Asking Australian customers for Google reviews the right way

Short answer: ask every customer, not just the ones you think are happy, for an honest review soon after the job — using a direct link or a QR code — and never offer anything in return. In Australia, that isn't just good practice: Australian Consumer Law and the ACCC treat fake, incentivised or selectively-collected reviews as potentially misleading conduct, not a harmless growth hack.

What "review gating" actually looks like

Review gating is asking customers privately how they felt first, then only pointing satisfied ones to Google while quietly redirecting unhappy ones somewhere else. The result is a profile that doesn't reflect real experience — and Google's own policies ask businesses not to selectively solicit positive reviews.

A fairer approach: send the same review link to everyone, and give everyone an equally easy way to raise a problem directly with you.

When to ask

• Right after a good moment — a finished job, a collection, the end of an appointment.
• Ask in person first, then follow up with one message the same day.
• Once. A second and third reminder tends to annoy rather than convert.

Ways to ask

1. Direct review link — your Business Profile can generate a link that opens the review form directly.
2. QR code printed on an invoice, receipt or counter card.
3. NFC card — a tap opens the same link; a tap is a visit to the form, not a submitted review.
4. A short message:

Thanks for choosing us. If you've got a minute, an honest Google review helps other locals decide: [link]. If anything wasn't right, just reply here and we'll sort it.

Things to avoid

• Discounts, competition entries or freebies offered for a review.
• Writing reviews for customers, or staff reviewing their own workplace.
• Only asking the customers you're confident were happy.
• Buying reviews from any third party — this also risks breaching Australian Consumer Law's misleading conduct provisions.

Beyond Google

Many Australian customers, from Sydney to regional towns, also check directories like TrueLocal, hipages and Yellow Pages Australia before booking a trade or service, especially outside the big cities. Keep your business name, phone number and service area consistent on those listings too, even though Local SEO AI itself manages your Google Business Profile.

Checklist

• Same review link sent to every customer
• No incentive of any kind offered
• A separate, easy route for complaints
• Staff know how to ask in person
• Other directories kept consistent with your Google listing

Where Local SEO AI helps

Review requests creates branded review links, QR codes and NFC-ready links, and counts link visits separately from actual reviews submitted. Messages are sent by you — the platform doesn't send automatic SMS or email requests on your behalf. Once reviews start coming in, use our guide on replying to Google reviews to respond consistently.