MeritTap / Google review rules
Google review rules: what businesses can and can’t do
Asking customers for Google reviews is allowed. How you ask is what Google regulates. Here is a plain-English summary of Google’s policy for business owners.
Summary of Google’s Prohibited & restricted content policy for Maps reviews. Last checked 2026-11-01. Google can change its policy at any time; the policy page is the authority.
Allowed
- Asking customers to leave an honest review.
- Sharing your review link by email, text or a printed QR code, or on an NFC card like MeritTap.
- Asking every customer, including ones whose experience wasn’t perfect.
- Replying to reviews, good and bad.
Not allowed
- Incentives. No discounts, freebies, entries into a drawing or payment in exchange for a review, even for an honest one.
- Asking only happy customers (often called “review gating”), or discouraging negative reviews.
- Pressuring customers to leave a review while they are on your premises.
- Staff quotas. Since April 2026, Google’s policy also says businesses may not ask staff to collect a set number of reviews, or ask staff to request reviews with specific content, such as a staff member’s name. (reported by PPC Land)
- Writing reviews yourself, having employees or family review the business, or buying reviews.
- Influencing the content or rating, for example by asking for “5 stars.”
How to use a review card within the rules
- Make it available to every customer: on the counter, with every bill, from every tech.
- Say something neutral: “If you have a minute, we’d appreciate a review.” Don’t ask for a rating.
- Never attach a reward, for the customer or for staff.
- Let customers write whatever they want.
MeritTap opens the same Google review form for every customer. It doesn’t filter or redirect unhappy customers anywhere else.