Collecting Google reviews is perfectly legal — as long as you follow Google's rules. Offering a discount, a gift or entry to a prize draw in exchange for a review is forbidden: reviews obtained this way are considered biased and can be removed, with a risk of penalties on your listing.
Review gating — soliciting only satisfied customers while steering unhappy ones away — also breaks the rules. The good practice is simple: give every customer the same opportunity to speak up, with nothing offered in return.
These guides clarify what Google allows and forbids, the risks involved, and how to earn more reviews entirely within the rules. A Google review plate merely makes a genuine gesture easier, in one tap: it is the safest and most sustainable way to grow your reputation.
Done right, collecting reviews durably strengthens your local reputation, without ever exposing you to a penalty or to having your reviews removed.
Offering a discount, a gift or a prize draw entry in exchange for a review is forbidden by Google. We explain why, what you risk, and how to get more reviews legally.
Read the guide ComplianceFiltering your customers to ask only the most satisfied for a review (review gating) breaks Google rules. We explain what it is, why it is forbidden, and the right practice to adopt.
Read the guide