Incentivizing customer reviews is becoming a serious risk for businesses. Google is actively asking some users whether a business offers incentives in exchange for reviews, which signals stronger and more proactive enforcement of its review policies.

This change indicates that Google is placing increased scrutiny on how reviews are collected and that non-compliant tactics are more likely to be detected.

What’s Not Allowed

Google’s review policies clearly state that businesses must not offer incentives in exchange for reviews. This applies to all types of reviews and all business categories.

Prohibited practices include:

• Discounts, gifts, or monetary rewards for leaving a review
• Contests, sweepstakes, or giveaways linked to submitting a review
• Any benefit offered in exchange for customer feedback, regardless of whether the review is positive or negative

Even well intentioned review requests can violate policy if an incentive is involved.

What’s at Risk

Failure to follow Google’s guidelines can lead to several enforcement actions that directly impact local performance.

These include:

• Suppression or removal of reviews
• Warning messages displayed on the business profile
• Temporary or permanent suspension of the Google Business Profile

For brands managing multiple locations, these penalties can affect visibility, customer trust, and store level conversions at scale.

How to Grow Reviews the Right Way

Businesses can still grow their review volume in a compliant way by focusing on process rather than incentives.

How to collect reviews compliantly:

• Asking customers for reviews at the right moment in their journey
• Making the review process simple and easy to access
• Prioritizing genuine customer experiences and service quality

Asking for reviews is allowed and encouraged by Google. Offering something in return is not.

If you are unsure whether your current review strategy aligns with Google’s policies, DAC can help assess and optimize your approach.