Guide · Google Maps

Google reviews: how to get more, reply, and report fake ones

People read your Google reviews before they call. More honest reviews and a calm reply to each one bring more customers; bought reviews can get a listing restricted. This is what Google itself says to do.

Getting more reviews, the honest way

• Ask at the right moment. After a good order or visit, send your review link on WhatsApp, or put the QR code by the counter. Google lets you make both from your Business Profile.
• Customers need a Google account to leave a review. It doesn't have to be a Gmail address.
• Never pay or give anything for a review. Google calls a discount, a free item or any reward for posting, changing or removing a review fake and misleading content, and strictly prohibits it.

Replying to reviews

1. Open your reviews. Go to your Business Profile and select Read reviews.
2. Reply to one. Select Reply, write your answer and select Reply again. Google checks replies against its policies; that usually takes about 10 minutes.

What Google recommends: keep replies short, polite and specific, not the same "thank you" for everyone, and don't use them for offers. For a bad review, never share the customer's private details or attack them; say honestly what went wrong and what you can do, apologise when it is right, and invite them to call you to sort it out. Reply soon.

Reporting a fake or abusive review

1. Only rule-breaking reviews are removed. Spam, abuse and similar break Google's content policies. A review isn't removed just because you disagree with it.
2. Report it. In your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Report next to the review. Choose the reason and select Send report.
3. Wait a few days, then check. Google says the check typically takes several days. The status is in Google's Reviews Management Tool.
4. If Google finds no problem, appeal once. In the Reviews Management Tool, choose Appeal eligible reviews, up to 10 at a time.

The Google Maps checklist covers the rest of the listing. If you'd rather have reviews replied to for you, it is part of the monthly care in the Google listing service.

Google's own help pages: tips to get more reviews, manage customer reviews, report inappropriate reviews.

Last checked: 27 September 2026 · All guides