How Do Contractors Get More Google Reviews? (And Where to Find Your Review Link)
Most contractors do good work and still have a thin review count. The fix is not a better ask. It is asking every customer, the same way, the same day.
Key takeaways
- Your review link and QR code live in your Business Profile under Read Reviews, then Get more reviews.
- Review QR codes can only be generated in a computer browser right now.
- 47% of consumers skip businesses with fewer than 20 reviews, and 74% want reviews from the last three months.
- Ask every customer, not only the happy ones, and never offer an incentive.
- Reply to every review. 89% of consumers expect it.
Where do you find your Google review link?
In your Google Business Profile, on a computer. Google's steps:
- Go to your Business Profile at business.google.com.
- Select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews.
- Select Copy to copy the review link.
- To get the QR code, right-click it and choose Save image as.
Google says review QR codes can currently only be generated in a computer browser, not on mobile. From the same screen you can also send the request by email, WhatsApp or a Facebook post.
Save the link in your phone's text shortcuts and in your invoicing software so it is one tap away for every tech and every invoice.
How many reviews do customers expect from a contractor?
More, and more recent, than most contractors have. BrightLocal surveyed 1,002 US consumers for its 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey:
| Finding | Share of consumers |
|---|---|
| of consumers read reviews for local businesses | 97% |
| will not use a business with fewer than 20 reviews | 47% |
| look for reviews from the last three months | 74% |
| want reviews from the last two weeks, up from 20% in 2025 | 32% |
| require a rating of four stars or higher | 68% |
| expect the owner to respond to reviews | 89% |
| have used AI tools like ChatGPT for local business recommendations, up from 6% | 45% |
The recency numbers are the ones to plan around. A profile with 60 reviews and nothing since spring looks less active to a customer than one with 30 reviews and three from last week. Reviews also feed your map ranking, as covered in how the Google Maps 3-pack works.
What is the best way for a contractor to ask for a review?
In person at the end of the job, followed by a text with the link the same day. The in-person ask gets the yes. The text makes it easy while the job is fresh.
- Ask at the walkthrough. When the customer says they are happy, say: "Would you leave us a Google review? I'll text you the link."
- Text the link within the hour. Short and personal: "Thanks again for having us out today. Here's the link if you have a minute:" and the link.
- Follow up once. If there is no review in three or four days, send one reminder. Then stop.
- Put the QR code on the leave-behind. Invoices, door hangers and job-completion cards.
- Reply to every review. Thank them by name and mention the job.
Do not write the review for them. When customers describe the job in their own words, they tend to name the service and the town, which is exactly what helps you show up for those searches.
What review practices break Google or FTC rules?
Incentives, fake reviews, insider reviews and selective asking. These can get reviews removed, get the profile restricted, or bring FTC trouble.
| Practice | Rule |
|---|---|
| Discounts, gift cards or free service for a review | Google calls this strictly prohibited. The FTC rule bans incentives that require a positive review. |
| Reviews from employees, family or friends | Google removes reviews based on a conflict of interest. |
| Buying reviews or posting fake ones | Banned by Google and by the FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, which allows civil penalties. |
| Asking only customers you expect to be happy | The FTC says this could violate the FTC Act. |
| Paying a customer to change or remove a negative review | Banned by Google. The FTC says it may violate the FTC Act. |
Watch for review tools that send unhappy customers to a private form and happy ones to Google. That is review gating, and it is the kind of selective asking the FTC warns about.
How should you reply to Google reviews?
Reply to all of them, good and bad. Google notifies the reviewer when you reply, shows the reply under the review as your business, and checks each reply against its content policies before posting it.
- Positive: thank them by name and mention the job. "Thanks, Linda. Glad the new heat pump is keeping the house warm."
- Negative: stay calm, state facts without arguing, and give a direct way to reach you. Future customers read the reply more closely than the review.
- Fake or policy-breaking: reply briefly and report it. See which reviews Google removes.
How do you make review requests automatic?
Tie the request to the moment a job is marked complete, so nobody has to remember. Most field service and invoicing tools can send a text when an invoice is paid or a job is closed. Put your review link in that message. Then check once a week that requests went out and every new review has a reply.
We run this for contractors as part of Google Maps SEO: the request text after each job, replies to every review, and monthly tracking of review count and rating. If your profile is not set up yet, start with Google Business Profile setup.
FAQ
Where do I find my Google review link?
On a computer, open your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews. Copy the link or right-click the QR code and save it. Google says review QR codes can currently only be made in a computer browser, not on a phone.
Can I offer a discount for a Google review?
No. Google says offering free or discounted goods or services in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited, and reviews tied to incentives are removed. Under the FTC rule, an incentive that requires a positive review is also illegal.
Can I only ask my happy customers?
Ask everyone. The FTC says selectively asking only customers you expect to be happy is not specifically banned by its review rule but could violate the FTC Act. Asking every customer is also simpler to run and gives you the steady flow that matters.
How many Google reviews does a contractor need?
Enough that the profile does not lose customers on count alone. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 47% of consumers will not use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and 74% look for reviews from the last three months. Recent and steady beats one big push.
Can my employees or family leave reviews?
Google's policy bars reviews based on a conflict of interest, including employees and family. Those reviews get removed and can put the profile at risk. Ask customers only.
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help: Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews
- Google Business Profile Help: Tips to get more reviews
- Google Business Profile Help: Manage customer reviews
- Google Maps User Contributed Content Policy: Prohibited and restricted content
- Federal Trade Commission: Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Questions and Answers
- BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (February 11, 2026, 1,002 US consumers)
Want reviews coming in every week?
We set up the request after every job, reply to every review and track your rating month to month.