Guide

How to get your first reviews the right way

How a new service business can get its first reviews: ask every customer, time it well, make it easy, reply well, and stay within FTC and Google rules.

Updated October 10, 2026 · 7 min read · For new and relaunching service businesses

Why the first few reviews matter

BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey of 1,002 US adults found that 97% read reviews for local businesses, and 74% look for reviews written in the last three months. Northwestern University's Spiegel Research Center found that, for products sold online, having five reviews made a purchase 270% more likely than having none, with smaller gains after that.

So a new business doesn't need hundreds of reviews. It needs its first handful of honest ones, then a steady flow of recent ones.

1. Ask every customer, the same way

Google's content policy says businesses may not “selectively solicit positive reviews from customers” or discourage negative ones. The FTC's rule also bans suppressing reviews through threats or intimidation. The safe and honest approach is simple: send the same request to every customer, whatever you expect them to say.

This also helps you. An occasional four-star review makes your page look real. The Spiegel Research Center found that purchase likelihood usually peaks for ratings between 4.0 and 4.7, not at a perfect 5.0.

2. Time it and make it easy

BrightLocal found that 83% of people who were asked to leave a review went on to leave one. Most customers who don't leave a review simply weren't asked, or weren't given an easy way to do it.

Ask when the result is fresh: at the end of the job, or a day or two after, once they've seen the result.
Ask in person first, then send a short text or email with a direct link to your Google review page. Google lets you create a review link and QR code from your profile.
Keep the message short: thank them, ask for an honest review, add the link.
Mention that they'll need to be signed in to a Google account (it can use any email address).
Send one reminder at most, then stop.

3. What isn't allowed

The FTC's Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule has been in force since October 2024, and courts can impose civil penalties for knowing violations. Google has its own rules, which are stricter on incentives.

Practice	FTC rule	Google's policy
Fake reviews, or buying reviews	Banned	Banned
A reward only for a positive review	Banned	Banned
A reward for any honest review	Allowed if not tied to the review being positive or negative	Banned: no payment, discounts or free goods or services
Reviews from staff or family	Allowed only with a clear disclosure of the relationship	Not allowed: Google lists employment and family ties as conflicts of interest
Asking only happy customers	Not banned by the rule itself, but the FTC says it could break the FTC Act	Banned (“selectively solicit positive reviews”)
Staff review quotas, or asking reviewers to name staff	Not addressed	Banned
Threats or legal pressure to remove a review	Banned if unfounded or intimidating	Not allowed

Summary only, not legal advice. Because Google bans all incentives, the simplest rule is to offer nothing for any review.

4. Reply to reviews

BrightLocal found that 89% of consumers expect business owners to respond to reviews, and 50% are unlikely to choose a business whose replies are templated or generic. Google's own tips agree: keep replies professional, polite and short, avoid the same “thank you” for everyone, and don't use replies to advertise.

Thank them by name and mention something specific from the job.
For a negative review, stay calm, acknowledge the problem, and offer to sort it out by phone or email.
Never share private details about the customer.
Reply within a few days. In BrightLocal's survey, 81% expect a response within a week.

5. If you get an unfair or fake review

Reply politely and factually, so other readers see your side. If the review breaks Google's content policy (for example, it's from a competitor, it's off-topic, or the person was never a customer), flag it for Google to check. Don't threaten the reviewer: the FTC's rule bans unfounded legal threats and intimidation used to remove reviews.

Questions

Can I offer a discount for leaving a review?

Not for Google reviews. Google's policy bans incentives of any kind, including discounts and free services, even for honest reviews. The FTC allows some incentives that aren't tied to a positive review, but Google's rule is stricter, so offer nothing.

Can my family and friends leave reviews?

Google treats reviews from family and staff as a conflict of interest and doesn't allow them. The FTC requires such relationships to be clearly disclosed. Ask real customers instead.

Is it OK to ask only customers I think are happy?

No. Google's policy bans selectively asking for positive reviews. Send the same request to every customer.

When is the best time to ask?

Right after the job, or a day or two later once they've seen the result. Ask in person, then send a direct link.

Should I reply to every review?

Reply to as many as you can, especially negative ones. BrightLocal found that 89% of consumers expect owners to respond, and generic copy-and-paste replies put many people off.

Sources

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by location; check with your own adviser.

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