Yes. Asking customers for an honest Google review is allowed by Google and by UK law, and Google encourages it. What is prohibited is paying or rewarding people for reviews, asking only the customers you expect to be positive, and writing or buying reviews. This article sets out where the lines are.
What does Google's policy actually say?
Google's Business Profile guidelines permit businesses to ask customers for reviews and provide a direct link to do so. They prohibit offering or accepting money, products or services in exchange for reviews, discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews, and selectively soliciting positive reviews, which Google calls review gating. They also prohibit reviews written by the business, its employees or anyone with a conflict of interest. Breaches can lead to reviews being removed or the profile being suspended.
What does UK law say?
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 brought in new rules on consumer reviews from April 2025. It is now an offence to publish or commission fake reviews, to publish incentivised reviews without making the incentive clear, and to publish reviews in a misleading way. The Competition and Markets Authority can investigate and fine businesses directly without going to court. The rules apply to the businesses being reviewed as well as to the platforms.
So what is allowed?
Asking every customer, after real work, for an honest review. Sending a direct link to the review form. Following up politely if they have not responded. Replying to reviews. Displaying your Google reviews on your website. None of this needs a disclosure, because nothing is being offered in return.
What is not allowed?
Offering a discount, a prize draw entry, a gift or any reward for a review. Sending the request only to customers you expect to be happy, or asking unhappy customers to contact you privately instead of reviewing. Writing reviews yourself, having staff or family write them, or buying them. Posting reviews from customers who did not consent. Each of these risks removal, suspension and, in the UK, enforcement.
Does asking everyone mean I will get bad reviews?
Occasionally, yes, and that is the point: a profile with only five-star reviews looks filtered, and customers know it. One or two lower reviews among dozens of good ones, each with a calm reply, is more convincing than a perfect score. Asking everyone also means asking the many happy customers who would otherwise never have thought to review you.
What about review widgets on my website?
Displaying genuine Google reviews on your own site is allowed and useful, provided the reviews are shown as they are and not edited or cherry-picked in a misleading way. Showing your overall rating and a live feed of recent reviews is the honest version.
