Getting more Google reviews as a roofer, within the rules

Reviews are a big part of who shows up in the map pack, and they're what a homeowner reads before deciding which of the three to call. Most roofers have fewer than they should, because nobody asks at the right moment.

Here's how to get more, and what to stay away from, because the rules got stricter.

The rules first

Google prohibits offering incentives, such as payment, discounts, or free goods or services, in exchange for posting any review. It also prohibits discouraging negative reviews or "selectively" soliciting positive ones. That second one is called review gating: texting happy customers the review link and sending unhappy ones a private feedback form instead. It's common, and it's against the rules.

The FTC finalized a rule on fake reviews that took effect on October 21, 2024. It bans fake reviews, bans incentives that depend on the review being positive, and restricts businesses from suppressing negative reviews. Civil penalties can reach $51,744 per violation, adjusted for inflation each year.

The FTC rule allows an incentive for any review, positive or not. Google doesn't allow incentives at all. Since you want reviews on Google, the simple rule is: don't offer anything.

Ask at the moment the job looks best

For a roofer, that's the final walkthrough. The new roof is on, the yard is clean, the homeowner is standing in the driveway looking at it. Ask then, in person, and send the link by text before you leave.

Get your link from the Business Profile: open the profile, choose Ask for reviews, and copy the short link. Save it as a text shortcut on every crew lead's phone.

A text that works:

Thanks for having us out, Linda. If you have a minute, a Google review helps us a lot: [link]. Photos of the new roof are welcome too.

Ask everyone. Not just the ones you think will be happy.

Steady beats a burst

Twenty-four reviews spread across a year look like a busy, real business. Twenty-four in one week after a year of nothing looks like a campaign, to customers and possibly to Google's filters. Make the ask part of how every job closes, and the cadence takes care of itself.

Reviews with sentences

A five-star rating with no text helps a little. A review that says "They replaced our roof in Palm Bay after the storm, kept us updated with photos, and cleaned up every nail" helps a lot more. Google reads the words, and so do the AI summaries that now appear above some local results.

You can't tell people what to write. You can ask: "If you mention what we did and what town you're in, it helps other homeowners find us." That's guidance, not a script.

Reply to every review

Thank people by name, mention the job in a natural way, and keep it short. For a bad review, reply once, calmly, with what you'll do about it, and take the rest offline. Other homeowners read the replies to bad reviews more closely than the good ones.

Put them to work on your site

With the reviewer's permission, quote reviews on the matching town page and service page. A review from someone in Titusville on your Titusville page is better proof than any sentence you write yourself.

Start this week

Save the link, write the text, and ask on every job that finishes this week. Then check your Business Profile setup while you're in there. If you want a second pair of eyes on the whole picture, book a free call.