Guide

Google review policy explained for local businesses

What local owners need to know: no gating, no incentives that buy stars, and why a private feedback step before a public invite is accepted practice.

What Google cares about

Reviews should reflect real experiences. Policies discourage fake reviews, review gating (only asking happy customers), and incentives that effectively buy ratings.

Private feedback is not the same as gating

Asking for private operational feedback first, then inviting everyone to leave a public review, is standard customer service — as long as you do not block or discourage the public path based on rating.

How ReviewWizard is built

Every customer who submits private feedback still receives a public review invitation. We do not suppress or filter who can review you on Google.

Review this quarterly

Platform rules change. Re-read Google’s current business guidelines a few times a year and keep your in-store language honest.

Ready for a system that runs while you work?

ReviewWizard gives local businesses a private feedback step and a public review invite for every customer — hosted, branded, and live in about a day.

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