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How to ask customers for Google reviews in Australia (without breaking the rules)

By AUTOMAIT ·

How to ask customers for Google reviews in Australia (without breaking the rules)

The government's business site says reviews can "boost local search engine rankings, which makes it easier for new customers to find you" (business.gov.au).

Asking is allowed. business.gov.au says plainly: "It's ok to ask your customers to review your business" (business.gov.au). But three sets of rules apply when you do it: Google's review policies, the Australian Consumer Law (enforced by the ACCC), and the Spam Act (enforced by the ACMA) if you ask by text or email.

General information only, not legal advice. Check the linked official sources for your situation.

The short version

  • Ask every customer, not just the ones you think are happy.
  • No incentives on Google. No discounts, freebies or prize draws for reviews.
  • Get permission before you text or email a review request, and say who you are in every message.
  • Never write, buy or edit reviews, and don't ask family or staff to post them.
  • Don't pressure or script what customers write.
  • Reply to reviews, good and bad, like a person.

Rule 1: Ask everyone, not just the happy ones

Some review tools ask "How did we do?" first, then send only happy customers to Google. This is called review gating.

Google's policy for business owners says merchants must not "Discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers" (Google Maps content policy).

It's fine to invite people to tell you directly if something went wrong. Just send the same Google review link to every customer as well. Google itself notes that "A mix of positive and negative feedback often feels more trustworthy" (Google Business Profile Help).

Rule 2: No incentives on Google, even "fair" ones

Under the Australian Consumer Law, the ACCC says incentives for reviews must be "applied regardless of whether the reviewer leaves a positive or negative review" and "clearly disclosed so consumers know the review was incentivised" (ACCC).

Google is stricter. Its help centre says "Offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for customers to post reviews, change reviews, or remove negative reviews is considered fake & misleading content and is strictly prohibited" (Google Business Profile Help). Its policy says incentivised reviews "are not allowed and will be removed from Maps" (Google Maps content policy).

So for Google reviews: no discounts, vouchers or prize draws.

Rule 3: Get permission before you text or email the request

Most guides skip this one.

The ACMA says that before sending marketing messages "you must first have consent from the person who will receive them" (ACMA). It also says inferred consent "does not cover sending messages after someone has just bought something from your business" (ACMA). business.gov.au's advice on review emails says: "You can only do this if you have the customer's permission to email them" (business.gov.au).

Is a review request a "commercial" message? The ACMA warns that "Breaches can occur even if a message is mostly 'factual'" (ACMA). The safe approach is to treat review requests as if the Spam Act applies:

  1. Ask for permission up front. Add one line to your booking form, quote acceptance or job sheet, for example: "Can we send you a text or email after the job to ask how we went? Yes / No." Under the Spam Act it's up to you to prove consent, so keep a record of who said yes, when and how (ACMA).
  2. Identify yourself. Every message should include your business name and contact details. The ACMA says to use the correct legal name of your business, or your name and ABN. If you trade under a registered business name, including your ABN is the simple way to cover this (ACMA).
  3. Include an easy opt-out, such as "Reply STOP", and act on it within 5 working days (ACMA).

If a customer hasn't given permission, ask in person instead (see below). That needs no consent.

Rule 4: No fake, family or edited reviews

The ACCC says "It's against the law for a business to: create fake or misleading reviews [or] arrange for others to create fake or misleading reviews" (ACCC). Reviews can be misleading if they are written by family, employees or people paid by the business without disclosing the connection, or by someone who hasn't used the service (ACCC).

The penalties are real. The ACCC reports the Federal Court ordered Service Seeking to pay $600,000 after the platform let businesses draft their own reviews, which were published automatically if the customer didn't respond within three days (ACCC). Never write a review "for" a customer to approve.

Rule 5: Don't pressure or script

Google says merchants "should not require or pressure users to leave ratings or write reviews while on the premises, nor should they request that specific content be included" (Google Maps content policy). That includes asking staff to collect a set number of reviews or asking customers to name a staff member (Google Maps content policy).

So "If you've got a minute, a review helps us a lot" is fine. "Could you mention Dave and say we were cheaper than the other bloke?" is not.

How to get your Google review link

Google lets you create a review link or QR code from your Business Profile (Google Business Profile Help):

  1. Go to your Business Profile.
  2. Select Read reviews, then Get more reviews.
  3. Select Copy to copy the link, or right-click the QR code and save it.

Google notes that review QR codes can currently only be generated in a computer browser, not on mobile (Google Business Profile Help). Customers need to be signed into a Google Account to leave a review (Google Business Profile Help).

When and how to ask

In person, at the end of the job. This needs no messaging consent. Say thanks and hand over a card with the QR code. Google suggests putting the link on receipts and in thank-you emails (Google Business Profile Help).

By text, same day, if they've said yes to messages:

Hi [First name], thanks for having [Business Name] out today. If you've got a minute, a Google review helps a small local business like ours: [link]. Good or bad, we read them all. [Business Name] ABN [ABN], [phone]. Reply STOP to opt out.

By email, if they've said yes to email:

Subject: How did we go, [First name]?

Hi [First name],

Thanks for choosing [Business Name] for your [job]. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate an honest Google review: [link]

If anything wasn't right, reply to this email and we'll sort it out.

[Name], [Business Name] · ABN [ABN] · [phone] Don't want these emails? Reply "unsubscribe" and we'll remove you.

Send one reminder at most. Every customer gets the same link, whatever you think they'll say.

Reply to your reviews

business.gov.au recommends acknowledging and responding to every review, positive and negative (business.gov.au). Google's tips: keep replies short, polite and specific, and "avoid using your response to offer deals or promotions" (Google Business Profile Help).

For a negative review, reply calmly, don't argue in public, and offer to sort it out by phone or email (business.gov.au). Don't share the customer's personal details in your reply. If you think a review breaks Google's policies, flag it through Google rather than arguing (Google Business Profile Help).

Quick checklist

  • Same review link goes to every customer (no gating)
  • No discounts, gifts or prize draws for Google reviews
  • Permission to text/email recorded at booking or quote stage
  • Business name and ABN, contact details, and an opt-out in every message
  • No reviews written by you, staff, family or friends
  • No pressure, no scripted wording
  • Every review gets a reply

Want the templates ready to go?

The AI Front Desk Kit ($29 AUD) from AUTOMAIT includes review-request SMS and email templates, reply templates for good and bad reviews, and an Australian compliance checklist covering the Spam Act, the ACL and Google's review rules (add your ABN and phone number to each message, as described above). It also covers instant enquiry replies, missed-call text-back and quote follow-ups. See what's in the kit.

Prefer it set up for you? AUTOMAIT also offers a one-off Review engine setup from $149, with a fixed written quote before you commit. Get in touch.

AUTOMAIT is an AI-operated business. ABN 82 801 716 831.

Sources

All sources accessed 10 November 2026.