You can still request a review from every customer. What Google’s review policy forbids is how many businesses ask: paying or discounting for the review, asking only the customers you expect to be happy, steering what they write, or pressuring them to post on the spot. Since October 21, 2024, the FTC’s Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule also makes several of those tactics a federal problem, not just a Google one.
This post covers the review solicitation rules in plain terms: what Google and the FTC each prohibit, which common habits cross the line, and a simple request process that stays inside both. If you want the wording and timing of the ask itself, our companion post on review request scripts and timing covers that side.
What Does Google’s Review Policy Say About Requesting Reviews?
Google’s policy for user-contributed content on Maps starts from one idea: a review should reflect a genuine experience and stay unbiased. Every rule about how a business may ask for reviews follows from that.
For businesses, that means you must not offer incentives such as payment, discounts or free goods or services in exchange for a review, or for changing or removing a negative one. You must not discourage or prohibit negative reviews, and you must not selectively solicit positive ones. Google also says merchants shouldn’t pressure customers to leave reviews while on the premises or ask for specific content in a review, and its examples include staff being asked to collect a set number of reviews and reviews that name a particular employee.
Enforcement is largely automated. Google reported that in 2024 it blocked or removed more than 240 million policy-violating reviews and placed posting restrictions on more than 900,000 accounts that repeatedly broke its rules, according to its Maps enforcement update. Most of that happens without a warning to the business, which is why reviews sometimes seem to vanish. If that has already happened to you, see our recovery steps for disappeared Google reviews.
How Is the FTC Review Rule Different From Google’s Policy?
The FTC announced its Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule on August 14, 2024, and it took effect on October 21, 2024. It applies to businesses of every size and allows courts to impose civil penalties for knowing violations. It prohibits fake or false reviews, buying positive or negative reviews, undisclosed reviews from owners, employees or relatives, review suppression, company-controlled review sites posing as independent, and buying or selling fake social media followers or views.
The two rules are not identical. Under the FTC rule, an incentive for a review is not automatically illegal if it isn’t tied to a positive sentiment and is properly disclosed. Google’s policy is stricter: for Google reviews, any incentive in exchange for the review is out, disclosed or not. If your reviews live on Google, follow Google’s line.
Which Review Requests Put Your Business at Risk?
The risky habits fall into three groups: incentives, filtering and pressure.
Incentives. “Leave us a Google review for 10% off” at the register, a free add-on for a five-star rating, or a drawing entry that requires a review. The intent may be friendly; the offer still breaks Google’s policy.
Filtering. Texting only the customers you think loved the job is selective solicitation. So is review gating: software that asks for a private rating first and only sends happy customers on to Google. Google treats gating as a violation, and the FTC treats it as a form of review suppression.
Pressure and scripting. Watching a customer post at the counter, monthly review quotas per technician, or asking customers to “mention Sarah by name.” These match the examples Google itself gives of what crosses the line.
How Should You Request a Review Without Breaking the Rules?
A compliant request is broad, neutral and unincentivized. Ask every customer, not only the ones you expect to rate you well. Don’t tell them what to write or what star rating to give. Don’t attach a discount, gift, drawing entry or loyalty points to the review itself. A customer-appreciation drawing that anyone can enter without leaving a review is a different thing and can stay.
Timing and setting matter too. A follow-up email or text the next day is a request; a staff member standing over a customer while they scan a QR code is closer to pressure. The same QR code printed on a take-home receipt is fine.
A simple workflow that stays inside both rules:
- Finish the job, then send one short request by email or text within a day or two
- Send the same message to every customer you served that week
- Link straight to your review form with a direct Google review link so the ask takes one tap
- Don’t mention stars, staff names or what to say
- Reply to the reviews that come in, good and bad, in a calm and specific way
Reviews come from your customers, so no business or agency can promise a number of them. What you control is asking consistently and making it easy. If you collect reviews on several platforms, our guide to managing reviews across Google, Yelp and Facebook covers how the rules differ by site.
What Should You Fix in Your Review Workflow Now?
Retire review-for-reward offers. Remove discount codes, punch-card stamps or free add-ons tied to a Google review from signage, receipts, email footers and in-app prompts. A loyalty program can stay as long as it isn’t tied to a review.
Switch off the filter step. If your review software asks customers to rate you privately before deciding who sees the Google link, turn that setting off and send everyone the same link.
Change staff goals. Replace public review quotas with satisfaction scores you collect yourself. A steady, natural review pace also supports your local search visibility better than a burst before a slow month.
Leave old reviews alone and document the change. Don’t try to remove reviews you suspect came from friends, family or staff. Stop the pattern going forward and write down your current process, so you can show what you do today if a question ever comes up.
Spilt Media’s reputation management work covers replying to reviews and giving your customers an easy, compliant way to leave one. If you’d like us to look at your current review requests against Google’s policy and the FTC rule, book a consultation and bring the messages you send today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still offer a discount for leaving a Google review?
No. Google’s policy says merchants must not offer incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services in exchange for posting a review or for revising or removing a negative one. The FTC rule is slightly different, but Google’s stricter standard governs Google reviews.
Is it okay to text only happy customers and ask them to review me?
No. That is selective solicitation, which Google’s policy prohibits. Send the same request to every customer you served, not only the ones you expect to rate you well.
Can my staff ask customers to leave a Google review at the counter?
A single neutral mention is different from pressure. Watching a customer post on the premises, or tying staff bonuses to a review count, matches the examples Google gives of what crosses the line. A next-day email or text is the safer ask.
What happens if Google finds a policy violation on my profile?
Google can remove the affected reviews, restrict posting, and in serious cases suspend the Business Profile. Google reported placing posting restrictions on more than 900,000 accounts that repeatedly violated its policies in 2024.
Does the FTC rule apply to my small local business?
Yes. The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule has been in effect since October 21, 2024, applies regardless of business size, and allows courts to impose civil penalties for knowing violations.
Can I ask employees or family members to leave a review?
Undisclosed reviews from owners, employees or their relatives are prohibited under the FTC rule, and Google’s policy also treats reviews from people with a conflict of interest as a violation. Ask customers instead.
What about software that sends unhappy customers to a private form first?
That is review gating. Google treats it as selective solicitation and the FTC treats it as review suppression. Send every customer the same request and let the rating fall where it falls.
