How to Get More Online Reviews and Handle the Bad Ones

Online reviews are often the first thing a new customer sees about your business, before your website and long before they talk to you. This playbook shows you how to ask for reviews at the right moment, how to reply to bad ones without making things worse and how to stay inside the rules on fake and incentivized reviews.

Star ratings shape first impressions, but the words in each review often matter more.

Key takeaways

• Most happy customers will leave a review if you ask at the right time and make it easy.
• Ask every customer, not only the ones you expect to be happy. Selective asking can break platform rules.
• Reply to negative reviews calmly, briefly and publicly, then take the details offline.
• Fake reviews, paid reviews and hiding bad reviews are restricted in many countries, including the US and UK, and the rules keep changing.

Think about the last time you chose a restaurant, plumber or app. You probably glanced at the star rating, read a few recent reviews and checked how the business responded to complaints. Your customers do the same thing. For many small businesses, reviews are now as important as the shop window used to be.

The good news is that reviews are one of the few marketing assets you can grow steadily without a big budget. You need a system for asking, a habit of responding and a clear understanding of what is allowed.

Why reviews matter so much

Reviews influence buying decisions because they reduce risk. A stranger's honest experience feels more believable than anything you say about yourself.

270% How much more likely a product with five reviews was to be purchased than one with no reviews, in research by the Spiegel Research Center at Northwestern University Spiegel Research Center, 2017 study of online review data

The same research found that the first few reviews made the biggest difference, which is encouraging for small businesses. You do not need thousands of reviews. You need enough recent, genuine ones to show that real people trust you.

Reviews also help people find you. Local search results often show ratings next to business listings, and fresh reviews keep your profile looking active. Our guide to SEO basics for small business websites explains how your listings and website work together.

Part one: how to get more reviews

Choose where you want reviews

Focus on one or two platforms that matter most to your customers. For a local business, that is often your Google Business Profile plus one industry site. For an online store, it may be product reviews on your own site and a third-party review platform. Spreading requests across too many sites leaves you with a thin presence everywhere.

Ask at the moment of greatest satisfaction

Timing matters more than wording. Ask when the customer has just felt the value of what you provide:

• Right after a successful job is finished and the customer has said thank you
• A few days after delivery, once a product has been used
• After a milestone, such as a first month of results for a service client
• When a customer sends a compliment by email or message

Make it effortless

Every extra click loses reviewers. Send a direct link that opens the review form, not your general profile page. Add a QR code to receipts, invoices or a card at the counter. Keep the request short and personal.

1. Get your direct review links. Most major platforms let you generate a short link that opens the review box directly.
2. Write a short request template. Thank the customer, mention what you did for them and ask for an honest review in one or two sentences.
3. Add the request to your process. Build it into your job completion checklist, order follow-up email or checkout flow so it happens every time.
4. Ask every customer. Do not filter requests based on whether you think the customer is happy.
5. Send one gentle reminder. If there is no response after a week, a single polite follow-up is fine. More than that becomes pushy.
6. Thank reviewers publicly. A short, personal reply to each review shows future customers that you pay attention.

Common mistake

Review gating, which means first asking customers whether they are happy and then sending only the happy ones to a review site. Some platforms, including Google, prohibit selectively soliciting positive reviews, and regulators may treat it as misleading. Ask everyone and handle problems through your normal support process.

A quick daily check of new reviews keeps small problems from growing.

Part two: how to handle bad reviews

Every business that serves enough customers eventually gets a negative review. A few critical reviews can even make your profile more believable, because a perfect score can look suspicious. What matters most is how you respond.

Use the calm, four-part reply

A good public reply to a negative review usually has four parts:

• Thank them: appreciate that they took the time to share feedback.
• Acknowledge the issue: show you understand what went wrong from their point of view, without arguing details.
• Explain briefly, if helpful: share any fix or change you have made, without making excuses.
• Move it offline: invite them to contact you directly by phone or email to resolve it.

Keep replies short and professional. Remember that you are writing for future customers as much as for the reviewer. A calm reply next to an angry review often reassures readers more than a positive review would.

