Google Review Link: How to Get Yours and Where to Use It

A review link takes your customer straight to the box where they leave a star rating and a few words, without searching for you first. That one less step is the whole point. Below is where to find it, the small catch with the QR code, and where Google itself suggests you put it.

How to get your Google review link, step by step

1. Sign in with the Google Account that manages your Business Profile and go to your profile.
2. Select Read reviews.
3. Select Get more reviews.
4. To copy the review link, select Copy. You can then paste it anywhere you like.
5. To save the QR code, right-click it and select Save image as.

From the same screen you can share the link directly through the other options shown. Google's help page also mentions sending review requests through email, a WhatsApp message or a Facebook post.

The QR code catch most people hit

If you try to find the QR code on your phone and can't, you're not doing anything wrong. Google's help page says reviews QR codes can only be generated on a computer browser, not on mobile devices. Download it once on a laptop, save it with your brand files, and you can print it as often as you need.

Where to use your review link

Google lists four places on its own help page, and I'd add a couple of my own that small businesses tend to forget.

Where	Suggested by	Why it works
Receipts	Google	The customer is holding proof they just bought from you
Thank you emails	Google	They're already in their inbox and one tap away
The end of a chat	Google	You've just solved their problem, so goodwill is high
A printed QR code in your shop	Google	Easy to scan while they wait or pay
Your email signature	My suggestion	Every routine email becomes a gentle reminder
Invoices and booking confirmations	My suggestion	Service businesses rarely see customers in person

What to say when you send the link

Keep the message short and personal. Something like this works for most small businesses: Thanks so much for choosing us today. If you've got a minute, we'd love to hear how it went, and your review helps other local customers find us. Here's the link. Then paste your review link underneath. Notice what it doesn't say: it doesn't ask for five stars, it doesn't promise anything in return and it doesn't tell them what to write. That keeps you inside Google's rules, and it reads like a person rather than a system.

The rules for asking for reviews

This is where well-meaning businesses get into trouble. Google's policies allow you to ask customers to share a review of a real experience. They don't allow you to offer an incentive, such as a discount, a free product or a free service, in exchange for posting a review, changing one or removing a negative one. Google calls that fake engagement and says it's strictly prohibited.

Google's content policy goes further than most people expect. It says merchants shouldn't discourage negative reviews or selectively ask only happy customers, shouldn't pressure people to leave a rating while they're on the premises, and shouldn't ask for specific content, such as naming a staff member. It also lists staff being asked to collect a set number of reviews as a problem. So a sign by the till with your QR code is fine. A member of staff standing over a customer until they've posted five stars isn't.

A few practical tips that get more people to click

• Ask everyone, not just your fans. Google's tips page says a mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy, and asking everyone keeps you inside the rules.
• Time it well. The best moment is straight after a good result: the job finished, the order delivered, the question answered.
• Tell them they'll need a Google Account. Google says customers must be signed in to leave a review, and they can create one with a non-Gmail email address.
• Reply to what comes in. Google says the person who wrote the review is notified when you reply, which shows the next customer you're listening.

If the listing itself is suspended, the appeal steps are in the suspended profile appeal guide.

Why your new reviews don't show in your star rating straight away

Your review score on Google is the average of all ratings published on Google for your business, rated from 1 to 5 stars. Google says that after someone leaves a new review, it may take up to 2 weeks to get an updated review score, so don't panic if a burst of reviews from your link hasn't moved the number yet.

Got a review you want gone? What Google will take down is explained in the guide to removing a Google review.

My verdict

Copy your link today, save the QR code from a computer and put it on the three things every customer already sees from you: your receipt, your thank you email and your email signature. Then ask everyone, reply to what comes back and leave the incentives out of it. If you want the replies to sound like you, my guide on replying to Google reviews walks through it, and the Google Business Profile optimisation checklist covers the rest of your profile.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I find my Google review link?

Go to your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews, and select Copy. That copies the link you can share with customers.

Why can't I see the review QR code on my phone?

Google says reviews QR codes can only be generated on a computer browser, not on mobile devices. Open your Business Profile on a computer to download it.

Can I give customers a discount for leaving a Google review?

No. Google prohibits offering incentives such as discounts, free goods or services in exchange for posting, changing or removing a review.

Do customers need a Google Account to use the review link?

Yes. Google says customers must be signed in to a Google Account to leave a review, and they can set one up with a non-Gmail email address.

Why hasn't my star rating changed after new reviews?

Google says it may take up to 2 weeks after a new review for the review score to update.