01
In person
The most natural ask, made at handover by the person who did the work. Keep it simple: you are glad it went well, and a Google review helps other people find you. Hand over a card with the QR code so the customer can do it later.
- Home
- Local SEO Canada
- How to get more Google reviews
Guide: Google reviews
How to get more Google reviews, the right way
Most satisfied customers never leave a review, simply because nobody asked them at the right moment, while businesses that ask every customer keep building trust in the map pack. This guide shows how to get more Google reviews in Canada without breaking Google's rules or CASL.
Thanks, that’s with us.
A specialist reads every request and replies personally.
Want to take it further now?
Book a time that suits you, or send a message on WhatsApp.
- Guideline-safe: no incentives, no review gating
- CASL-aware email and text requests
- Expert-led, 1,000+ clients served since 2020
Calls are scheduled in your working hours, in any Canadian time zone.
2020
Building since
1,000+
Clients served
Canada
Served remotely
4.6/5
Rated on Clutch
Quick answer
How do you get more Google reviews?
The way to get more Google reviews is to ask every genuine customer, at the moment they are happiest, with a direct link that opens the review form. In Canada, email and text requests must respect CASL, and you must never offer a reward or ask only the customers you expect to be positive.
Reviews matter twice. Google says local results are based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence, and a steady stream of genuine reviews is one of the most visible signs of prominence; our guide on how to rank on Google Maps covers the rest. Customers read them too, and a recent, specific review often does more to win the call than anything you write yourself.
The rules are clear. Google's guidelines prohibit fake, paid and incentivised reviews and prohibit review gating, which means filtering out unhappy customers before they reach Google. In Canada, the Competition Bureau treats fake or misleading reviews as deceptive marketing under the Competition Act, so shortcuts carry legal risk as well as the risk of losing reviews.
The process
Five steps to more Google reviews
A simple routine that runs after every job beats a one-off campaign.
1. Get your review link
Your Business Profile gives you a short link that opens the review form for your business directly. Copy it from the profile, test it on a phone while signed in to a personal Google account, and save it somewhere every staff member can reach. Turn it into a QR code for counters, invoices and job sheets.
2. Ask at the right moment
Ask when the customer has just felt the benefit: the leak is fixed, the crown fits, the car is back on the road. That might be in person at handover, or by message later the same day. A request sent weeks later reaches someone who has moved on and is far less likely to act.
3. Send CASL-aware requests
Emails and texts asking for a review are commercial electronic messages under CASL. Send them to customers covered by consent, which is generally implied for purchases in the last two years or enquiries in the last six months. Name your business as the sender and include an unsubscribe mechanism in every message.
4. Make it easy
Keep the request short, personal and on one screen, with the link as the only action. Mention the work you did, so they know what to write about. Do not ask them to search for you, and never tell them what to say. Send one polite reminder at most.
5. Reply to every review
Thank people by name for positive reviews and mention the work where that is appropriate. For negative ones, reply calmly, acknowledge the experience, avoid sharing private details and offer to continue offline. Future customers read your replies as closely as the reviews, and a measured answer to a complaint often reassures them.
Free audit · Guideline-safe changes · Reporting from your own accounts
Channels
Where to ask, and how
Use the channel your customers already use with you. If your profile itself needs work first, start with our Google Business Profile guide.
02
Good for appointment and project businesses with customer email addresses on file. Send it from a recognisable business address, keep it to a few lines, put the review link near the top and include your business name, contact details and an unsubscribe link at the bottom.
03
Text message
Short and quick to act on, which suits trades and clinics. Identify your business in the first words, include the link and an opt-out such as replying STOP. A sample: thanks for choosing us today, a short Google review helps local customers find us, here is the link.
04
Invoices and receipts
A line and QR code on the final invoice or receipt costs nothing and reaches every customer. It works best as a backup to a personal ask rather than the only request, because a printed line is easy to overlook.
05
Regulated professions
Dental, legal and other regulated practices should check their regulator's advertising standard before asking for reviews or replying in detail. Provincial regulators often restrict testimonials, and it is safest never to confirm in a reply that someone is a patient or client.
Common mistakes
What works, and what gets reviews removed
Shortcuts tend to cost more reviews than they bring in.
Never
- Offer discounts, draws or gifts for reviews
- Screen customers first and send only the happy ones to Google
- Write reviews for yourself or ask staff and family to
- Buy reviews or swap them with other businesses
Do
- Ask every customer, not only the happy ones
- Use the direct review link
- Reply to every review within a reasonable time
- Keep a record of consent for email and text requests
Replies
How to reply, by type of review
Replies are public, so write for the next customer reading them as much as for the reviewer.
| Review | Reply | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Thank them by name and mention the work where appropriate | The same pasted reply on every review |
| Fair complaint | Acknowledge it, apologise for the experience and offer to sort it out offline | Arguing, or sharing the customer's details |
| Looks fake or not a customer | Report it to Google as breaking its policies, then reply calmly that you cannot find a record of the visit | Accusing or threatening the reviewer |
| From a patient or legal client | A short general thanks | Confirming they are a patient or client, or discussing any details |
Want the review process run for you?
Our Google review management service sets up review requests around consent and an unsubscribe link, writes the templates with you and drafts replies to every review.
FAQ
How to get more Google reviews questions, answered
The things Canadian business owners ask before they commission anything. If yours is not here, put it in the form.
Can I offer a discount in exchange for a Google review?
No. Google's guidelines prohibit incentivised reviews, including discounts, gift cards, draws and freebies, even when you do not ask for a positive review. In Canada, misleading reviews can also be treated as deceptive marketing by the Competition Bureau. Ask sincerely and let customers decide whether to write one.
Is it legal to email customers asking for a review in Canada?
Yes, when CASL is respected. A review request is a commercial electronic message, so you need consent, which is generally implied for customers who bought in the last two years or enquired in the last six months. Every message must identify your business and include an unsubscribe mechanism.
Can I ask only happy customers for reviews?
No. Filtering customers first and sending only the satisfied ones to Google is review gating, which Google's guidelines prohibit. Ask everyone the same way. A few critical reviews among many positive ones look genuine to readers, and your calm replies to them can win as much trust as the praise.
Should I reply to negative reviews?
Yes, every time. Reply calmly, thank the reviewer, acknowledge the problem without arguing and offer to sort it out offline. Do not reveal private details or argue about facts in public. Readers judge your business by how you handle criticism, so a short, measured reply is worth the effort.
Can I get a bad review removed?
Only if it breaks Google's review policies, for example spam or a review from someone who was never a customer. You can report it from your profile, and Google decides whether it comes down. A review that is simply unfair or negative usually stays, so a thoughtful public reply is your best response.
How often should I ask for reviews?
Ask after every completed job or visit, as part of your routine, rather than in occasional bursts. A steady flow of recent reviews tells customers you are active now. Ask each customer once, with one reminder at most, and do not send review requests to people who have unsubscribed.
Start here
See where your reviews stand
Ask for a free local SEO audit and we will score your Google Business Profile out of 100, including reviews, and send a geo-grid map pack ranking snapshot for your main search.
- You tell us about your businessYour city, your main service and your profile, on the form or WhatsApp.
- We run the free auditYour profile scored out of 100, a geo-grid ranking snapshot and the fixes ranked by value.
- Optional scoping callWe talk through the findings and a quote in CAD, with no obligation.
Thanks, that’s with us.
A specialist reads every request and replies personally.
Want to take it further now?
Book a time that suits you, or send a message on WhatsApp.