Review platforms: More genuine reviews, without trouble

Which review platforms matter?

For local businesses, Google reviews usually matter most, because they appear directly in Google Search and Maps. Depending on the industry, specialised portals are added, such as Jameda for doctors and dentists in Germany. General platforms such as ProvenExpert or Trustpilot collect reviews independently of a search engine. Employer reviews, for example on kununu or Glassdoor, are a separate topic that mainly matters for recruiting.

Focus on one or two platforms where your customers actually are. Many half-empty profiles look weaker than one well-maintained profile. The guide to business directories describes which other listings count.

How to ask for reviews the right way

If you want more Google reviews, the most important step is simply to ask. Most satisfied customers do not leave a review because nobody asks them. A good moment is right after a successful job or appointment. Make it as easy as possible, for example with a short link in the invoice email, a QR code at the counter or a friendly message. Google’s tips for getting reviews explain how to create such a link.

• Ask all customers, not only those you expect praise from.
• Do not offer discounts, gifts or prize draws for reviews.
• Do not write reviews yourself or have them written.

Asking only satisfied customers and offering incentives for reviews contradict Google’s policies. Violations can lead to reviews being removed or profiles being restricted.

Replies: short, friendly, factual

Replies show future customers how you will treat them. Thank people briefly and personally for positive reviews. For criticism, a calm tone helps: take the point seriously, explain factually and offer a conversation outside the platform.

Never reveal confidential details. For doctors, dentists, lawyers and tax advisors, professional confidentiality applies in public too: do not even confirm that someone was your customer, patient or client. More on this in the guides for dentists and doctors.

If a review states false facts or is insulting, use the platform’s reporting procedure. Stay factual in your public reply anyway.

What consumer law says about reviews

Since 2022, an EU directive has regulated online reviews explicitly, and member states have implemented it in national law. In Germany, section 5b(3) of the Unfair Competition Act (UWG) requires anyone who makes consumer reviews available to state whether and how they ensure that the reviews come from customers who actually used or bought the product or service. This applies, for example, to a review widget on your website.

The annex to the UWG adds two prohibitions: claiming that reviews come from genuine customers without reasonable checks (no. 23b), and submitting or commissioning fake reviews (no. 23c). Bought reviews are therefore clearly prohibited.

The German competition authority described the scale of the problem in a sector inquiry. Professions with their own advertising rules, such as doctors, face additional requirements. This section is general guidance, not legal advice.

Do reviews play a role in AI answers?

AI assistants with web search draw on public sources to support recommendations. Review portals and best-of lists are among these possible sources. How much weight they carry in a given case is not disclosed by the providers. In our study of web agencies, directories, rankings and lists played a role mainly for ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Check for your industry which sources the assistants cite. Ask questions such as “Which [profession] in [city] has the best reviews?” and look at the sources. The free AI prompt generator creates suitable questions. Nalqerio documents such API answers with sources but does not guarantee a recommendation. The measurement guide has more.

A simple weekly routine

Reviews do not need big campaigns, they need regularity. A quarter of an hour a week is often enough: read and reply to new reviews, check that the review link still appears in your processes and note recurring patterns, for example repeated criticism of how hard you are to reach.

If you also want to see whether AI assistants mention your business, Nalqerio offers a free 14-day trial if you have not used it before: one project, three active questions and one complete AI measurement round in total, without a card and without an automatic subscription. The pricing page describes the plans.