How Indian businesses can ask for Google reviews without breaking the rules

Short answer: ask every customer — happy or not — for an honest review soon after the job is done, using a direct review link or a QR code, and never offer anything in exchange or decide in advance who gets asked.

Google's own policy is direct: reviews must reflect a genuine experience, and offering an incentive for posting, changing or removing one is prohibited. In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards has gone further and published IS 19000:2022, a standard specifically on the handling of online consumer reviews, which sits alongside general obligations under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 and guidance from the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Asking everyone, not just the satisfied ones

"Gating" means only asking customers who seem happy, and quietly skipping anyone who complained. It produces a rating that looks better than the real experience, and it is against Google's policy. Ask the same way every time, regardless of how the interaction went — a mixed or negative review handled well often builds more trust than a suspiciously perfect five-star record.

The moment and the method

• Ask soon after delivery — right after a service call, at collection, or once an order is confirmed, while the experience is still fresh.
• Give a direct link, generated from your Google my business dashboard, or a QR code printed on a bill, a counter card or a WhatsApp message. Both remove the extra step of searching for your business by name.
• Say it plainly: "If you have a minute, an honest Google review helps other customers find us." No mention of what they should write.

What not to do

• Do not offer a discount, free item or refund for leaving, changing or removing a review.
• Do not filter requests to only the customers who thanked you.
• Do not write or post reviews on behalf of customers, even with their verbal permission.
• Do not ask staff or family to post reviews of the business they work for.

These practices fall under Google's prohibited and restricted content policy for Maps, and several would also raise questions under India's consumer protection framework if a customer felt misled by an inflated rating.

Where this fits alongside directories

Many Indian businesses also collect reviews on Justdial, Sulekha or Practo. The same principle applies everywhere: ask honestly, ask everyone, and never trade a review for a benefit — mixing incentivised reviews on one platform while staying clean on Google does not solve the underlying problem, since customers move between platforms freely.

A simple weekly habit

Keep a short list of customers served that week and send the review request the same day or the next, by SMS or WhatsApp with the direct link attached. Consistency, not a clever script, is what keeps review volume growing steadily across a mobile-first customer base.

Local SEO AI is software that generates review request links and QR codes for businesses across Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai; live Google connection is awaiting approval, so requests are sent using your own connected number and Google account once set up. See the review management feature, our guide on replying to reviews, or pricing, billed in GBP (£).