To get more Google reviews, ask every customer, at the moment they are happy, with a simple link that opens the review form directly. No gifts, no discounts and no choosing whom to ask. And reply to every review, especially the negative ones, calmly and specifically.

A visitor in Agios Nikolaos searches “taverna near me” on Maps. They see two places side by side: one with 4.7 stars and 38 reviews, the other with 4.6 and 640 reviews, the latest from last week. Most of the clicks go to the second.

Why reviews matter so much

  • Your position on Maps. Google says the number and rating of your reviews affect local ranking. Together with distance and relevance, they are one of the few things you can influence.
  • Recent reviews. A business whose latest reviews are two years old looks closed or careless. Visitors look at what guests wrote this season.
  • The text, not only the stars. When customers write “fresh fish”, “quiet for families” or “close to the harbour”, Google and AI tools use it to show you for similar searches. See more in our article on how to show up in ChatGPT and AI Overviews.

What Google allows and what it bans

Google has tightened its rules. In April 2026 it also explicitly banned review quotas for staff. In short:

Allowed:

  • Asking every customer for a review, by email, SMS, a card or a QR code.
  • Sending one reminder to anyone who didn’t reply.
  • Replying publicly to every review.

Banned:

  • Rewards for a review: a discount, a gift, a free drink, entry into a prize draw. This applies even if you don’t ask for a positive review.
  • Review gating: asking “how was your visit?” first and sending only happy customers to Google.
  • Reviews from you, your staff or your family, and bought reviews.
  • Quotas for staff, such as “every waiter must bring in 10 reviews a month”, or asking customers to name an employee.
  • On-the-spot pressure, such as a tablet at the till where the customer writes the review in front of you.

The consequences escalate: Google deletes reviews, temporarily stops new ones, adds a public warning to your profile saying fake reviews were removed, and in serious cases suspends the profile. In the EU, fake reviews have also been banned by law since 2022.

How to ask for reviews without being annoying

In your Google Business Profile, choose “Ask for reviews”. Google gives you a short link that opens the review form directly. If your profile isn’t fully set up yet, start with our guide to setting up your Google Business Profile.

2. Pick the right moment

  • Accommodation: a message on the day of departure or the day after, while the stay is still fresh.
  • Restaurants: a card with a QR code brought with the bill, or a friendly word from the owner when the guest leaves happy.
  • Services and shops: an email or SMS after delivery or once the job is done.

3. Write a simple, human message

Something like:

Hi Maria, thank you for staying with us! If you have a minute, a Google review really helps a small family business like ours: [link]. Have a good trip home!

Send it in the guest’s language. Don’t tell them what to write. You can say “if you like, mention what you enjoyed”, which helps them write something specific.

4. Make it a routine

Most businesses start with enthusiasm and stop after two weeks. Set the message to go out automatically from your booking engine or ordering system, so it is sent without you having to remember. A few reviews every week are better than fifty in one month and then nothing.

To see how many positive reviews you need to reach the rating you want, try the review rating goal calculator.

How to reply to a negative review

A good reply to a negative review isn’t written for the angry customer. It is written for the next hundred people who will read it.

  1. Wait a few hours before replying. Never reply when you’re angry.
  2. Thank them and say you’re sorry about their experience, with no “but”.
  3. Address the specific problem. If they are right, say what you fixed. If they are not, explain the facts calmly, without personal details.
  4. Offer to talk outside Google, by email or phone.
  5. Keep it short: 3-5 sentences.

Example:

Thank you for writing, John, and we’re sorry you waited so long for your food. That evening a large group arrived without a booking and we didn’t handle it well. Since then we keep tables free for guests who have booked. We’d love to see you again, write to us at info@… and dessert is on us next time.

If a review is spam, offensive, or from someone who was never a customer, you can report it from your Google Business Profile. A review you simply don’t like will not be removed, and a long public argument does more harm than the review itself.

And the positive ones?

Reply to those too, briefly and personally. Not the same “Thank you so much!” everywhere. Mention something the customer wrote (“So glad you enjoyed the bouyiourdi!”). Future customers see a real person behind the business.

Want help?

We set up local SEO and websites for businesses in Crete, with automatic review requests built into the booking engine or e-shop. For an overall view of your online presence, try the online presence score, or send us a message.