How to Get More Google Reviews From Real Customers

It’s Friday afternoon. You finished eleven jobs this week, every customer seemed pleased, and your Google profile hasn’t gained a single review.

If you want to get 5 Star Google Reviews in Australia from those customers, ask each one in person on the day, send a direct link within the hour, and follow up once a week later. Most businesses already know this. What they’re missing is a routine, because asking isn’t anyone’s job.

At BuyReviews we set up that routine for Australian businesses. Here’s the version you can run yourself, starting Monday.

How do you get more Google reviews from real customers?

You make asking part of finishing the job. A business that asks after every job, every week, will always beat one that runs a big push twice a year.

The routine has four parts: a one-off setup, a daily ask, a weekly check, and a reply to every review. None of it costs anything.

What do you need to set up first?

Do this once. It takes about twenty minutes.

1. On a computer, sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile and search your business name.
2. Select Read reviews, then Get more reviews.
3. Select Copy to copy your review link.
4. Right-click the QR code and choose Save image as.
5. Save a short text message on your phone with the link pasted in.
6. Save an email version as a draft.
7. Print the QR code for your counter, invoices or business cards.

Google makes the link and the QR code, so you don’t need a Google review link generator from a third party. The QR code only generates in a desktop browser, which is why step 1 says computer.

Who should ask, and when?

The person who did the work should ask, and they should ask before they leave. A request from the plumber who fixed the leak means more than an email from an office the customer has never spoken to.

Give your team one line to use: “Would you mind leaving us a Google review? Can I text you the link?” That question does two jobs. It gets a yes in person, and it gets the customer’s consent to be messaged, which matters under Australia’s spam rules.

In our experience, the hour after the job is the best window. Send the link then.

What should the message say?

Keep it short and name the job. Here’s a text you can copy.

Hi [First name], [Your name] from [Business name] here. Thanks for having us out to [job] today. If you have a minute, we’d appreciate an honest Google review: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

For email, use this review request email template.

Subject: Thanks from [Business name]

Hi [First name],

Thanks for choosing us for [job]. If you have a minute, would you share an honest review on Google? It helps other locals decide.

[Your Google review link]

Thanks again,
[Your name]

To stop emails from us, reply with “unsubscribe”.

Both messages name your business and give a way to opt out. The ACMA requires commercial messages to identify the sender and include an unsubscribe option.

What does a good week look like?

Use this checklist. Print it and stick it near the desk.

• Every job: ask in person, then send the link within the hour.
• Every job: note the customer’s name and the date you asked.
• Friday: send one reminder to anyone you asked the week before who hasn’t reviewed.
• Friday: reply to every new review, good or bad.
• Friday: write down your review count and compare it with last week.
• Monthly: check your profile details are still correct.

The Friday check takes fifteen minutes. We’d protect that time, because it’s where most routines fall over.

How do you keep track?

A simple spreadsheet is enough. Use four columns: customer name, date asked, reminder sent, and reviewed.

After a month you’ll know your response rate. If you asked forty customers and six left reviews, you have a real number to improve on. Change one thing at a time, such as sending the text sooner, and see if it moves.

Send only one reminder. If someone asks you to stop messaging them, the ACMA says you must act on it within 5 working days.

What gets in the way, and how do you fix it?

Some customers don’t have a Google Account, and Google requires one to leave a review. Thank them and move on.

Some forget, which is what the reminder is for. And now and then you’ll get a critical review from the routine, because you’re asking everyone. That’s fine. Google says a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy. Respond to negative Google reviews within a day, own the problem, and offer a direct number to call.

If a review comes from someone who was never a customer, select the three dots next to it and choose Report review. That’s how you remove fake Google reviews the proper way.

What must you avoid?

Don’t offer a discount, gift or prize draw for a review. Google bans it, even for real customers.

Don’t ask only the customers you think are happy, and don’t write reviews for anyone. The ACCC says it’s against the law to create fake or misleading reviews or arrange for others to, and that hiding negative feedback can mislead consumers too.

When does it make sense to get help?

When the routine keeps slipping. Most owners start well and stop by week three, because paid work always comes first.

That’s where BuyReviews comes in. You share your customer list, we send the requests and the reminder, and your customers write their own words. It’s how we help businesses get Google reviews every week and improve Google reviews across the year. For Google reviews, Australia has clear rules, and we see online reputation management in Australia as running this routine properly, without shortcuts.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get more Google reviews from real customers?

Ask every customer in person on the day the job is done, then send your Google review link within the hour. Follow up once a week later and reply to every review you receive. Offer nothing in return. A simple routine, repeated after every job, beats any one-off campaign.

How often should I ask customers for reviews?

After every completed job or sale. Don’t save requests up for a monthly email, because the customer’s good feeling fades fast. Asking each customer once, plus one reminder, keeps reviews arriving steadily through the year. A steady flow also looks more believable to customers than a sudden burst.

Who in my business should ask for reviews?

The person who did the work, where possible. A request means more coming from the tradesperson, stylist or consultant the customer dealt with than from an office they’ve never spoken to. Give that person the wording and the link on their phone, and make asking part of finishing every job.

How long until I see more reviews?

It depends on how many customers you serve. In our experience, the first few reviews arrive within a week or two of starting, and the difference is clear after two or three months. Track how many customers you ask and how many respond, then adjust your timing or wording if the rate is low.

Can I ask past customers from months ago?

Yes, if they’re real customers and you have their consent to be contacted. Start with people you served in the last month or two, because they remember the job best. Mention what you did for them in the message. Expect fewer replies than you’d get from customers asked on the day.

What should you do next?

Do the twenty-minute setup today, and ask your first customer on Monday. Put the Friday check in your calendar now.

If you’d like the routine run for you, send BuyReviews your customer list and we’ll help you get Google reviews from real customers, week after week.