Hello everyone!
I’m Aziz Arda from Edirne, Türkiye.
Lately, many local business owners around me keep asking the same question:
“How can we get more customer reviews on Google Maps?”
(And yes… they usually ask it with a little panic in their eyes )
So I thought—why not ask the experts right here?
I would love to hear your smart, ethical, and creative tips on how businesses can encourage customers to leave more reviews.
Do you have any fun tactics, simple habits, or surprisingly effective methods?
For example:
– A friendly reminder at the cashier?
– A cute sign near the exit?
– Staff asking at the perfect moment?
– Offering amazing service so people want to write a review anyway?
– Or maybe a “review board” where people take photos?
I’m really curious about your experiences!
Let’s help our local businesses grow — one honest review at a time.
Your question is something most responsible business owners ask. So on the help pages for business owners I found this set of recommended strategies for you:
Good question @AzizArda, and its best that I answer as a customer rather than a Maps expert. Maybe its a cultural, regional, or generational thing, but the whole matter of reading reviews or leaving reviews doesn’t resonate with me.
However, I have written some reviews, but it was never in response to a request by a business owner, nor a reaction to enticements by the business. Google knows everywhere I go, and I’ll often get a prompt on my phone to rate or review a place I recently visited. I can either respond or ignore the prompt. But it’s always a suggestion from Google, never anything from the business. And indeed I’d think it unethical for the business to be asking.
Thank you so much for your valuable input!
The selfie-point idea is absolutely brilliant — a fun attraction that encourages photos, social media posts, and naturally leads to more Google Maps reviews without even asking.
It’s great to hear how businesses in Pune use this creatively.
I really appreciate you sharing this insight with us!
Thanks again for contributing to the discussion.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
These recommended strategies are very helpful, and I truly appreciate you taking the time to look them up and guide me in the right direction.
Thanks again for your support!
Thank you so much for sharing your perspective — I completely understand what you mean.
Unfortunately, many customers tend to avoid leaving reviews when their experience is good, but they are much more likely to write one after a negative moment. This creates a challenge for businesses.
As business owners, we always aim to offer the best service. However, sometimes unexpected issues happen — a busy day, a staff mistake, or a small delay — and these rare moments often result in negative reviews. This can make it look as if the business is always like that, even when it’s not.
That’s why we feel the need to encourage happy customers to share their positive experiences too — not unethically, but simply to keep things balanced and fair.
Thank you again for your honest point of view; it helps us see the situation from the customer side as well.
Hello @AzizArda thank you for starting this topic!
Another idea, I found recently which was new to me: The owner responded to all(?) positive reviews and offered a coffee or a glass of wine as a thank you: Google Maps That is, they are not directly asking to write a review, but somehow influence those, who do read existing reviews.
Pune selfie point at a local Chaat Cafe: