Why it matters for your business
A common review “trick” goes like this: first ask the customer whether they had a good experience. If they say yes, send them to Google to leave a review. If they say no, send them to a private feedback form instead. That’s review gating.
It might seem clever, but Google’s policies don’t allow businesses to selectively ask for positive reviews, and reviews collected this way can be removed. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission’s guidance for businesses also says not to ask for reviews only from customers you think will leave positive ones.
What to do instead
Ask every customer the same way, whatever you think they’ll say. You can still invite feedback privately, as long as everyone also gets the same chance to leave a public review.
How to check or improve it
- Review your review-request emails, texts and tools. Remove any “happy or not?” filter before the public review link.
- Make asking part of your routine: after every job, every customer.
- Make it easy with a direct review link and a QR code.
- Never offer discounts, gifts or payment for reviews, and never post reviews yourself.
- Reply to every review, including the negative ones, calmly and helpfully.