The myth: You can't offer anything in exchange for a review.

The truth: That's only half right. Google has rules. But you can absolutely encourage reviews ethically.

And honestly? Most businesses get this wrong, which means you're about to get it right.

What Google Actually Says

Here's the exact policy (paraphrased, but accurate):

"You may not offer or provide incentives to users for writing or changing their reviews. You also can't selectively solicit reviews."

That's the rule. Simple. Clear. But it's also wildly misunderstood.

The key words? "Incentives" and "selectively solicit."

What's NOT Allowed

Let's be crystal clear about what violates Google's terms of service.

Paying for reviews (obvious one) £50 to leave a 5-star review. A Amazon gift card for writing anything positive. A free coffee if you mention us on Google. All against the rules.

Selective solicitation (the sneaky one) Only asking your happy customers for reviews. Only asking the people who spent £500+. Only asking the people who came back three times. This is selection bias, and Google sees straight through it.

The moment you're choosing who to ask based on how much they spent or how you think they'll review — you're selectively soliciting. Banned.

Offering discounts contingent on leaving a review (the grey area that's actually black) "Leave a Google review and get 20% off." Nope. That's an incentive directly tied to the review action.

Review gating (where you screen before they review) "Do you want to leave us a review? Great! Here's a discount code." You're pre-selecting who gets the offer based on whether they're willing to review. That's gating. Breaks the rules.

Anything that feels like you're buying reviews If it feels transactional, it probably is.

What IS Allowed

Now, here's where it gets interesting.

Asking all customers consistently You can ask. You should ask. Every single customer gets the same request, phrased the same way, at the same time. Google loves this. No selection, no preference, no bias.

Making it easy and obvious Signage in your shop: "Review us on Google." A QR code on your receipt. A link in your email signature. All fine. You're removing friction, not incentivising.

Thanking people after they review "Thanks so much for leaving us a review! We really appreciate it." That's gratitude, not incentive. It's a thank-you, not a bribe.

Running general loyalty programmes (not tied to reviews) A rewards scheme where people earn points by visiting, spending, or referring friends — totally fine. Google doesn't care. It's not about reviews. But if someone happens to review while they're in your loyalty programme? That's their choice.

Displaying "Review us on Google" signage Put it on your shop window. Your till point. Your invoice. Your business card. "We'd love your feedback on Google." Pure, simple, allowed.

Asking in-person face-to-face Walking up to a customer and saying "Would you mind leaving us a review?" Completely fine. Personal, human, ethical. No incentive needed.

The Grey Area (And Why It's Actually Clear)

Here's where people get confused.

"Can I mention a discount if they review?"

The policy says: Depends on how you frame it.

This violates TOS: "Leave a review and get 20% off" — you're directly linking the discount to the review action.

This is probably okay: "Mention your review for a free coffee at checkout" — if you ask everyone (not just reviewers), and if you don't require a positive review. You're not incentivising the review; you're just saying that if they happened to review, they can mention it for a small thank-you.

But honestly? Even that sits in the grey zone. And most businesses shouldn't bother.

The businesses winning at reviews aren't the ones doing weird incentive gymnastics. They're the ones asking clearly, consistently, and ethically.

The Bottom Line

For what it's worth, Google's rule isn't "you can't encourage reviews." It's "you can't bribe people into reviewing or fake legitimacy by only asking happy customers."

You can absolutely encourage reviews. In fact, you should. Here's what's clean:

Ask every customer the same way
Ask at the right time (when they're happy)
Make it easy (link, QR code, clear ask)
Thank them after they do it
Never frame it as a transaction

Put simply — you're not paying for reviews. You're just making it obvious that you'd appreciate feedback, and you're removing barriers to leaving it.

Simples.

The businesses that get this right don't obsess over incentives. They just ask consistently and genuinely. That's the real competitive advantage.

One question for you: What's been holding you back from asking for reviews? Let us know in the comments.

Myth Buster: 'Incentivising Reviews Violates Google's TOS.' Here's the Truth.