How to Get Your Google Review Link and QR Code
Quick answer: open your Google Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews and the share icon. Copy the link, or download the QR code. The QR code can only be made from a computer browser, not a phone. Share either one by text, email, receipt or a sign at your counter.
We fix Google Business Profiles for a living. One holiday lighting company we worked with went from page 3 to the top 3 in Google Search in 30 days, and reviews are a big part of how profiles climb.
Here’s the problem this page solves. Your happiest customer (let’s call her Aunt Linda) adores you, tells everyone about you, and has never once figured out where the review button is. She’s tried. She ended up reviewing a car wash in Ohio by accident. (I’m not judging. I once tried to review my dentist and reviewed his competitor across the street instead. Our holiday cards have been chilly ever since.) A review link takes Linda straight to the right box, no detours through Ohio.
Where to share your Google review link
Google suggests putting the link or QR code anywhere your customers already look. Here’s where each one works best.
| Where | Use the link or the QR code? | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Text message after the job | Link | Service businesses, while the customer is still happy |
| Thank-you or follow-up email | Link | Appointments, online orders |
| Receipts and invoices | Both | Shops, restaurants, anyone who prints a receipt |
| Sign at your counter or front desk | QR code | Walk-in businesses |
| End of a chat conversation | Link | Businesses that talk to customers by chat |
| Business cards and flyers | QR code | Contractors who leave something behind |
How to get your Google reviews link
It takes about a minute, which is roughly how long it takes me to find my reading glasses (they’re on my head, they’re always on my head).
- Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile.
- Open your Business Profile (searching your business name on Google works).
- Select Read reviews.
- Select Get more reviews, then the share icon.
- Copy the link, or use the other sharing options on screen.
That’s straight from Google’s help page on review links and QR codes. Test the link yourself before you send it to 300 people. Ask me why I say that. Actually, don’t.
How to get a Google reviews QR code
Same steps as the link: Read reviews, then Get more reviews, then download the QR code image. The catch is that Google only lets you make the QR code from a computer browser, not a phone. So if you’re squinting at your phone right now wondering where the button is, that’s why, and it’s not your fault (this time).
Print it big enough to scan from arm’s length, and put it where people actually stand still: the counter, the waiting room, the back of a receipt. Aunt Linda can’t scan what Aunt Linda can’t see.
Do you need a QR code generator for Google reviews?
Usually not. Google makes the QR code for you, for free, and it points at the right place. Third-party QR code generators work too, since they just turn your review link into a picture, but test the result before printing 500 flyers. A QR code that sends Linda to a 404 page is a very expensive coaster.
Google review request templates you can copy
Short beats clever here. Paste your link where it says [your link], and send it soon after the job, while you’re still their favorite person.
Text message: Hi [name], thanks for choosing [business]! If you have a minute, we’d really appreciate a quick Google review: [your link]
Email: Hi [name], thank you for trusting us with [job]. Reviews help other people in [city] find us, and it takes about a minute. Here’s the link: [your link]. Thanks again, [your name]
Printed card or sign: Loved your visit? Scan to leave us a Google review. Thank you!
One rule that matters: don’t offer anything in return. Google’s review guidelines say that offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for reviews is strictly prohibited. Not even a free cookie. I know. I’ve tried to bribe people with cookies my whole life and it has never once worked out.
How to leave a Google review for a business (send this to your customers)
Some customers want the review link and some want instructions. Here’s the version for them, written for the Aunt Lindas of the world.
- Make sure you’re signed in to a Google account. You need one to leave a review.
- Tap the review link the business sent you, or search the business name on Google or Google Maps.
- Choose your star rating.
- Write a sentence or two about your experience.
- Select Post.
What we’d set up first if it were our business
If we were starting from zero reviews tomorrow, this is the order, coffee in hand.
- Get the review link and the QR code today, and test both.
- Save the text template as a phone shortcut so sending it takes five seconds.
- Send it to the last 20 happy customers this week.
- Make asking a habit after every job, reply to every review that comes in, and know how to remove Google reviews that break the rules.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my Google review link?
In your Business Profile, select Read reviews, then Get more reviews and the share icon. You can copy the link from there.
Why can’t I make a Google reviews QR code on my phone?
Google only lets you create the review QR code from a computer browser. Use a laptop or desktop, then save the image.
Does a customer need a Google account to leave a review?
Yes. Customers must be signed in to a Google account to leave a review.
Can I offer a discount for a Google review?
No. Google’s guidelines prohibit offering incentives, like free or discounted goods or services, in exchange for reviews.
Does my Google review link ever change?
Test your link every so often, especially after changes to your Business Profile. If it stops working, get a fresh one from Get more reviews.
Want more reviews and a profile that ranks? Our Google Business Profile optimization services get your profile onto page 1 of Google, and you don’t pay until we do. Or call +1 424-428-1454.
