How to Get Reviews for a New Business: Your First Google Reviews

Every business with hundreds of glowing reviews started exactly where you are now: at zero. A blank profile feels intimidating, but those first few reviews are the hardest you'll ever earn — and once you have them, momentum builds quickly. The key is to start the right way, stay honest, and be patient. Here's how to get your first Google reviews for a brand-new business.

Set up and verify your Google Business Profile first

Before you can collect a single review, customers need somewhere to leave one. Create your Google Business Profile and complete the verification process — until your profile is verified and live, the review link simply won't exist. This is the foundation, so don't skip it or rush it.

While you're there, fill the profile out properly: accurate business name, address, opening hours, a clear category, photos and a description. A complete profile reassures the early customers you'll soon be asking, and it gives Google a real listing to attach those first reviews to.

Ask your earliest customers in person

Your very first reviews almost always come from face-to-face conversations. When a customer is clearly happy — they've just thanked you, complimented the work, or said they'll be back — that's the moment of happiness, and it's the perfect time to ask. A warm, genuine request in person converts far better than any automated message.

Keep it simple and human: "We've just opened and reviews really help people find us — would you mind leaving us a quick one on Google?" Most happy customers are glad to help a new local business, especially when you ask kindly and at the right time.

What about friends and family?

It's fine to ask friends and family only if they are genuine customers who have actually used your product or service. A friend who came in, paid, and had a real experience can honestly review it. What you must never do is post fake reviews or ask people to invent experiences they never had — it's against Google's policies, it misleads customers, and Google's filters are good at spotting it.

Make leaving a review one tap easy

Every extra step costs you reviews. A customer who has to search for your business, scroll, and find the right button will often give up. Remove that friction entirely by handing them a direct link to your review page — or better still, a tap and scan card or stand they can use on the spot, before they've even left.

The easier you make it, the more of your willing early customers will actually follow through. When the whole process takes one tap and a few seconds, a polite "yes" turns into a real review far more often.

Ask consistently — and respond to every review

Getting your first reviews isn't a one-off task; it's a habit you build from day one. Decide to ask every genuinely happy customer, every day, and the trickle will become steady. Even one or two new reviews a week adds up fast when you're starting from nothing.

1. Verify your Google Business Profile and complete it fully before you ask anyone.
2. Ask happy customers in person, at the moment they're clearly pleased.
3. Only involve friends and family if they are real, paying customers — never fake a review.
4. Hand over a one-tap link, card or stand so leaving a review takes seconds.
5. Make asking a daily habit, and reply warmly to every review you receive.

Responding matters just as much as asking. Reply to every early review — thank reviewers by name, and answer any concerns calmly. It shows future customers you're attentive and engaged, and it signals to Google that you're an active, real business.

Be patient: aim for a natural trickle

Resist the urge to gather a big pile of reviews all at once. A brand-new profile that suddenly gets twenty reviews in a single day looks suspicious — to Google's filters and to shoppers alike — and many of those reviews may simply be hidden. A steady, natural flow looks authentic and builds trust the right way.

Your first reviews aren't about speed — they're about being real. A slow, honest trickle beats a suspicious flood every time.

— Hannah Brooks, Local SEO Lead at RankLocally

Stick with it. The first handful of reviews takes patience, but each one makes the next easier — customers trust a profile with a few genuine reviews far more than an empty one. Set up your profile, ask honestly, make it effortless, and let credibility build at a natural pace.