Google Review QR Codes: How to Set One Up and Where to Put It

What a Google review QR code is

A Google review QR code is a scannable image that takes a customer directly to your business's Google review page — the same screen they'd reach by finding you on Google Maps and tapping 'Write a review'. Instead of searching for your business, they scan the code and they're immediately in the review box.

The underlying link is your Google review short URL. The QR code is simply a visual encoding of that URL — you don't need any paid software to generate one, and once it's printed, it costs nothing per scan to use.

How to get your review link and turn it into a QR code

Start in your Google Business Profile dashboard. Look for the 'Get more reviews' button — Google provides a short link there that's specific to your profile. Copy it and test it on your own phone before using it anywhere: it should open the review box directly, without asking the customer to search for your business first.

With your review link in hand, any free online QR code generator can turn it into a downloadable image. The core function — URL to QR code — is available for free across many tools. Download the result as a high-resolution PNG or SVG so the code stays crisp when printed at any size. Avoid low-resolution exports; a blurry QR code that fails to scan is worse than no code at all.

Before you print anything at scale, test the printed code by scanning it from your phone at the distance and lighting conditions of wherever it will be displayed. A code that scans perfectly on screen can be harder to read at a distance or under warm lighting.

Where to put your QR code — placements that actually work

A QR code earns reviews only when a customer sees it at a moment when they're satisfied and have a minute to act. The placements that work best are tied to that specific moment:

• Printed receipts or invoices — a customer who has just paid and had a good experience is a natural ask. A one-line prompt and QR code at the bottom of the receipt captures that moment without requiring anything extra from staff.
• Counter card or table tent — for a café, salon, or retail space, a small card sitting in view while the customer is finishing up or waiting puts the ask at exactly the right point.
• Job-completion handout — for tradies and service businesses, a laminated card left after a completed job ties the review request to the moment of satisfaction.
• Near the exit — a window sticker or sign close to the door catches a departing customer already reflecting on their experience.
• Packaging inserts — if you ship physical products, a small printed card inside the package reaches the customer at the moment they're unpacking and forming their first impression.

What to print alongside the QR code

A bare QR code with no context won't convert well — most people scan things they understand the purpose of. A short prompt closes that gap. The most effective ones are direct and honest: 'Had a good experience? A Google review means a lot to us.' or 'Scan to leave us a review on Google.'

Keep it human. A message that sounds like it came from a real person, rather than a marketing template, performs better. If there's space, add your business name and a short line that grounds the ask in the moment: 'We're a small local team and every review genuinely helps.'

Don't clutter the card. If the same piece of paper also carries your Instagram handle, your website, and a referral offer, the review ask gets lost. Give it its own uncluttered space.

The rules that still apply

A QR code is a delivery mechanism for a review request — it doesn't change the rules around how you ask. The same restrictions that apply to in-person and email requests apply here:

• Don't pair the code with an incentive — 'Scan and review us for 10% off your next visit' is review incentivisation, which breaches Google's policies and can amount to misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law.
• Don't gate the link — don't create a QR code that first sends customers to a satisfaction survey and only shows the Google review link to those who answer positively. That's review gating, which Google explicitly prohibits.
• Don't ask staff, family, or friends to scan the code and post reviews as if they were customers. Fake and self-generated reviews breach Google's policies and Australian Consumer Law.
• Don't place the code somewhere disconnected from a positive experience — a QR code in a waiting area for complaints, or on a parking reminder notice, isn't tied to goodwill and won't convert.