How to get
more Google reviews.

Reviews make your customer experience visible.

Reviews appear with your Business Profile in Google Search and Maps. They give people discovering your business feedback to read before making a choice.¹

They also contribute to prominence, one of the local ranking factors described by Google, alongside relevance and distance. Reviews alone are therefore no formula for overtaking a competitor.³

For an SME, we recommend treating reviews as part of the customer journey: who sends the invitation, with what message, and who reads the feedback? This approach complements the groundwork described in our guide to local SEO in Brussels.

A clear moment.
An open invitation.

Start with a process you can maintain day to day.

Choose a moment connected to the experience.

We suggest asking after a visit, a delivery or the completion of a job, when the person can genuinely speak about the service. For a long project, wait until a sufficiently complete stage. A request sent with the very first quotation would be premature.

Choose the timing based on the work completed, not on a satisfaction score. Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews, offering incentives or dictating review content.⁴

If your business information also needs clarifying, our local SEO and Google Business Profile support covers this groundwork.

Get the right link and QR code.

In your Google Business Profile, open “Read reviews”, then “Get more reviews”. You can copy the link or save the QR code provided. At the time of our check, Google states that this QR code is generated in a desktop browser.²

Our advice: include this link in your completion message, or put the QR code on something easy to take away. A card must remain readable; add a neutral sentence beside the code. Avoid repeated requests when several people work with the same customer.

Natural templates.
Adapt them, then send.

Replace the items in square brackets. Keep only wording that suits your relationship and the way you communicate. These texts are Kanexio suggestions, not official Google templates.

Subject: Your feedback on [Business]

Hello [First name],

Thank you for trusting us with [your project]. If you would like to, you can share your experience on Google:
[Link to your Google reviews]

Your feedback can help others choose a service provider. You remain free to describe your experience in your own words.

Thank you for your time,
[Signature]

Hello [First name], thank you for visiting [Business]. If you would like to, share your experience on Google: [Link]. Thank you, [Signature]

Hello [First name], thank you for your trust. If you would like to share your experience with [Business], here is the link to our Google reviews: [Link]. You are free to give your own feedback. Thank you and have a good day, [Signature]

Thank you for your visit. If you would like to share your experience, you will find the link to our Google reviews on [the receipt / our card]. You can do it later, whenever suits you.

Hello [First name], here is the link to our Google reviews again, in case you would like to share your experience: [Link]. If you have already done so, thank you; no further action is needed. Have a good day, [Signature]

Hello, thank you for taking the time to write to us. We would like to understand the point you raise. You can contact us at [business contact details] to discuss it directly. [Signature]

A reminder is not compulsory.

An unanswered message proves neither forgetfulness nor dissatisfaction. Our preference: a clear invitation, followed by space to decide. If a reminder is appropriate in your relationship, avoid repetition and stop as soon as the person declines or says they have responded.

Before automating, define who is included, what triggers the message and how duplicates are prevented. Have the conditions for using your channels and customers' contact details checked for your situation. The guide to choosing a first automation helps frame this work.

An invitation opens
a conversation.

Respond to what the person says.

Your Business Profile must be verified before you can reply to reviews. Approved replies are public and appear in the business's name.⁵ We recommend a short reply related to the comment and checked before publication. A series of identical replies gives readers little information.

When responding to criticism, Google recommends protecting confidentiality and avoiding personal attacks.¹ Offer a direct conversation when details should not be disclosed. Do not invent an explanation before checking the facts.

Make it easy to speak.
Do not try to write
the customer's response for them.

Our editorial approach · Kanexio

An unwelcome review cannot necessarily be removed.

Google distinguishes disagreement from a breach of its rules. A report must be based on an accepted reason, and removal cannot be promised.⁶ Keep the review link and the precise reason for reporting it. A professional reply can still be useful while it is being examined.

Track the process with simple measures.

We suggest a regular review over a period you choose and keep consistent. Record invitations sent, newly visible reviews and feedback that calls for action. Limit tracking to useful information.

Avoid calling a simple ratio of messages to new reviews a “conversion rate”: some customers post spontaneously, others later. To decide what to improve, start with observable questions: is the link correct? Is the message sent at the right time? Do comments reveal a recurring problem?