Short answer: Ask every customer at the right moment via SMS, email or QR code, make it frictionless, never gate or incentivize reviews, and respond to all of them.
Ask consistently
The biggest reason businesses don’t get reviews is they don’t ask. Build asking into your customer flow.
Make it frictionless
Send a direct link by text or email, or use a QR code. Fewer steps means more reviews.
Stay compliant
Don’t gate reviews (filtering out unhappy customers) or offer incentives — both violate platform and FTC rules.
Respond to every review
Responding signals an active business and encourages more reviews.
Quick checklist
- Ask every customer
- Direct link / QR used
- No gating or incentives
- Responses to all reviews
FAQ
Is review gating allowed?
No — selectively routing only happy customers to public reviews violates platform policies and FTC guidance.
Can you get reviews for me?
Yes — Bird Local automates compliant review requests as part of our managed reputation service.
Want this handled for you?
Branding Signal manages all of it — start with a free scan.