Quick Answer
No. Google prohibits offering discounts, gift cards, free products, or any other incentive in exchange for a review. Doing it violates Google's prohibited and restricted content policy and can get your reviews removed or your Business Profile suspended.
What Google Actually Says
From Google's prohibited and restricted content policy for contributed content:
Do not accept payment to write reviews or leave a review in exchange for a good or service, including offers, discounts, gifts, or other incentives.
That covers you (the business), your employees, your marketing agency, and any third-party service that "buys" reviews on your behalf. There is no gray area for discounts, "10 percent off if you leave a review," raffles, or spin-the-wheel prizes tied to a review.
The FTC Position
In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission has also warned businesses against incentivized reviews and finalized a rule banning fake and paid reviews in 2024. Violations can carry civil penalties.
What Happens If You Do It Anyway
- Reviews get removed. Google detects patterns (bulk reviews from the same IP block, reviewers with a single review, repetitive language).
- Your profile can be suspended. Reinstatement takes weeks and is not guaranteed.
- Competitors can report you, and often do.
- The FTC can fine you for deceptive reviews.
What You Can Do Instead
- Ask every customer, not just the happy ones. That is not gating (see below). It is just being thorough.
- Make it easy. A direct Google review link removes friction.
- Ask at the right moment. Same day, weekday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m..
- Follow up once. A single reminder 3 to 5 days later doubles response rates in our data.
- Reply to reviews. Prospects notice. Reviewers notice. Google notices.
What About Thank-You Gifts After the Review?
Sending a generic thank-you note is fine. Sending "thanks for the review, here is $10" is not, even after the fact. If a customer could reasonably expect a reward for reviewing, it counts as incentivized.
Related Reading
Ask every customer for a review—without review gating.
SoTrustworthy sends a compliant, perfectly-timed review request to every customer after the job — no filtering, no gating, just more honest 5-star reviews on Google.
