To start collecting Google reviews, you need a Google Business Profile, which is free to create and typically takes under 30 minutes to set up (though verification can add a few days). Once your profile is live, Google gives you a direct link and QR code you can share with customers to make leaving a review as easy as possible. Here’s how to get everything running.
Create Your Google Business Profile
Go to the Google Business Profile website and click “Manage now.” You’ll need to sign in with a Google account or create one. From there, the setup walks you through a handful of screens:
- Enter your business name. Start typing your business name. If it appears in the suggestions, select it to claim the existing listing Google may have auto-generated. If it doesn’t appear, click “Add your business to Google” at the bottom of the list.
- Choose a business category. Pick a primary category that describes what your business does (like “plumber” or “restaurant”), then optionally add a secondary category to narrow it further (like “sushi restaurant”). This controls which searches your profile shows up in, so be specific.
- Add your location. If customers visit your physical location, enter your address. If you travel to customers instead (cleaning services, mobile mechanics, contractors), you’ll set up a service area instead. More on that below.
- Add contact details. Enter your phone number and website URL. Both display publicly on your profile, so use the number and site you want customers to reach.
Set Up a Service Area If You Don’t Have a Storefront
Businesses that visit or deliver to customers, like plumbers, landscapers, or house cleaners, can create a profile without displaying a street address. Google calls this a “service-area business.” If you don’t serve customers at your business address, you should remove that address from your profile entirely and define your service area instead.
To configure this, go to your Business Profile, select “Edit profile,” then “Location.” Next to “Service area,” select “Edit” and enter the cities, postal codes, or regions you serve. You can list up to 20 service areas, but the overall boundary shouldn’t extend more than about two hours of driving time from where your business is based. You can’t set a radius distance; you have to specify named areas.
Verify Your Business
Google won’t publish your profile or let you collect reviews until it confirms you’re the actual owner. After completing your profile setup, Google will prompt you to verify. The method it offers depends on your business type and what Google can confirm automatically. Options may include video verification, phone, email, or a postcard mailed to your business address.
Video verification typically asks you to record a short clip showing your business location, signage, or operations. Postcard verification involves Google mailing a code to your listed address, which can take up to two weeks. Follow whichever method Google presents, enter the verification code when you receive it, and your profile goes live.
While you wait for verification, use the time to fill out the rest of your profile. Add your business hours, upload photos of your location or work, write a description of what you offer, and list your services or products. A complete profile looks more trustworthy to customers and tends to rank better in local search results.
Get Your Review Link and QR Code
Once your profile is verified, Google gives you a direct link that takes customers straight to the review form. To find it, go to your Business Profile, select “Read Reviews,” then click “Get more reviews” (the share icon). From there you can copy the review link or generate a QR code.
The review link works anywhere: text messages, emails, receipts, invoices, or your website. The QR code is handy for printed materials like business cards, table tents, or checkout signage. One limitation: QR codes can currently only be generated from a computer browser, not from a mobile device.
Keep the link short and accessible. Some businesses paste it into their email signature, add it to the bottom of invoices, or text it to customers right after completing a job. The fewer clicks between your customer and the review form, the more reviews you’ll get.
How to Ask for Reviews Without Breaking Google’s Rules
Google allows you to ask customers for reviews, but there are clear boundaries. Understanding these rules protects your profile from having reviews removed or, worse, getting your listing suspended.
You are allowed to encourage customers to leave honest reviews about their genuine experience. A simple “Would you mind leaving us a Google review?” after a completed service is perfectly fine.
What you cannot do:
- Offer incentives. No discounts, free products, gift cards, or payments in exchange for a review. This applies to positive reviews, updated reviews, or removal of negative reviews.
- Gate your reviews. You can’t screen customers first by asking “How was your experience?” and only send the review link to people who respond positively. Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews or discouraging negative ones.
- Pressure customers on-site. Don’t require customers to leave a review while they’re still at your location, and don’t tell staff they need to collect a certain number of reviews.
- Script the content. You can’t ask customers to mention a specific employee by name, include certain keywords, or write about particular aspects of their visit.
The simplest compliant approach: send every customer the same review link after their visit or purchase, with a brief, no-pressure message thanking them and inviting honest feedback.
Making Your Profile Work Harder
A profile with five reviews and no photos won’t inspire much confidence. Once your review link is circulating, invest time in the parts of your profile that make people more likely to choose you after reading those reviews.
Upload high-quality photos regularly. Businesses with photos receive significantly more clicks and direction requests than those without. Show your storefront, your team, your products, or completed work. For restaurants, food photos matter more than almost anything else.
Respond to every review, positive and negative. A short, genuine thank-you on a five-star review shows you’re engaged. On a negative review, a calm, professional response demonstrates that you take feedback seriously. Potential customers read these exchanges closely.
Keep your hours, phone number, and services updated. Nothing frustrates a potential customer more than showing up during listed business hours to find you closed. Google also favors profiles that are actively maintained when deciding which businesses to show in local search results.