Reviews and reputation
How to create and share a Google review link and QR code
Give customers a direct way to review the location they visited. Copy Google's review link, save its QR code on a computer, and check both before adding them to a receipt, email, or counter card.
Expected outcome
What you will have when you finish
Before you start
Gather these details before you begin. It keeps the task focused and prevents guesswork later.
- Access to the Google account used to manage the correct Business Profile
- A computer browser to generate the review QR code
- The business name and location details to check the destination
- A phone to test the link and scan a printed QR proof
Use an account authorized to manage the Business Profile. Have the person responsible for receipts, emails, or signage approve the final wording and destination before distribution.
Make the review request easy to use and easy to trust
A review request often fails at a practical detail: a customer reaches the wrong branch, scans a code too small to read, or does not know what the link is for. A direct review link and a tested print proof give your staff a usable handoff. The customer’s rating and words remain their choice.
Google’s tips to get more reviews recommend a link or QR code and explain that customers need a Google Account. Its current link and QR code instructions supply the interface steps used here. Google’s Maps contribution policy prohibits incentives, selective positive review requests, and pressure over review content. Check the official instructions again if the interface changes.
Create and check your Google review link
Step 1
Open the correct Business Profile on a computer
Confirm the location before copying anything.
- Sign in with the account used to manage the business and go to your Business Profile.
- Check the business name and location, especially if you manage several branches with similar names.
- Use a computer browser for the QR code. Google's current instructions say review QR codes cannot be generated on mobile devices.
Step 2
Open Google's review sharing options
Use the route documented in Google Business Profile Help.
- Select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews.
- To copy the review link, select Copy. Paste the result into a location-specific note so it does not get mixed up with another branch.
- If these options do not appear, confirm the account and selected profile, then consult Google's current help article linked below rather than substituting an unrelated share URL.
Step 3
Save the review QR image
Download the code supplied with the review link.
- Right-click the QR code and select Save image as... as described in Google's instructions.
- Give the saved image a clear location name. Keep the copied link beside it in your handoff record.
- Keep the original image available when preparing a receipt or sign so staff do not have to recreate the code from a screenshot.
Step 4
Test the customer's destination
Check both the direct link and the QR code before sharing them.
- Open the copied link on a phone and confirm the business identity and review destination. A Google sign-in prompt can be expected if the customer is signed out.
- Scan the QR image, then scan a printed proof at its intended size and viewing distance. Confirm it reaches the same business.
- Do not publish a test review. Record whether the destination works, which location appears, and the date of the check.
Step 5
Pair the link with a neutral invitation
Ask for a genuine experience without steering the rating.
- Use wording such as: Thank you for visiting [location]. If you would like to share your experience, you can leave an honest Google review here: [tested link].
- Use a consistent invitation for customers with genuine experiences. Do not screen for satisfaction and send only happy customers to Google.
- Do not offer discounts, gifts, or payment; request five stars or specific wording; or pressure customers to complete the review while on the premises.
Step 6
Place the request and keep the handoff record
Start with a customer touchpoint your team can maintain.
- Google suggests receipts, thank-you emails, the end of a chat interaction, or a QR code displayed in the store. Choose the placement that fits your business.
- For a printed QR code, add a short explanation such as Scan to leave an honest Google review for [location]. Include the location name so a detached card still makes sense.
- Record the placement, file version, owner, approval, and check date. Recheck the destination when the material or business profile changes.
Review link and QR handoff record
Copy these fields into a location note. Fill them with your own checks; the prompts below are not completed results.
| Record field | What to enter | Release check |
|---|---|---|
| Business location | [Business name and location identifier] | Destination matches the branch the customer visited. |
| Direct review link | [Copied Google link and date checked] | Opens the correct review destination on a phone. |
| QR asset and proof | [Image filename, print version, and scan date] | Printed proof scans to the same business. |
| Invitation and placement | [Final wording and receipt, email, chat, or sign] | No incentive, satisfaction filter, rating request, or pressure. |
| Handoff owner | [Responsible person, approval, and replacement location] | Staff know who can correct an outdated asset. |
A review invitation to adapt
Replace the brackets and use the tested link for that location. Leave customers free to decide whether and what to write.
Common mistakes to avoid
Sharing a general Maps link without checking it
A general place-sharing link is not evidence that you copied the review link. Use the documented review sharing route and test its destination.
Reusing one branch's code everywhere
A working code can still point to the wrong location. Match each asset to its branch before printing or sending.
Asking only satisfied customers
Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews or discouraging negative ones. Do not put a satisfaction question in front of the Google invitation to decide who receives it.
Treating scanning as a completed review
A working link or successful scan confirms access to the destination. It does not show that a review was submitted or published.
How to know the task is complete
Success checks
- The copied link and downloaded QR image point to the intended business location.
- The final printed proof scans successfully on a phone.
- The invitation welcomes honest feedback without incentives or a satisfaction filter.
- The location record identifies the asset owner and the checked distribution material.
If something does not work
- The sharing options are missing: confirm the Google account and Business Profile, then compare with Google's current instructions. Do not guess a replacement interface path.
- The QR code cannot be generated on mobile: switch to a computer browser, as required by Google's current help page.
- The wrong branch opens: stop distributing the asset, return to the correct profile, and replace every affected print or digital version.
- A customer sees a sign-in prompt: Google requires a Google Account to leave a review; a Gmail address is not required to create that account.
Google review link FAQ
Where do I get my Google review link?
In your Business Profile, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and select Copy for the review link. These are the steps in Google's official review link help article checked for this guide.
Can I create the Google review QR code on my phone?
Google currently says review QR codes can only be generated in a computer browser. On that browser, open the review sharing options, right-click the code, and choose Save image as... to download it.
Does a customer need Gmail to leave a Google review?
They must be signed into a Google Account. Google says that account can be created with a non-Gmail email address.
Can I offer a discount or send only happy customers the link?
No. Google prohibits incentives for reviews and selectively soliciting positive reviews. Invite honest feedback from genuine customers without steering the rating or blocking dissatisfied customers.
Does creating the link guarantee more reviews or a higher ranking?
No. The link makes the review destination easier to reach. Customers choose whether to review, and a tested link does not establish publication, ranking gains, or sales.