Google Review Link Generator: How to Create One
A Google review link generator turns your business into one tidy link that opens the review form. Three ways to create it, how to test and shorten it, and where to use it.
A Google review link generator is a simple tool that turns your business into a single, tidy link that opens the Google review form on your customer's phone. Tap it, and the five-star box appears, ready to fill in. This guide shows you what that Google review link really is, three ways to create it by hand in a couple of minutes, how to test it, how to shorten it, and where to paste it so it actually brings in reviews.
What a Google review link actually is
A Google review URL is just a web address that opens the review box for your business, skipping your listing, your photos and your opening hours. There are two common shapes. The first is the long form, which looks like https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_PLACE_ID. The second is the short link Google gives you from your profile, which looks like g.page/r/.../review. Both do the same job: they land the customer straight on the stars. The only difference is length and how tidy they look when you share them.
Why does this matter so much? Because if you send people to your general listing instead, most never find the review button. They scroll your menu and your directions, shrug, and leave. A direct link removes that friction, and friction is what kills review numbers.
Three ways to create your Google review link
You do not need to pay for a fancy tool to create a Google review link. You build it once and it never changes. Here are the three methods, easiest first.
- The Business Profile button. Sign in to the Google account that manages your business, search your own name on Google, and find the box that says "Get more reviews" or "Ask for reviews". It hands you a short g.page link that opens the review form. This is the cleanest route.
- Share from Google Maps. Open your business in Google Maps, tap "Share", and copy the link. It is longer, but it works, and you can shorten it in the next step.
- Build it from your Place ID. If the button is missing, look up your Place ID with Google's free Place ID Finder, then drop it into this template: https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=YOUR_PLACE_ID. This manual route is handy when you run several locations, because you only swap the ID.
How to test your link before you share it
Never print or send a link you have not tested. Open it on your own phone, ideally one where you are not signed in as the business. It should open straight to the star rating and the comment box. If it lands on your listing instead, you copied the wrong link, so go back and grab the review link, not the profile link. Ask a friend or a member of staff to try it on their phone too, since what works on Android sometimes behaves differently on an iPhone.
How to shorten your review link
A long writereview URL is fine hidden behind a button, but ugly when it sits in a text message. You have two ways to tidy it up.
- Your own domain. If you have a website, set up a short redirect like yourbusiness.com/review that points at the real link. It looks trustworthy, it is easy to say out loud, and you control it forever.
- A link shortener. A free shortener works in a pinch, but pick one that does not expire and does not lock the link behind a trial. If the shortener dies, every printed card and receipt dies with it.
Whichever you choose, test the shortened version again. A shortener can occasionally break a link that had a long tail of characters.
Where to use your review link
The link only earns reviews where a phone is already in someone's hand and the good experience is fresh. Spread it across these spots:
- WhatsApp or SMS. A short message a few minutes after the visit is the single strongest channel, because the phone is already open.
- Email signature. Add a one-line "Happy with our work? Leave us a review" under your name.
- On the receipt or invoice. Print the short link at the bottom of every receipt.
- A QR code. Wrap the same link in a QR square for table tents and the counter. Our Google review QR code guide covers print sizes and placement.
- Your social bios and booking confirmation pages.
A five-message sequence you can copy
Most reviews come from a gentle nudge, not a single ask. Here is a sequence you can adapt to WhatsApp or SMS. Space the follow-ups a few days apart and stop the moment they leave a review.
- Thank you. "Thanks for choosing us today, [name]. It was a pleasure. If anything was not right, just reply here."
- The ask. "Glad you enjoyed it. Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It takes 30 seconds and helps a small business a lot: [link]"
- A soft reminder. "No rush at all, but if you have a moment this week, a short review would mean the world: [link]"
- Make it easy. "Even one line about what you liked helps other customers find us: [link]"
- Last nudge. "Last one from me, promise. If we earned it, here is the link: [link]. Thank you either way."
Never offer a discount or gift for a review. Google prohibits paying for or incentivising reviews, and it can filter them or penalise your profile.
Mistakes that waste your link
- Linking to your listing, not the review form. The most common error. Test first.
- Using a shortener that expires. Printed cards go dead when the trial ends.
- Only sending it to customers you assume are happy. Screening people before they review breaks Google's policy. Send the same link to everyone.
- Sending it days late. The best window is minutes to hours after the visit, while the experience is fresh.
For the full playbook on channels and timing, see our guide on how to get more Google reviews.
How Analytee helps
Analytee is review software for local businesses, and it has a free Google review link and QR generator that creates your link in one click; with Analytee you can also shorten it and count the clicks, so you can see which message pulls its weight. Beyond the link itself, Analytee sends your review link automatically by WhatsApp or SMS a few minutes after each visit, drafts replies to new reviews in your own tone, and watches your profile so nothing slips past. Plans start at $19/month with a free trial. Ready to turn happy customers into reviews? See Analytee pricing and start a free trial.
FAQ
Is a Google review link free to create?
Yes. Google does not charge for the review link, and you can build it yourself from your Business Profile, Google Maps or your Place ID in a couple of minutes. Your only optional cost is printing a QR version.
What is the difference between the long link and the g.page link?
They open the same review form. The long writereview URL uses your Place ID, while the g.page link is the short version Google gives you from your profile. Use whichever is tidier for where you are sharing it.
Can I use the same link for two locations?
No. Each location has its own Place ID and its own review link, so build a separate link per branch. Sending customers of one shop to another location's form will confuse your reviews.
Will my review link ever stop working?
The Google link itself stays live as long as your profile exists. The risk is a third-party shortener that expires, so use your own domain redirect or a shortener that does not lock the link behind a trial.
