Is it against Google's rules to ask for reviews?

Short answer: no. Asking your customers for a Google review is allowed, full stop. The confusion comes from the things that sit next to asking, some of which are very much against the rules. It matters, because getting this wrong can cost you the review section you worked for. Here is where the line actually is.

What Google is happy for you to do

Google's rules let you ask customers for reviews. You can ask in person, on a receipt, by text, with a sign by the till or a card they tap with their phone. You can ask every single customer, every single day, and you will not be breaking any rule. Reviews only work if real customers write them, and the easiest way to get real customers writing is simply to ask.

What crosses the line

Three things get businesses in trouble. Paying for reviews, whether in cash, discounts, freebies or entries into a prize draw. Faking reviews, whether you write them yourself or buy them from a stranger on the internet. And review gating, which means checking who is happy first and only pointing the happy ones at Google. All three are against Google's rules, and businesses have had their review sections restricted for exactly this. None of it is worth it.

The gating trap that catches honest people

Gating sounds obviously dodgy, but plenty of decent owners stumble into it. A survey that asks how was your visit, then only shows the Google link to people who picked five stars, is gating. So is quietly deciding to hand your review card only to customers who seemed delighted. The rule of thumb is simple: ask everyone the same way, and let them say what they like. We never gate or filter, and no honest business should.

How to ask and stay squeaky clean

Ask at the moment the job is done and the customer is pleased. Use the same words for everyone. Never mention a reward, not even in a jokey way. If a rough review lands, reply politely and fix what you can, because 93% of people read reviews before choosing a local business (Source: BrightLocal) and they read your replies too. An honest ask, made to everyone, is not just allowed. It is the whole game, and it fits on a beer mat.