How review gating works
The pattern is always similar. The customer scans a code or opens a link and first sees a page from the provider asking: “How satisfied were you?” Anyone who taps four or five stars is forwarded to Google. Anyone who gives fewer ends up in an internal form that only the business sees.
The result is a profile that looks better than the business is. Readers cannot tell. That is exactly why it is not permitted.
What Google's policies say
The policies for contributions on Google Maps require reviews to be based on real experiences and to be unbiased. For businesses this means:
- You may not prevent or discourage negative reviews.
- You may not selectively collect positive reviews only.
- You may not offer anything in return for a review, nor for changing or deleting a bad one.
- You may not push customers on your premises to leave a review, and you may not ask for particular content.
What is explicitly allowed: asking customers for a review that reflects a real experience, as long as you influence neither the rating nor the content.
What businesses risk
Google can remove reviews that came about in breach of its policies and can restrict Business Profiles. A business that has collected reviews for months can lose them all at once.
There is also a legal side. In Germany, a set of reviews polished by screening can be regarded as misleading advertising. Whether that applies in a given case is a question for a legal adviser.
Allowed and prohibited at a glance
Allowed
- Asking all customers for an honest review
- Providing a direct link, a QR code or an NFC card
- Replying to every review, including criticism
- Also asking customers for internal feedback, as long as the path to Google is equally open to everyone
Prohibited
- Asking about satisfaction first and sending only happy customers to Google
- Discounts, vouchers or gifts for reviews
- Asking for five stars or particular wording
- Reviewing yourself, or having staff or paid services do it
Internal feedback without gating
There is nothing wrong with asking customers for their opinion. What matters is the order: the answer must not decide whether the customer reaches Google. A feedback form next to the review link is fine. A feedback form in place of the review link for unhappy customers is gating.
How Spotstar solves it
The Spotstar card takes every customer to the same Google review page, however their visit went. There is no question beforehand. Spotstar deals with criticism differently: with a calm reply and an analysis that shows what keeps coming up. How to reply well is covered in the guide Replying to negative reviews.
Common questions
- Is a satisfaction survey before the review allowed?
- Only if all customers are then offered the same path to Google. As soon as the answer decides who is forwarded, it is review gating.
- May staff review their own business?
- No. Reviews by owners and staff for their own business count as a conflict of interest and are not permitted.
- How do I spot review gating at a provider?
- Test the path yourself. If a page with stars or thumbs appears between the scan and Google, and a poor choice does not end up on Google, it is gating. Reputable providers forward without a detour.