When Should You Ask Customers for a Google Review?

By Bill Stilwell · Last reviewed October 16, 2026

The short answer

Ask for a review only after a real customer interaction, usually soon after the job is finished or the purchase is complete, while the experience is fresh. Ask every eligible customer the same way, not just the ones you expect to be happy. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says not to ask for reviews from people who haven’t used your product or service, and Google’s policy says businesses must not selectively ask happy customers for positive reviews.

What this means

A good review request has three parts: the right person, the right moment, and the right words. This page covers the first two. The words are in 14.6.2 Neutral Review Requests.

The right person is a real customer who actually used your service or bought your product. Someone who got a quote but never hired you hasn’t had the full experience.

The right moment is after the work is done and the customer has seen the result. For many local businesses, that’s the day of the job or within a few days. Make it part of how you close every job (see 16.9 Closing the Job).

Say a landscaper finishes a backyard patio on Thursday. On Friday, after the final walk-through and payment, the office sends a thank-you text with a link to leave a review. Every finished job gets the same text, whether the job went perfectly or had a hiccup.

If something went wrong, fix it first through your complaint process (see 17.8 Complaint Handling). Then send the same request you send everyone. You don’t skip unhappy customers. Leaving them out on purpose is the selective asking that Google bans.

Many businesses also ask for private feedback when a job closes, such as a short “How did we do?” question. That’s useful for spotting problems. Just don’t use the answer to decide who gets the review link. Sending the link only to people who said they were happy is review gating (see 14.10.3 Review Gating and Incentives).

Why it matters

Honest reviews help people decide. Google says honest and balanced reviews help potential customers make choices.
Rules apply. Google’s policy bans selectively asking for positive reviews. The FTC says not to ask only customers you think will leave positive reviews, and that asking only happy customers could break the FTC Act (see 11.3.5 Fake Review Rules).
Timing affects response. A request that arrives weeks later competes with everything else in the customer’s life.
Real customers only. Reviews from people who never used the service are fake reviews.

Who this applies to

Every business that wants reviews on Google or anywhere else.

Pay extra attention if:

Your jobs run long, like a remodel. Ask after completion, not halfway through
You sell subscriptions or recurring services. Pick a fair point, such as after the first month of service
Friends, family, or employees want to help. The FTC says they must disclose their connection, and Google’s policy bans reviews based on a conflict of interest, which can include employment

How to do it

Decide what counts as an eligible customer. For example: anyone who completed a paid job or purchase.
Pick your trigger moment. For example: the day the final invoice is paid.
Build the request into your job closing checklist or follow-up tool so it happens every time (see 16.9 Closing the Job and 18.5 Follow-Up Sequences).
Get your Google review link or QR code. In your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews. Google says review QR codes can only be made on a computer browser for now.
Send the request to every eligible customer, using neutral words (see 14.6.2 Neutral Review Requests).
If a customer had a problem, handle it first, then send the same request.
Don’t send the request to people who never bought from you.
Don’t offer anything in return for a Google review. Google bans rewards for reviews (see 14.10.3 Review Gating and Incentives).
Record the date each request went out.

What proof to keep

Your written review request policy, including who is eligible and when requests go out
A log or report from your follow-up tool showing requests sent and dates
A copy of the exact message you send

Store these with your marketing records. If anyone ever questions your review practices, a written policy that treats every customer the same is your best answer.

Common mistakes

Asking only happy customers. It breaks Google’s policy and may be deceptive under FTC law.
Asking before the job is done. The customer can’t review work they haven’t seen.
Asking people who never bought. Those reviews don’t reflect a real experience.
Asking staff and family to review without disclosure. It’s a conflict of interest.
Waiting weeks. By then most people won’t bother.
Sending requests in a sudden burst. The FTC lists a sudden burst of reviews as a red flag for fake ones. Steady requests after each job look like what they are.

When to get help from a pro

Attorney: if you’re thinking about any reward program connected to reviews, or a competitor or customer accuses you of fake reviews. Questions to ask:

Does my review request process follow FTC rules and my state’s laws?
Is any part of my reward or referral program tied to reviews in a way that causes problems?

Bill’s note

[Bill: add a short story or lesson here. For example, how the timing of a request changed how many reviews a client got, or why you tell clients to ask every customer, not just the happy ones.]

If you’d rather have this done for you, SiteSmarty handles Google Business Profile setup and review requests.

How I did this for SiteSmarty

[Date I did this:]
[What I actually did, step by step: when SiteSmarty sends review requests and how it’s triggered]
[What it cost and how long it took:]
[What surprised me or what I’d do differently:]
[Screenshot or photo to add, with private info blurred: the review request step in the closing checklist or follow-up tool]
[Result so far:]

Questions people ask

When is the best time to ask for a review? Soon after the job is finished and the customer has seen the result, often the same day or within a few days.

Should I ask every customer? Ask every eligible customer the same way. Google bans selectively asking for positive reviews.

Can I ask before the job is finished? It’s better not to. The customer should review the finished work.

Can I ask friends and family for reviews? The FTC says they must disclose their connection to you. Google’s policy bans reviews based on a conflict of interest. Stick to real customers.

Audit check

Question: Does the business ask every eligible customer for a review at a set point after a real, completed interaction?
Pass looks like: A written policy defining who is eligible and when requests go out. Requests sent to every completed customer, including those who had a problem that was handled. No requests to non-customers.
Fail looks like: Requests only to happy customers. Requests before the work is done. Reviews from staff or family without disclosure. Rewards for Google reviews.
Evidence to collect: The written policy, the request log with dates, and a copy of the message sent.

Where this fits

Do this first: 14.4.6 Citation Records, 16.9 Closing the Job

Do this next: 14.6.2 Neutral Review Requests

Sources

Google Business Profile Help, "Tips to get more reviews" (checked October 16, 2026)
Google Business Profile Help, "Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews" (checked October 16, 2026)
Maps User Generated Content Policy Help, "Prohibited and restricted content" (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), "Soliciting and Paying for Online Reviews: A Guide for Marketers" (checked October 16, 2026)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), "The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers" (checked October 16, 2026)

This page explains general rules and Bill's own experience. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation.