules, such as those written by an employee or a relative. If it finds that a business has bought reviews, made them up or got them by offering something in return, it can also restrict the profile. For example, for a set period it can stop the profile from receiving new reviews or hide the ones it already has. It can also show a warning that fake reviews were removed.
Google emails the owner if it plans to apply a restriction, and the business can appeal if it thinks Google got it wrong. For a restaurant or hotel on the Costa Brava, losing visible reviews in the middle of the season is not a risk worth taking.
In Spain, article 27.8 of the Unfair Competition Act (Law 3/1991) also classes as misleading, and therefore unfair, any practice that adds fake consumer reviews or endorsements, or gets another natural or legal person to add them, or distorts consumer reviews or social endorsements in order to promote goods or services. This provision has been in force since 28 May 2022.
Can my staff or family leave reviews for the business?
They shouldn't. Google Maps rules don't allow reviews based on a conflict of interest, such as current or former employment at the business or family relationships. Google removes them when it detects them. Your team can still remind customers that they are welcome to leave one.
How to reply to reviews, including the bad ones
Replies are public, so keep them short, polite and written for each review. Google suggests not sending everyone the same thank you and not using replies to push deals, since the reviewer is already a customer. Reply promptly and sign off with your name or initials.
When a review is negative, never share the customer's personal details and don't attack them. Acknowledge what went wrong, explain what you can and can't do, and apologise where it makes sense. If the situation is complicated, invite them to sort it out by phone or email.
Can I ask a customer to change a negative review?
The best approach is to reply well and try to fix the problem. Google says a helpful reply and follow-up may even encourage the customer to update their review. What you can't do is offer anything in exchange for changing or removing it, because Google Maps rules explicitly ban that.
What to do about a fake or unfair review
If you think a review breaks Google's rules, you can flag it so Google can check it. That applies, for example, to reviews posted by a competitor to harm you or not based on a real experience. It also applies to offensive reviews and to ones that share someone's personal details without consent.
On the other hand, Google allows reviews that describe a bad experience respectfully. In that case, the right move is a good reply. Google itself notes that a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy.
