Ask every finished job the same way, send a Google review link, remind once, and reply to what comes back. Do not pay for stars, gate the ask behind a score, or only invite customers you expect to be glowing. That is what Google and the FTC ban — and following those rules is the point of this guide.
What do Google and the FTC ban?
Google’s Business Profile and Maps policies say reviews must reflect a genuine experience. Merchants may not offer incentives — payment, discounts, free goods or services — in exchange for posting a review, revising one, or removing a negative one. Merchants also may not discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews. Pressure to leave a rating while still on site, or requests that the review include specific wording, are not allowed. Google does allow asking for genuine experiences without incentives and without trying to steer the rating.
The FTC’s Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (effective October 21, 2024) prohibits, among other things, fake or false reviews, and providing compensation or other incentives in exchange for — or conditioned on — reviews that express a particular sentiment, expressly or by implication. Buying a five-star-only gift card is not a grey area. It is banned.
That is a selling point of doing this cleanly: the same ask after every finished job, no discount for stars, no “only if you loved it” filter.
Eight tactics that follow the rules
1. Claim and finish the Google Business Profile
You cannot collect Google reviews on a listing you do not control. Claim the profile, set the category, hours, service area and website, and match the name, phone and address to your site. Licensing and insurance wording varies by state — check with your state licensing board for what you must display.
2. Ask after the job is done, not while tools are still out
Google warns against requiring or pressuring customers to leave ratings while on the premises. Finish the work, get the invoice settled, then ask. The easiest moment is when they have looked at the finished work and you are still the person in front of them. A week later you are one more message on a busy phone. Skip the ask while the job is unfinished or while you are going back to put something right — that is incomplete work, not a “happy customers only” filter.
3. Use the same ask for every finished job
Selectively soliciting only customers you expect to be positive is what Google prohibits. Build a habit: every completed job gets the same short message and the same Google link. That is also how you avoid “review gating” — the practice of sorting people by a private score before they reach Google.
4. Send a Google link or QR code
Google’s own tips say you can ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code. Put that link in a text or email before you leave the driveway. Do not attach a coupon for “if you leave five stars.” Use the same Google listing you show on your website — a review on the wrong profile does not help the one customers see.
5. One reminder, then stop
Most people mean to do it and forget. One follow-up a few days later is enough. Nagging does not create a genuine experience. If they do not want to write, leave it. In Mortar, a reminder can go out 3 days after the last email, up to twice, and it stops once they open the link — see review requests.
6. Make the first tap easy
Customers need a Google Account to leave a review. Keep your message short: thank them, paste the link, say there is no need to write a novel. Do not script the stars or the words they should use.
7. Reply to reviews — including the awkward ones
Google’s tips say a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy, and that constructive replies show you care. Be polite, keep it short, never share private customer details, and take complex disputes to a phone call or email. Do not offer a discount in the public reply to get a rating changed — that is an incentive for revision.
8. Show reviews on your website without rewriting them
Pull the reviews Google already has onto your site. Do not invent testimonials, trim only the five-stars, or rewrite someone else’s words. Fake or false reviews are what the FTC rule targets. If a review is missing from the site, check your display filters (for example a minimum star setting) before you assume Google deleted it.
What to say
Keep it ordinary. You are not making a speech. Use the same line after every finished job — do not open with “if you were happy,” which filters for positive reviews.
“A Google review helps other people find us. I’ll text you the link — it takes a minute, and only if you want to.”
Then stop talking. If they say they will, send the link before you leave the driveway. If they hesitate, leave it. Do not bargain, and do not ask them to mention a star rating.
Checklist
- Google Business Profile claimed, with matching name, phone and address.
- Same ask after every finished job — no “happy customers only” filter.
- Google review link or QR code ready to paste before you leave.
- No discount, gift or free work tied to a review or a star rating.
- One reminder a few days later (Mortar: after 3 days, up to twice), then stop.
- Replies to new reviews, including critical ones, without incentives to change them.
For local search around the listing, see local SEO for contractors. For how reviews feed AI answers, see how to get recommended by ChatGPT.
Questions
Can I offer a discount for a five-star review?
No. Google bans incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services in exchange for a review or for changing or removing a review. The FTC rule also bans incentives conditioned on a particular sentiment, expressly or by implication.
Can I only ask happy customers?
Google does not allow merchants to selectively solicit positive reviews from customers. Ask after a finished job in a consistent way. Do not filter who gets the ask based on whether you think they will leave five stars.
What if the job still needs fixing?
Finish the work first. Do not ask while you are still going back to put something right. Once the job is complete, use the same ask you use for every finished job — do not permanently skip customers you expect to be critical.
Is a simple “please leave a review” allowed?
Yes. Google allows you to solicit genuine experiences without incentives and without trying to influence the rating or the wording. Their tips page suggests a Google link or QR code, and replies to reviews.
Should I reply to negative reviews?
Yes. Google’s tips say honest and balanced reviews help customers decide, and that constructive replies show you care. Keep replies short, avoid personal attacks, and move private details off the public thread.
Does Mortar post the review for me?
No. Mortar can email a customer a link to your Google review form, and can draft a reply for you to copy into Google. You still send the ask, and you still post any reply on Google yourself.
Asking from Mortar
You can run every tactic above with a spreadsheet and a Google link. If you use Mortar, connect the Google Place ID on Reviews, show those reviews on the site, then use Ask a customer for a review to email the Google form link. There is no discount field in that flow — by design. Steps for the email and the 3-day reminder are in review requests. Core is $49 a month; prices exclude sales tax where it applies. See pricing and Grow if you want the weekly visibility check beside reviews.