● The short answer
On Google, no. Google prohibits offering payment, discounts, free goods or services for reviews, even for honest ones. The FTC's rule is narrower: it bans incentives conditioned on positive or negative sentiment, and undisclosed incentives can still be deceptive. Since Google is where most local reviews live, the safe practice is simple: ask every customer, offer nothing in exchange.
Key takeaways
- Google prohibits any incentive for reviews, including discounts, gifts and drawings.
- The FTC rule bans incentives tied to positive or negative sentiment, and undisclosed incentives can be deceptive.
- Paying or refunding someone to remove a negative review is off limits.
Two sets of rules, and the stricter one wins
Owners often hear conflicting answers to this because there are two rulebooks: the platform's and the government's.
| Rule | Incentive for any review | Incentive for a positive review |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps and Business Profile policy | Prohibited | Prohibited |
| FTC Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule | Not banned by the rule itself, but non-disclosure may violate the FTC Act | Prohibited, even if the condition is implied |
Google's policy is blunt: merchants may not offer incentives such as payment, discounts, or free goods and services for reviews, or for changing or removing a negative review. Content posted because of a business incentive counts as rating manipulation and can be removed. Other platforms set their own rules, and many are similarly strict, so check each one before running any promotion.
The FTC's position, from its rule Q&A, is that the rule does not prohibit incentives for reviews if there is no sentiment requirement. But a "5 stars gets you 10% off" offer violates it, and asking for a disclosure does not fix that. Expecting positive reviews from a gift is not automatically a violation, but failing to disclose the incentive could be.
The how is where we come in.
What we walk through with you, for your business:
- Common offers, sorted
- What to do instead
- Our take
Every business is different, so the plan is too. Tell us where you want to show up and we will show you what it takes.
Talk to usMore questions
Can I run a giveaway for people who review us on Google?
No. Google treats sweepstakes and drawings for reviews as incentives, which its policy prohibits regardless of whether the review is positive. Run giveaways for newsletter signups, referrals or social follows instead, and ask for reviews separately, from every customer, with no reward attached.
Can I give free products to reviewers on Amazon or my own site?
Rules differ by platform, and Amazon has its own strict policies. On your own site, FTC guidance allows free products for honest reviews if the connection is clearly disclosed on each review and the reward is not tied to sentiment. Reviews must still reflect the person's real experience.
Sources
- Google Maps Help: Prohibited and restricted content
- Google Business Profile Help: Get reviews from customers
- FTC: The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule: Questions and Answers
- BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey 2026
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