What exactly is a Google review link?
A Google review link is a short URL that opens the window where a customer leaves stars and text. It skips the search page, your profile page and the scroll down to the review button, which saves three steps on a phone screen.
Without that link a customer has to type your name, recognise you among similar businesses, scroll down and only then tap "Write a review". Every step loses a share of the people who genuinely meant to do it.
The link usually looks like an address containing g.page, or a search.google.com address with your place ID appended. Both formats are valid and both open the same window.
How do you get your review link?
Sign in with the account that manages your Google Business Profile, search for your own business name in Google, then use the "Ask for reviews" button in the management panel. Google hands you the short link ready to copy and share.
- 1Sign in with the Google account that owns or manages the profile.
- 2Search for your business name in Google, or open your profile in Google Maps.
- 3Click "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews" in the management panel.
- 4Copy the link that appears and store it somewhere fixed.
How do you build the link from your place ID?
Look up your business in the Google Place ID Finder, copy the code starting with ChIJ, then append it to the address of the Google write-review form. This method also works while you still lack access to the management panel.
- 1Open the Place ID Finder in the Google Maps Platform documentation.
- 2Type your business name and town, for example your name followed by Boom.
- 3Copy the place ID shown under the map pin.
- 4Append it to search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid= and test the result.
With multiple locations, each location has its own place ID and therefore its own link. Reviews for one location do not count towards another.
How do you test and shorten the link?
Always test the link on a phone where you are not signed in as the owner, because owners see a different screen. Shorten it afterwards, so it fits inside an SMS and does not run across three lines in WhatsApp.
- Open the link on a phone in a private window, or on a colleague device.
- Check that the star window opens immediately, with your business name on top.
- Shorten the link so it takes less room and reads cleanly.
- Store it in a note or in your app, so nobody has to hunt for it again.
In ReviewsPro every business automatically gets its own short review link and matching QR code, and both are already inside every message you send.
Where should you share the link?
In the places a happy customer already looks: the message after the job, your email signature, the appointment confirmation, the invoice and the thank-you page on your site. One link in ten places produces more than ten variants in one place.
- In your WhatsApp or SMS message, one day after the service.
- In your email signature, with one short line in front of it.
- At the bottom of your invoice or job sheet.
- On your website, on the contact or thank-you page.
- As a QR code at the counter, on the till or on the van.
Which mistakes cost you the most reviews?
The three most expensive mistakes: sending your Maps page instead of the writing window, putting the link only on your website, and never testing it on a phone without owner rights. All three lose customers who were willing.
| Mistake | Consequence | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Link to your Maps page | The customer has to hunt for the review button | Use the writereview link |
| Website only | Almost nobody goes there after the job | Send it inside the message |
| Never tested | A broken link sits there for months | Test on someone else device |
| One link for every location | Reviews land on the wrong business | One place ID per location |
Frequently asked questions
- Where do I find my Google review link?
- In the management panel of your Google Business Profile, through the "Ask for reviews" button. You reach that panel by searching for your own business name in Google while signed in with the owner or manager account.
- Does a customer need a Google account to write a review?
- Yes. Without a signed-in Google account the review cannot be posted. On Android that is usually already the case; on iPhone the customer sometimes has to sign in first, which is exactly why a short and direct link matters so much.
- Can I shorten my review link?
- Yes, and it is worth doing for SMS. Use a shortener you control yourself, or the short link your app generates, so you can keep using it without it ever expiring.
- Does the same link work for all my locations?
- No. Each location has its own place ID and therefore its own link. If you use one link across several businesses, every review lands on one profile and the rest stay empty.
- What if the link returns an error?
- First check that your profile is verified and that the place ID is correct. Then test the link on a device where you are not signed in as the owner, because owners see a different screen.