Review type	What it looks like	How to respond
Fair complaint	A real mistake on your side	Apologize, explain the fix and offer to make it right privately
Misunderstanding	Customer misread a policy or expectation	Clarify politely and note how you will communicate better
Harsh but vague	Low rating with little detail	Thank them and ask them to contact you so you can learn more
Possibly fake or abusive	No record of the customer, or hateful content	Reply briefly and neutrally, then report it through the platform

Pro tip

Wait at least an hour before replying to a review that makes you angry. Draft your response, step away, then edit out anything defensive. Never share a customer's private details in a public reply.

Hypothetical example

Suppose a small cafe receives a two-star review saying the coffee was cold and staff seemed rushed during a busy Saturday. The owner replies the same day: "Thank you for telling us, and sorry your coffee wasn't served hot. Saturdays have been busier than we planned for, so we've added an extra person to the morning shift. We'd love to make it up to you, so please message us directly." A week later, the reviewer updates the rating. Even if they had not, future readers see a business that listens.

Part three: the rules on fake and incentivized reviews

Regulators around the world have become stricter about review manipulation. The details vary by country, so treat this as a general overview and check current local guidance.

• United States: the Federal Trade Commission adopted a rule in 2024 that targets fake reviews and testimonials, including buying reviews, writing reviews that misrepresent who wrote them and suppressing negative reviews. The FTC's Endorsement Guides also require disclosure of material connections, such as when a reviewer received something of value.
• United Kingdom: the Competition and Markets Authority has made fake reviews a priority, and newer consumer protection law bans commissioning or publishing fake reviews. The Advertising Standards Authority also polices misleading claims in marketing.
• Other countries: many consumer protection laws, including those across the European Union and in Australia, treat fake reviews and misleading testimonials as unfair or deceptive practices.

Platforms add their own rules on top. Many prohibit offering incentives for reviews, review gating and reviews from owners, employees or relatives. Breaking platform rules can lead to removed reviews, warning labels on your profile or suspended listings.

Generally safe practices

• Asking every customer for an honest review
• Sending direct links and simple reminders
• Replying publicly to positive and negative reviews

Practices to avoid

• Buying reviews or writing them yourself
• Offering rewards only for positive reviews
• Asking only happy customers, or hiding negative reviews

Because rules change, review your process at least once a year and whenever a platform updates its policies. If you are unsure about a specific tactic, such as entering reviewers into a prize draw, check with the platform's guidelines and a legal adviser first.

Turn reviews into marketing and product insight

Reviews are not only a reputation tool. They are free market research and ready-made marketing copy.

• Spot patterns: read reviews monthly and tag recurring praise and complaints. Fix what keeps coming up.
• Borrow customer language: the words customers use to describe your benefits often make better headlines than your own.
• Share testimonials: with permission where required, feature short quotes on your website, social posts and emails.
• Train your team: share good reviews that mention staff by name and use negative reviews as coaching examples.

Reviews also support local growth. If you serve a neighborhood or city, our list of 10 low-budget ways to get local customers shows how reviews fit with your other local marketing.

Your review system checklist

• Choose one or two main review platforms for your business
• Create direct review links and a QR code
• Write a short review request template and add it to every job or order
• Set a daily or weekly time to read and reply to new reviews
• Write a calm reply template for negative reviews
• Check current fake review and disclosure rules for your country and platforms

Frequently asked questions

Can I offer a discount in exchange for a review?

Be very careful. Many platforms ban incentives for reviews, and regulators may require disclosure or treat incentives tied to positive reviews as unlawful. Check the platform's rules and your local regulations before offering anything.

Should I reply to every review?

Ideally, yes, or at least to all negative reviews and as many positive ones as you can. Short, personal replies show that real people run the business and care about feedback.

Can I get a negative review removed?

Usually only if it breaks the platform's rules, such as fake, abusive or off-topic content. You can report those through the platform. A genuine negative review is best handled with a professional reply and an effort to fix the issue.

How many reviews do I need?

There is no magic number, but research such as the Spiegel Research Center study suggests the first few reviews have the biggest effect. Aim for a steady flow of recent reviews rather than a single burst.

The bottom line

A strong review profile comes from a simple, repeatable system: ask every customer at the right moment, make it easy, reply to every review with care and stay well inside the rules. Do that consistently and your reviews become one of your most persuasive and affordable marketing assets.