How to get more genuine Google, Trustpilot and Feefo reviews (legally)
In short
The best way to get more genuine reviews is to give a consistently good experience and then ask every customer, at the right moment, with a direct link to your review page. Reviews must reflect a real experience, and any review from someone who was paid or rewarded must say so. Buying reviews, or hiding that a reviewer was rewarded, is banned in the UK.
1. Fix the experience first
Asking for reviews only helps if customers are happy. Before you push for more reviews, find out what people actually experience when they ring, visit or use your website. Mystery shopping is a quick way to do that.
2. Ask every customer, at the right moment
Most happy customers never think to leave a review. They will if you ask. The best moment is just after a good experience: when the job is finished, the order arrives or the problem is solved.
3. Make it one tap
- Google: copy the “Ask for reviews” link from your Google Business Profile.
- Trustpilot: use your business review page link or Trustpilot's invitation tools.
- Feefo: Feefo sends review requests after a purchase, so connect it to your orders.
Put the link in receipts, follow-up emails, texts and on a card or QR code at the till.
4. Reply to every review
Thank people for good reviews and answer bad ones calmly, with a fix. Future customers read your replies, and a fair response to a complaint can win more trust than a five-star review.
5. Never buy, fake or hide incentives
Since April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has made it illegal in the UK to write, commission or publish fake reviews, or reviews that hide the fact the reviewer was paid or rewarded. The Competition and Markets Authority can fine businesses directly. Read more in our guide to fake reviews and UK law.
Where PaidReview fits in
PaidReview sends real people to mystery shop your business. They are paid for the visit and the report, never for a review. You can invite them to leave an honest review, which is always their choice and always says they were a paid mystery shopper. So you get honest feedback to improve with, and every review stays genuine.
See how PaidReview mystery shopping works, or set up your business account. Visits start from £250 for 50.
Common questions
Can I offer a discount in exchange for a review?
Offering a reward for a review is risky. If you do, the review must clearly say it was incentivised, and you must not ask for positive reviews only. Hiding the reward is banned under UK law, and review sites such as Google and Trustpilot have their own rules on incentives, so check them first.
Can I ask only my happy customers for reviews?
Selectively asking only happy customers, known as review gating, breaks the rules of Google and Trustpilot. Ask all customers.
How many reviews do I need?
There is no magic number, but a steady flow of recent reviews matters more than a large number of old ones. Customers look at how recent your reviews are as well as your star rating.