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Guide

Design a review card

Short answer

Sign in to your Google account, search for the business on Google Maps or Search, choose Write a review, pick a star rating, add a few honest details and post. You need a Google account to post. A helpful review says what you bought or did, what went well or badly and anything someone else would want to know. Google does not allow reviews written for payment, reviews from the owner's own staff or reviews that are off-topic or abusive.

Updated

Written and reviewed by NearvoQ

Leave a review in five steps

  1. Sign in to Google

    Use the Google account you want your name to appear under. Reviews are public and show your name.

  2. Find the business

    Search for it on Google Maps or Google Search, or tap a card or QR code that opens its review form directly.

  3. Choose Write a review

    On Google Maps this is on the business's page. Google's steps are in its Maps Help article.

  4. Pick stars and add details

    Select a rating, then write what happened. Photos are optional.

  5. Post it

    You can edit or delete your review later from your contributions.

What makes a review helpful

  • What you bought or did and roughly when.
  • What went well or badly, with specifics.
  • How staff handled any problem.
  • Anything that would help the next customer: parking, wait time, price range.
  • Plain, civil language, even if the experience was bad.

What Google does not allow

  • Reviews written in exchange for money, discounts or gifts.
  • Reviews from the business owner, staff or family about their own business.
  • Off-topic content, advertising or links.
  • Harassment, hate speech or personal information about someone.

If you are the business owner

Making it easy is fine; paying or rewarding is not. A card that opens your review form with a tap or a scan removes the search step, and you should offer it to every customer, not just happy ones. See how to ask for Google reviews and how to get your review link. If a review breaks Google's rules, here is how to report it. A Google review card cannot create reviews or change what anyone writes.

Two examples of a helpful review

A clear review sounds like this: "Had my furnace repaired on a Tuesday evening. The technician arrived in about an hour, explained the problem, and the price matched the quote. The house was warm again that night."

A critical but fair review sounds like this: "Food was good, but we waited about 40 minutes for a table with a reservation. The staff apologized and brought a free appetizer. I would try again on a quieter night." Both give a reader something specific.

Common mistakes

  • Writing only a rating with no detail, which helps nobody decide.
  • Including private details about staff or other customers.
  • Posting about a business you have not actually used.
  • Reviewing a business you work for or own.
  • Using insults in place of specifics.

If you cannot find the review button

  1. Check you are signed in

    The option to write a review appears when you are signed in to a Google account.

  2. Pick the right location

    Chains and businesses with several branches have a separate listing for each place. Choose the one you actually visited.

  3. Try another route

    If Google Maps will not show the option, try Google Search on the same phone or a computer browser, or open the business's own review link.

  4. Come back later

    Occasionally the form is slow to load. Wait a few minutes and try again before assuming it is unavailable.

Questions people ask

  • Sign in to Google, find the business, choose Write a review, pick a rating, add details and post.

  • Yes. Google asks you to sign in with a Google account before you can post a review.

  • Yes. You can edit or delete a review you wrote from your contributions in Google Maps.

  • Reviews show the name on your Google account. Use a name you are comfortable having public.

Keep reading

Sources

Third-party facts were checked on the date shown. Prices and features change, so confirm on the provider's own site.

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