How to Get More Google Reviews
Michael Carpenter · June 22, 2026
I hear this one constantly from contractors. You finish a job, the customer is happy, and you move on to the next one. A week later you remember to ask for a review, but by then it's already harder to get them to follow through.
Meanwhile, a competitor with worse work somehow has 40 reviews and shows up first when someone searches for your trade in your city.
This is one of the most common gaps in contractor marketing, and it has almost nothing to do with the quality of the work. It's a timing and systems problem.
Why review count matters more than people think
Google's local search results, the map pack that shows up when someone searches "[your trade] near me," weigh review count and review recency heavily. A profile with 40 recent reviews will consistently outrank a profile with 4, even if the 4-review business is closer to the searcher or does objectively better work. (If you're not even showing up in that map pack yet, here's why and how to fix it.)
Reviews also do double duty. They influence rankings, and they directly influence whether a homeowner picks up the phone. Most people skim star ratings and review count before reading anything else.
Why most contractors don't get enough reviews
It's not that customers don't want to leave them. It's that asking gets forgotten, delayed, or feels awkward to bring up in person. By the time a contractor remembers to ask, days or weeks have passed and the moment is gone.
The customers most likely to leave a review are the ones who are still excited about the work you just finished. That window closes fast. This is especially true in competitive markets like Dallas, where the review velocity bar is higher than in smaller cities.
The fix: ask the same day, every time
1. Send the review request within hours of finishing the job, not days later. The closer the ask is to the moment the customer is happy with the result, the higher your response rate. Waiting even a few days cuts your odds significantly. BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey found that a large majority of customers who are asked to leave a review will do so — but that number drops sharply when the ask comes more than 48 hours after the job.
2. Make it a text, not an email. Text messages get opened almost immediately. Emails sit in an inbox. A short text with a direct link to leave a review removes every bit of friction between the customer wanting to help you and actually doing it. Text open rates consistently sit above 90%, compared to 20–30% for email.
3. Give them the link, not a search. Don't ask someone to "look you up on Google and leave a review." Send the exact link that opens straight to the review box. Every extra step you ask someone to take cuts your response rate. Getting a customer's Google review link takes about two minutes: search your business name in Google, click your profile, and copy the "Write a review" link from the profile panel.
4. Make it part of your process, not something you remember to do. The contractors with 40+ reviews aren't more charming or better at asking. They've simply made the request automatic, so it happens every single time a job closes, without relying on memory.
5. Follow up once if you don't hear back. A single follow-up text sent 3–5 days after the first request is acceptable and effective. Don't send three. One follow-up is a reminder; more than that starts to feel like pressure and can backfire.
How review velocity affects your ranking
It's not just about total count. Google weighs recency heavily in the local pack algorithm. Here's how two profiles typically compare in competitive markets:
| Signal | Profile A | Profile B | Who ranks higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total reviews | 80 | 35 | — |
| Reviews in last 6 months | 3 | 22 | Profile B |
| Average rating | 4.6 | 4.8 | Profile B |
| Owner responses | 10% | 85% | Profile B |
| Profile completeness | Partial | Complete | Profile B |
Profile B wins in this scenario despite having fewer total reviews, because recency and engagement signal to Google that it's an actively managed, currently relevant business.
Common mistakes that kill your review rate
Waiting until the invoice is paid. The best moment to ask is right after the work is done and the customer is looking at the result and feeling good about it. Tying the request to payment timing delays it past the emotional peak.
Asking for reviews in person only. Most customers mean to do it but forget once they're back to their day. A text with a direct link gives them a way to act on the intention immediately, or come back to it later.
Sending the request from a personal number. A text that comes from an unfamiliar number gets ignored. Use your business number if you have one, or at minimum include your name and business name in the first line of the message.
Only asking happy customers. Selectively asking customers you already know are satisfied is against Google's review policy and, more practically, gives you a skewed profile that can look suspicious. Ask every customer — your real average is your actual competitive advantage.
What this looks like with Forge
Forge generates your direct Google review link automatically and can send the review request the same day a job wraps up, without you having to remember. Every closed job becomes a review opportunity instead of a missed one. And if you're not sure how often to keep your Google Business Profile updated alongside your review activity, there's a real answer to that too.
The takeaway
Review count is one of the few parts of local search ranking that's almost entirely in your control. It doesn't require better work. It requires asking at the right moment, every time, instead of occasionally remembering to ask days too late.
Your work already earns the review. Most contractors just never collect it. And when a bad one shows up anyway, how you respond matters just as much as how many good ones you've collected.
Review Collection by Trade and City
Forge helps contractors across all trades and Texas markets build their Google review profile. Find your market:
HVAC: Dallas · Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth
Plumbing: Dallas · Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth
Electrical: Dallas · Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth
Roofing: Dallas · Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth
Landscaping: Dallas · Houston · San Antonio · Austin · Fort Worth
For how reviews actually feed local rankings, see reputation management SEO. For where to collect them, see the best review sites for contractors.
Try Forge Free for 14 Days
Forge helps contractors get more Google reviews, respond to leads faster, and rank higher on Google Maps — without hiring a marketing agency or learning complicated software. No contracts, cancel anytime.
Start your free 14-day trial → · Use code FORGE50 for 50% off your first 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
How many Google reviews should a contractor have?
There's no fixed number, but recency and consistency matter more than total count. A profile with 40 reviews from the last 6 months will typically outrank a profile with 80 reviews from 3 years ago. Aim for steady review velocity, a few new reviews every week, rather than a one-time push to hit a target number.
Is it legal to ask customers for a Google review?
Yes, asking customers for an honest review is completely legal and standard practice. What's against Google's policy is offering payment, discounts, or incentives in exchange for a review, or asking only customers you know were happy while filtering out unhappy ones in a way that misrepresents your actual rating.
What's the best time to ask for a review after a job?
The same day you finish the job, while the work and your name are still fresh in the customer's mind. Response rates drop significantly after even a few days, and drop further after a week. A same-day text with a direct review link gets the highest response rate.
Can I respond to old reviews I never replied to?
Yes, and you should. Responding to old reviews, even ones from months or years ago, still shows up to anyone reading your profile now. It costs nothing and signals an actively managed business, which matters for both customer trust and local search ranking.
About the author
Michael Carpenter is the founder of Forge, a marketing platform built for independent home service contractors. He is based in Dallas, Texas, and analyzed the Google profiles of 513 Texas contractors for the benchmark data cited across this site. See the research.