The simplest way to get more Google reviews is to ask every customer, at the moment they're happiest, with a direct link to your review page. Automate it: when a job is marked complete or an appointment is attended, send a short SMS or email with your review link. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 83% of consumers who were asked to leave a review went on to write one. In Oceanic Funnels OS, connect your Google Business Profile and send review requests automatically from a workflow or manually from Reputation → Requests.
Why reviews matter more than ever
BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 found that 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 47% won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews. Recency matters too: 74% only consider reviews from the last three months. A steady flow of new reviews beats a burst once a year.
Customers are also willing: 78% of people surveyed had been asked to leave a review in the last year, and 83% of those went on to write one.
When to ask
- Home services: right after the job is marked complete.
- Clinics, spas and salons: a few hours after the appointment.
- Coaches and agencies: after a milestone or a win, not on day one.
- Ecommerce: after the product has arrived and been used.
What to say
Keep it short and personal, with one link. For example:
"Hi Sarah, thanks for choosing Coastal Plumbing today. If you were happy with the job, would you leave us a quick Google review? It really helps a small business like ours: [link]"
What not to do
- Don't offer incentives for reviews. Google's policies prohibit offering incentives in exchange for reviews.
- Don't only ask happy customers. Selectively soliciting positive reviews ("review gating") is against Google's policies. Ask everyone, and handle problems directly.
- Don't set review quotas or ask for specific content. Since April 2026, Google's policy also bars businesses from asking staff to collect a set number of reviews, or asking for reviews that include specific content, such as a staff member's name.
- Don't write or buy fake reviews. 97% of consumers in BrightLocal's survey think businesses should be punished for fake reviews.
Reply to every review
The same survey found 89% of consumers expect owners to respond to reviews, and 50% are unlikely to choose a business that gives templated replies. Reply personally, thank people by name and address any issue calmly.
How to automate review requests in Oceanic Funnels OS
- Connect your Google Business Profile in your settings, or add your review link.
- Turn on review requests and customise your SMS and email messages.
- Create a workflow triggered when a job is complete, an appointment is marked showed, or an order is fulfilled.
- Add the Send Review Request action and choose SMS or email.
- Track every request under Reputation → Requests, and send one-off requests from there too.