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    A Google Business Profile shows a business's reviews in Maps and Search. Many service businesses ask for reviews only when someone remembers. This post covers how Google uses reviews in local results, what Google's policy allows when asking for them, and how a follow-up sequence can send requests within those rules.

    How Google uses reviews

    Google lists three factors for local results. Relevance is how well a profile matches the search. Distance is how far the business is from the searcher. Prominence is how well known the business is, based on information such as links from other websites and the number of reviews. Google also states that a business cannot request or pay for a better local ranking.

    What the policy allows

    Google states that a review or rating should reflect an actual experience with the business. It removes reviews and ratings that were paid for, directly or in kind.

    Review requests under Google's Maps user-generated content policy.
    PracticePolicy position
    Asking customers for a review of a genuine experience, with no incentiveAllowed
    Offering payment, discounts or free goods or services for a reviewNot allowed
    Offering an incentive to change or remove a negative reviewNot allowed
    Discouraging negative reviews, or selectively soliciting positive onesNot allowed
    Pressuring customers to review on the premises, or asking for specific contentNot allowed

    Google gives staff quotas for reviews, and requests that include specific content, as examples of what the policy does not allow.

    Designing the request

    The policy bars selective solicitation, so the same request goes to every customer after a completed job. A satisfaction question can still run in the same sequence. It routes a reported problem to staff for service recovery. It does not decide who receives the review link.

    The business sets the delay between job completion and the request for each service. A same-day job and a project with a handover can use different delays.

    Sending the link

    Google's help page says a business can ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code. The customer must be signed in to a Google Account, which can use a non-Gmail email address. When the request goes out on WhatsApp, the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy applies. The business needs the customer's opt-in, and a message sent more than 24 hours after the customer's last message must use an approved template.

    Replies

    Google advises replying to reviews, including negative ones. For a negative review it suggests a calm reply, an apology where it fits, and an offer to settle the matter by phone or email. It advises against sharing a reviewer's private information.

    What OtomoAI builds

    OtomoAI builds the follow-up sequence in the CRM layer. When a job is marked complete, the sequence sends the check-in and the review request to every customer. A problem the customer reports is routed to staff.

    Get in touch and we quote for your case.

    Sources

    Ritchie Boon Win Yew ·