What’s allowed with reviews.
Incentives, staff rewards, review gating, the Spam Act, and using reviews in your marketing.
What Is Review Gating? Google's Rule and What the ACCC Has Said
Filtering happy customers toward Google and unhappy ones toward a private form feels like common sense — but it's against Google's rules, and it can expose you to real Australian Consumer Law risk. Here's what review gating actually is, and what to do instead.
6 min read
Can You Buy Google Reviews? What Actually Happens If You Do
It's one of the first things a frustrated business owner searches for — and one of the worst ideas available to them. Here's the honest answer, what actually happens when it's discovered, and what to do instead.
7 min read
Is It Legal to Email Customers Asking for a Google Review?
Yes — but the Spam Act 2003 sets real rules for how, and review-request emails aren't automatically exempt just because you're not selling anything. Here's what actually applies, in plain English.
6 min read
How to Use Google Reviews as Testimonials in Your Marketing (Legally)
Your best Google reviews are already doing marketing work on your profile — reusing them on your website, in social posts, or in ads costs nothing and takes minutes. Here's how to do it without crossing into misleading territory.
6 min read
How to Use Your Google Reviews in Marketing (The Right Way)
Your best reviews are sitting on your Google profile doing quiet work for anyone who searches your name. Bring them onto your website, social media and signage too — but the attribution and the picture you give have to stay honest.
6 min read
How to Add Google Reviews to Your Website (The Right Way)
A visitor who's already on your site is closer to deciding than someone still comparing options on Google. Genuine reviews reassure them at exactly that moment — but the wording and the schema markup both have rules worth knowing before you copy anything across.
6 min read
Other topics
All 121 guides- Replying to reviews20 guidesWhat to say to a one-star, a five-star and everything in between, and when to say it.
- Fake, unfair and missing reviews12 guidesWhat Google will remove, how to report a review, and what to do when one goes missing.
- Getting more reviews12 guidesYour review link, QR codes, and asking in person or by email.
- Your rating and ranking17 guidesHow your star rating is worked out, and how reviews affect where you show up in search.
- Your Google Business Profile31 guidesSetting up your listing, keeping it right, and fixing it when something breaks.
- Running your reputation9 guidesPatterns in your reviews, competitors, several locations, and whether you need software.
- By industry14 guidesFrom cafés and clinics to tradies, salons, vets and property managers.
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