I nearly changed my car last week, but the deal did not quite happen. Even so, I spent a lot of time dealing with one genuinely good car salesperson, which in my experience is a pretty rare species. So when a personalised email landed in my inbox asking for a review, with a simple link to click, it felt like a reasonable ask. I was happy to give credit where it was due, even though I did not end up buying the car.
What got my back up was what followed: two phone calls from head office with further requests for reviews. Whether or not I had purchased the vehicle, this felt too much. I went from being quite happy to help to feeling fairly tetchy. Had I waited until after all the nagging, the review would have looked very different.
Why was the dealership so geared up to get that all-important Google Review? While the salesperson is less likely to understand the full picture, their digital marketing team would have likely been aware of the following:
- They feed directly into the algorithm, so there is potential for increased visibility in SERPs
- Organisations with strong ratings are more likely to attract more clicks
- They influence local rankings for ‘near me’ searches
- Review comments are used in map listings
- They add fresh content about an organisation, and Google favours businesses that are active
- The content is user-generated, which means Google uses it as a trust signal
- Similarly, real people also trust reviews from other real people
- As reviews naturally contain product and service mentions and locations, they can reinforce keyword relevance
- Even a negative review that is responded to well can show customer service is on the ball and be turned into a positive
So what’s the best time to collect Google Reviews?
The best way to collect Google Reviews will be different for every business. Timing plays a huge role, because if I had left my review even 24 hours later, it probably would not have been as glowing.
You need to think carefully about when your customers experience that peak moment of satisfaction. Is it right after they leave a store or make a purchase, when they collect an item, after they have used a service, following a great interaction with staff, or even six months later, once they have fully benefited from the product or service?
As above, actively asking for reviews will naturally result in some less-positive feedback, because you simply cannot please everyone all of the time. While a large number of negative reviews can harm a business, the occasional critical review, when handled and responded to well, can actually build trust and have a positive impact.
In fact, a perfect 5.0 rating can sometimes raise suspicion. No business is flawless, and many customers are naturally sceptical of anything that appears too polished or one-sided. A mix of reviews, including the occasional fair criticism, often feels more genuine and relatable.
Because of this, a rating between 4.0 and 4.5 is often cited as the sweet spot. It signals consistently high quality while still appearing authentic, balanced, and trustworthy, which can ultimately encourage more confidence.
Match review requests to value and effort
When asking for a review, you should also be guided by price point and the level of staff involvement.
Am I likely to leave a review for a purely transactional interaction, like grabbing an inexpensive sandwich from a restaurant chain at lunchtime, with the request scribbled onto the receipt? Probably not. It is quick, low-cost, and something I do several times a week at different places. Leaving reviews for each would feel like a full-time job.
However, if I were a regular customer at a local delicatessen and the owner explained in person that she was trying to improve her reviews, I would be far more likely to leave feedback.
It is easy to assume that people only leave reviews after a meaningful interaction with your products or services, but that is not always the case. Any interaction with a business can prompt a review.
Some folks take real delight in leaving completely random feedback, as well as wannabe comedians who enjoy the sarcasm and the funnies. I have seen reviews from people whose only interaction was taking in a delivery for a neighbour or simply driving behind a branded vehicle. Most customers will overlook these slightly obscure reviews, but it is worth remembering that there is no intelligence or relevancy test required before a review is published.
Can you remove Google Reviews?
You can ask Google to remove reviews that violate their policies, such as spam or those that are clearly off-topic content, by reporting them through your Google Business Profile. However, this is not always straightforward, and it can be difficult to prove a violation. The general consensus is that it is best to deal with the review proactively and professionally, especially in case your removal request is declined.
I do not know about you, but I feel completely bombarded by requests for reviews. While they are not always ‘Google’ reviews, almost every interaction seems to trigger a follow-up call for feedback or a request to complete a ‘quick’ survey. It all adds up.
When you ask for feedback, you are entering into that same crowded space, so you need to stand out, both to get any response at all and to increase the chances that the feedback you receive is positive.
It is essential to keep collecting Google Reviews, but it pays to be thoughtful about how you do it. The more personal the request, the better the response is likely to be. An automated request often leads to an automated lack of response from real people, who simply tune them out.