The review never comes.

Your customers mean it when they say it. Then they drive home, the kids need dinner, and the moment is gone. Here is how to get more Google reviews from the people who already like you.

People are willing. Most just do not do it.

BrightLocal surveys about 1,000 U.S. adults every year about online reviews. In its 2025 survey:

• 96% said they are open to writing a review for a business.

• 29% actually wrote one in the past year.

• Only 4% said they never read reviews.

That gap between 96% and 29% is where your new reviews are.

Why people do not follow through

In the same survey, almost a quarter of people said the visit did not feel worth writing about. About 1 in 10 said they did not think their review would make a difference.

You can fix both. Tell them it matters. For a small local shop, one new review can move you up on the map.

How to ask

• Ask in person first. BrightLocal found 27% of people are most likely to leave a review when asked face to face.

• Follow up with a link. Email was the top choice, at 40%. A text works well too. Send the direct link to your Google review page so it is one tap.

• Time it right. For trades and service businesses, people expect the request about 3 days to a week after the job.

• Keep it short. "Thanks for coming in. A quick Google review helps a small local shop like ours. Here is the link."

What not to do

Do not offer a discount or a gift for a review. Google's rules do not allow it, and reviews can be removed.

Reply to the reviews you get

People notice when an owner replies. We cover how to answer the good ones and the hard ones in our next post.