Getting and answering reviews

Google's Maps content policy says reviews must reflect a genuine experience. Merchants may not (Prohibited & restricted content (Maps user-generated content policy)):

• offer payment, discounts, free goods or free services for posting any review, or for changing or removing a negative one
• discourage or prohibit negative reviews
• selectively ask for positive reviews from customers
• post or arrange reviews based on a conflict of interest, such as current or former employees or family members
• post content on a competitor's profile to hurt its reputation

The policy also says businesses should not require or pressure people to leave reviews while on the premises. A moving crew standing in the customer's home creates the same pressure, so send the request after the crew leaves.

Google removes reviews that break these rules. Its review tips call incentive-driven reviews fake and misleading content that is strictly prohibited (Tips to get more reviews).

The Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials applies to businesses in general. The parts that matter most to a moving company (16 CFR Part 465):

The FTC's own question-and-answer guide adds two points. First, asking for reviews only from customers you think are happy is not specifically banned by the rule, but the FTC says it could still violate the FTC Act. Second, the rule lets courts impose civil penalties for knowing violations (The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers).

The FTC rule does not ban every incentive; it bans incentives tied to sentiment, and the FTC adds that failing to disclose an incentive could still violate the FTC Act (FTC questions and answers). Google bans incentives for any review posted on Google. A “ten dollars off for a review” card that never mentions stars might satisfy the federal rule with proper disclosure, yet it still breaks Google's policy. Run one program that satisfies both: no reward and the same request to everyone.

Google lets you create a review link or QR code from your Business Profile and suggests sharing it in receipts, thank-you emails and chat follow-ups (Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews). Customers need to be signed in to a Google account to leave a review (Tips to get more reviews).

1. Pick one trigger that fires after every completed job, such as the final invoice or the delivery sign-off.
2. Send the same short message with the review link to every customer, whether the move went smoothly or not.
3. Send one reminder at most.
4. Keep the request text free of words like “5-star”, “positive” or “if you were happy”.
5. Tell crews they may mention that a review request will arrive, but must not ask customers to write it while they are on site.

You must verify the profile before you can reply. Replies are public, appear under the business name rather than your personal name, and the reviewer gets notified. Google checks replies against its content policies, which usually takes up to 10 minutes but can take up to 30 days (Manage customer reviews).

Google's tips for replies (Tips to get more reviews):

• Keep replies short, polite and specific to what the customer said.
• Do not use replies to advertise deals.
• Never share the reviewer's private information or attack them personally.
• Admit mistakes, explain what you can and cannot do, and apologize when it fits.
• Invite the customer to call or email to settle a complicated problem.

For moving damage claims, keep the details of the claim off the public reply. Say that you received the complaint, name the next step, and give the contact route. Leave out inventory numbers, amounts and any blame.

You can report a review, but Google removes only reviews that break its policies. Google says not to report a review just because you disagree with it. Reports usually take several days; you can track them in the Reviews Management Tool and, if a report is rejected, file a one-time appeal (Report inappropriate reviews on your Business Profile).

If a burst of one- and two-star reviews arrives with a demand for money to remove them, Google treats that as an extortion scam. Do not reply to or pay the sender. Save screenshots of every message with dates and contact details, collect links to the reviews, and file Google's merchant extortion report form (Report negative review extortion scams on your Business Profile).

If you show reviews on your site, do not hide the negative ones while implying you show them all; section 465.7 covers that. Do not mark up your own reviews to get star ratings in search results either: Google's review snippet guidelines exclude self-serving reviews of your own business (Review snippet (Review, AggregateRating) structured data).