Get more Google reviews: How to get 10x more Google reviews

Author: Timothy Scherman

7 Min. reading time

Would you like to know how your business can get more reviews—and much faster than everyone else? Or how you can quickly increase the number of your reviews? Or are you annoyed by 1-star reviews that drag down your average? There are various strategies and tools that can help you steadily increase the number of reviews. A higher number of positive reviews not only gives you a competitive advantage, but also builds trust and reduces the number of 1-star reviews. Here, I explain in detail how it works!

Summary: Get more Google reviews

The most effective method is SMS automation with ReviewBird—fast, automated, and with a 98% open rate.
Automated emails save time, but have only a low success rate of around 20%.
Manual emails, personal outreach, and review cards are time-consuming and less scalable.
A short review link makes the review process easier andincreases the likelihood of success.

A high number and high quality of reviews improve both Google rankings and customer trust.

Strategies to get more reviews:

To increase your reviews on Google and strengthen the trust of potential customers, it is crucial to continuously collect new and authentic reviews. However, not every method is equally effective. Below, I will show you five proven strategies to get more Google reviews—ranked by their likelihood of success and practical suitability.

Most Effective Methods for Google Reviews
Open Rates and Conversion Effectiveness Compared
👑
98%
ReviewBird
SMS
20%
Automated
Emails
10%
Manual
Emails
5%
Direct
Approach
ReviewBird SMS Tool
98%
Automatically sent 30 minutes after the service - at the customer's perfect moment of satisfaction.
Automated Emails
20%
Automatically sent review requests, but usually not at the optimal moment of satisfaction.
Manual Emails
10%
Emails with review requests sent quarterly to customers by an assistant.
Direct Approach
5%
Personal request by the business owner or employee for a Google review on-site.
ReviewBird SMS Tool is 5x more effective than automated emails and clearly superior to other methods for getting Google reviews.

Strategy 1: Get more reviews with the automated SMS system ReviewBird

The most promising strategy for generating more Google reviews is to use the SMS automation from ReviewBird. This method is one of the most effective because it is based on direct, personal communication with the customer—which significantly increases the likelihood of a review.

With ReviewBird, exactly 30 minutes after the service has been completed, a review request is automatically sent to the customer via SMS—directly to their phone and precisely at the so-called “moment of satisfaction.” Particularly effective is the extremely high open rate of SMS messages: around 98% of recipients read the message within the first five minutes.

This ensures that your request for a review not only arrives, but is also noticed and acted upon—quickly, reliably, and automatically.

Strategy 2: Automated email request

The automated email request is a time-saving alternative to a manual review request—however, it is significantly less effective than SMS automation. While the email is sent automatically and without staffing effort, the open rate remains only around 20% even after three days. In many cases, the message is not even read. As a result, a large share of potential reviews is lost, even if the customer was actually satisfied..

Strategy 3: Manual, personal email request

With this method, an employee—usually once per quarter—sends individual review requests by email. The advantage is the personal wording: the customer is often addressed directly and receives a link to the review page. While this personal touch can be helpful, the effort is high and the success rate remains low compared to SMS or automated email requests. In addition, delays often occur, causing the ideal time for a review to pass.

Strategy 4: Personal request by the service provider

This method relies on direct, on-site customer contact—for example, by the installer, technician, or service provider. After the service has been successfully delivered, the employee personally asks the customer for a Google review. This approach creates closeness and trust and works particularly well when it is authentic and friendly. However, success depends heavily on the situation, the employee, and the customer’s mood on the day, and it is difficult to scale.

Strategy 5: Hand out review cards

At the end of the service, the customer receives a small card with a QR code that leads directly to the Google review page. This method is easy to implement and supports personal outreach. However, the direct request or motivation is often missing, which means many of these cards are ignored or get lost. The success rate is therefore comparatively low.

A means to an end: Get more reviews and create a short review link

When you ask customers for a Google review, it is recommended to always use the so-called short review link. The big advantage: the customer is taken directly to the review window—without detours or additional clicks. This increases the likelihood that the review will actually be submitted.

How to create the short link to your Google review:

Search for your business on Google.

Sign in with the admin access for your Google Business Profile.

Click on the “Reviews” section.

Select “Get more reviews”.

Copy the short link shown and send it to your customers, e.g., via SMS, email, or QR code.

A means to an end: Improve review quality

Strong review quality is one of the most important factors for a good ranking of your business profile on Google. The closer your average rating is to the top score of 5.0, the greater the chance of appearing right at the top of local search results.

But it is not only the ranking that benefits: a high average rating also strengthens the trust of potential customers and increases the likelihood that they will choose your business—whether for an inquiry, a booking, or a first visit.

How can review quality be improved?

To sustainably improve your review quality, excellent service and high customer satisfaction are crucial. Quality, reliability, and positive experiences convince customers and lead to corresponding 5.0 ratings. Customer feedback plays a central role here: it provides valuable insights into what is working well and where there is still potential for optimization. Reviews are therefore not only public praise, but also an important opportunity for further development.

Conclusion

The most effective strategy for getting more and better reviews is SMS automation with ReviewBird—thanks to perfect timing and a 98% open rate. Automated or manual email requests, personal outreach, and review cards can be helpful, but are significantly less effective.

What matters is not only the number of reviews, but also their quality. Those who focus specifically on customer satisfaction and an easy way to leave a review strengthen trust, visibility, and ultimately your business success.

Timothy Scherman

Founder, Managing Director, ReviewBird

Timothy Scherman is an experienced SEO expert and digital marketing consultant with over ten years of expertise in online marketing. As the founder of Doc Marketing, he helps doctors and medical facilities increase their visibility and successfully attract new patients.

Timothy Scherman

Founder, Managing Director
ReviewBird