Local business

How to Write a Google Review for a Company

Karlo Karlovic •
#google-reviews#google-business-profile#local-seo#reviews
Google Maps and a business listing displayed on a smartphone

To write a Google review, sign in to Google, find the company in Google Search or Google Maps, choose “Write a review”, select a star rating, describe your real experience, and publish it. A useful review is specific, honest, and respectful. You can edit or delete it later from your Google Maps contributions.

If you searched for how to write a Google review, you are in the right place. The same steps answer how to leave a Google review, how to leave a review on Google, and how to write a review on Google.

You may also see searches such as how to write a review in Google, how to write review on Google, how to write Google review, google reviews write a review, or write review on Google. They all describe the same task.

How to write a Google review

Google lets you review places you have visited. You need to be signed in to a Google account, and your review is public rather than anonymous. The wording and button position can vary slightly between Google Search, Google Maps, and the mobile app.

From a computer

  1. Open Google Maps and sign in.
  2. Search for the company or place.
  3. Select the correct business profile.
  4. Scroll through the profile and select Write a review.
  5. Choose a star rating and write about your experience.
  6. Add a photo if it helps and you have permission to share it.
  7. Select Post.

Google’s official instructions for adding, editing, and deleting reviews cover the current desktop flow.

Search for the company name and location. Open the business profile and select the reviews area. From there, choose the option to rate or write a review. If Search does not show the writing option, open the full profile in Google Maps and follow the computer or phone steps instead.

How to write Google reviews from your phone

If you want to know how to write reviews on Google from a phone, use the Google Maps app:

  1. Open Google Maps and sign in.
  2. Search for the company.
  3. Tap the correct business profile.
  4. Open the reviews section or the option to add a rating.
  5. Choose the stars, write your review, and add a photo if useful.
  6. Tap Post.

Check the company name, suburb, and address before posting. Many businesses have similar names, and a review on the wrong profile is difficult for everyone to fix.

What should you write in a Google review?

The best reviews help another person understand what they are likely to experience. Mention the service you used, the part of the experience that stood out, and the result. Keep private information out of the review.

A simple structure is:

I used [company] for [service] in [month]. The team [specific action]. I appreciated [useful detail], and the result was [outcome].

Use this only as a prompt. Write your own words and include details that are true. A short, specific paragraph is more useful than a long list of generic praise.

You do not need to ask for a particular star rating or use a business’s target keywords. An honest review can be positive, negative, or mixed. If something went wrong, explain what happened without sharing private details or making a personal attack.

What Google reviews should not include

Google may remove a review that does not reflect a genuine experience or that breaks its content policies. Do not:

  • Write a review for a business where you work or have a conflict of interest.
  • Accept payment or a gift in exchange for a review.
  • Copy the same review across several business profiles.
  • Include private customer information, passwords, or financial details.
  • Add spam, unrelated promotions, or abusive language.
  • Pretend to be another customer.

Read Google’s tips for high-quality reviews and its prohibited and restricted content policy if you are unsure what to include.

How to edit or delete a Google review

You can change or remove your own review after it is published.

  1. Open Google Maps and sign in.
  2. Select Menu, then Your contributions.
  3. Open Reviews.
  4. Select the three-dot menu beside the review.
  5. Choose Edit review or Delete review and follow the instructions.

If you edit the review, Google shows the date of the latest edit. Your name and review remain public while the review is published.

Do you need an expensive traditional agency for Google reviews?

Writing a review is free. A website and local search setup can still help customers find the business, understand its services, and choose the next step. A review cannot fix a slow website, missing service information, or a contact form that does not work.

For a small local business, an expensive traditional agency is not the only option. The common traditional-agency model documented by BestCompare is $15,000 or more upfront, then often $500 or more per month for hosting and care, plus $999 or more per month for basic SEO. That can make sense for a large brand, campaign, or complex website, but it may include more work than a local business needs.

BestCompare uses a managed monthly model instead:

OptionCost modelWho handles the website after launch?
Traditional agencyOften $15,000+ upfront, then $500+/mo for hosting and care plus $999+/mo for basic SEOThe agency, usually through separate retainers and change requests
BestCompare$249/mo Starter, $349/mo Growth, or $499/mo Pro, with no setup feeBestCompare handles hosting and plan updates
DIY builderLower cash cost, but the owner supplies the timeThe business owner

These are not identical scopes. A traditional agency proposal may include brand strategy, campaign assets, photography, a large content migration, or a custom system. BestCompare plans are for small Australian businesses that need a fast website, clear local search foundations, and someone to keep the site current.

Starter includes Google Business Profile setup. Growth adds local SEO and AI search setup, service and suburb pages, and a blog. Pro adds ongoing search checks, monthly local content, and ranking and enquiry reports. All three plans include hosting and plan updates, and standard plans can be cancelled any month.

Compare the pages, ongoing changes, local search work, ownership terms, and exit costs before comparing the monthly price. See the website pricing plans, local SEO services, or Google Business Profile optimisation guide for more detail.

Common questions

How do I write a Google review?

Sign in to Google, search for the company in Google Maps or Google Search, open the correct profile, select Write a review, choose a rating, describe your genuine experience, and post it.

Can I write a review without using my real name?

Google says reviews are public and are not anonymous. Check what name appears on your Google account before you post.

Why is my Google review not showing?

Google moderates reviews and can remove content that breaks its policies. Check that the review describes your own experience, does not include private information or spam, and is posted on the correct business profile. If it was removed, read Google’s review policy before trying again.

What is the difference between writing a Google review and writing a review on Google?

There is no practical difference. How to write a Google review and how to write a review on Google are two ways of asking for the same steps. The same is true for how to write a review in Google and how to write Google reviews.

If your business website does not make its services, locations, and contact options clear, contact BestCompare for a practical review of the site.

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