Review reactivation
Most local businesses have hundreds of satisfied past customers who were simply never asked. Those customers already know the business, so they respond well.
Pacing is the whole trick. A profile that jumps from 20 to 90 reviews in a week looks unnatural and can trigger Google's filters, so requests go out a few at a time during business hours.
Anyone who already reviewed, opted out, or was asked recently is skipped automatically.
It's usually the biggest single jump in review count a business will get, and it happens in the first month instead of the first year.
Common questions
How far back should I ask past customers?
About 24 months. Older customers remember less and respond less, and their contact details are more often stale.
Will Google remove reviews from past customers?
Not if they're real customers and requests are paced naturally. Sudden bursts are the risk, not the age of the job.
Related terms
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