Google review rules for contractors in 2026
Every trade group has a thread where someone got 40 reviews removed in a week. Usually they broke a rule they didn’t know existed. Here are the rules that apply to a home-service company in 2026, from Google’s policy and the FTC, in plain words.
What are the rules for asking customers for Google reviews?
You can ask every customer, by text or email or in person, as often as twice. You cannot pay or reward them (discounts, gift cards, raffles), you cannot steer only happy customers to Google and unhappy ones to a private form (review gating), you cannot write or buy reviews or have staff and family post them, and you cannot threaten or sue over honest negative reviews. Since 21 October 2024 the FTC’s rule makes fake, bought and incentivised reviews a federal violation with civil penalties per violation, and Google removes reviews that break its policy, sometimes in bulk.
| Practice | Allowed? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Asking every customer for a review | Yes | Google policy; FTC rule |
| Sending a text with the direct review link | Yes | Same |
| One reminder a few days later | Yes | Keep it to two asks |
| Offering a discount, gift card or entry for a review | No | Google: incentivised content; FTC: compensation must not be conditioned on review |
| Asking only customers you think are happy (review gating) | No | Google policy; FTC rule on suppression |
| A service check-in before asking everyone | Yes | Everyone still gets the ask |
| Staff, family or owner posting reviews | No | Google: conflict of interest; FTC: insider reviews need disclosure and still risk removal |
| Buying reviews or using review farms | No | FTC: civil penalties; Google: removal and profile suspension |
| Replying to negative reviews | Yes, encouraged | 89% of consumers expect a reply |
| Threatening legal action over an honest negative review | No | FTC rule bars review suppression by intimidation |
| Asking for reviews on a tablet in the customer’s home | Risky | Google flags bursts from one IP/location; have them use their own phone later |
| Flagging a fake or policy-breaking review for removal | Yes | Google Business Profile: report review |
Can I offer anything for a review?
No. Not a discount, not a $10 gift card, not a prize draw, not a free tune-up, and not “leave a review and show us for 10% off next time.” Google treats all of it as incentivised content and removes the reviews; the FTC rule (16 CFR Part 465) bars giving anything of value conditioned on a review or on its sentiment, with civil penalties per violation. What you can do is make leaving one easy and fast, and thank them afterwards without having promised anything.
What counts as review gating?
Sending customers to a “rate us” step and then routing high scores to Google and low scores to a private form. It was the default in review software for years; Google banned it in 2018 and the FTC rule now treats suppressing negative reviews as a violation. The allowed version: a service check-in text to everyone (“is everything right with the heater?”), then the same review ask to everyone. Problems surface and get fixed first; nobody is blocked from Google.
Can my techs or my family leave reviews?
No. Google calls it a conflict of interest and removes them; the FTC rule requires clear disclosure of any material connection, and an owner’s brother’s five-star review with no disclosure is the textbook case. Techs can ask customers; they can’t post. The same goes for reviewing your competitors.
Why did Google remove my reviews, and can I get them back?
- Burst from one location. Ten reviews from a tablet in your shop on one afternoon look like one person. Ask customers to use their own phone at home.
- Same wording. Reviews that repeat your script word for word get flagged. Don’t hand customers a template.
- Incentive language. “Got a discount for this review” in the text gets the review and sometimes the profile removed.
- Reviewer with no history. New accounts that post one review are filtered more often; nothing you can do but ask real customers.
- Appeals. Business Profile has an appeal path for removed reviews; it works when the reviews were real and the pattern was innocent (a big storm week, say). Keep your request logs to show it.
How should I reply to reviews?
Reply to all of them within a week; 89% of consumers expect a response and 81% expect it inside seven days. Write a sentence about their actual job, not a template; half of consumers are put off by templated replies. For a negative one: reply within a day, calm and specific, no arguing, offer to fix it offline, and never mention details the customer didn’t make public. A fake negative from a competitor: reply once, briefly, and report it.
Texas notes
A review request to a customer about the job you did is not a solicitation under SB 140; send it 9 a.m.–9 p.m. from your registered number. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act sits under the federal rules for anything that misleads consumers, so fake or paid reviews carry state exposure too. Licence numbers (TDLR, TSBPE) belong in your text signature, not in the review ask itself.
Questions owners ask
Can I ask for a review in person?
Yes. Just don’t hand them a tablet to do it on the spot; ask them to use their phone later and send the link.
Can I ask for a 5-star review specifically?
Asking for a review is fine. Asking for a specific rating leans toward gating; ask for an honest review.
Can I offer a discount to everyone, review or not?
Yes, as long as it isn’t conditioned on leaving a review or on what it says.
What if a customer asks for a discount in exchange for a review?
Say no and explain it’s against Google’s rules. Document it.
Can I remove a bad review?
Only if it breaks policy (fake, off-topic, hate, conflict of interest). Honest negative reviews stay; your reply is the fix.
Can I use a review service?
Yes if it asks everyone, sends from your name and number, and doesn’t gate. Ask the vendor those three questions.
Do the same rules apply to Yelp and Facebook?
Yelp is stricter: it discourages asking at all and filters solicited reviews. Facebook follows similar lines to Google.
What are the FTC penalties?
Civil penalties per violation under the 2024 rule; the agency has brought cases against businesses and review sellers.
How many reviews do I need?
47% of consumers won’t use a business with under 20. After that, recency and replies matter more than count.
Does a photo in the review help?
Reviews with photos are weighted by readers and seem to be filtered less; you can mention it, not require it.
Next pages
Sources
- Google Business Profile, “Prohibited and restricted content” policy (incentives, conflict of interest, gating): support.google.com
- FTC, “Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials,” 16 CFR Part 465, effective 21 Oct 2024: ftc.gov
- BrightLocal, “Local Consumer Review Survey 2026” (reply expectations): brightlocal.com
Want review requests that can’t get you removed?
Thirty minutes on Central Time. We check your current process against these rules, rewrite the ask, and set it to go to everyone from the tech’s name at the right time.