Google Review Cards: QR Code Design, Review Link and Customer Feedback Guide

A good review card should make honest customer feedback easy without trying to influence what the customer says. Use one clear call to action, a direct review QR code, strong contrast and enough white space for reliable scanning, then test the finished card on multiple phones before printing the full quantity.

Online reviews play an important role in how customers evaluate local businesses, professional services, restaurants, retailers, contractors and other companies they discover through search.

A customer may have a genuinely good experience and still never leave a review simply because the process requires too many steps. They may need to search for the business again, open the correct profile, locate the review section and then remember to complete the process later.

A printed review card can shorten that journey.

Instead of telling customers to “find us on Google,” the business can hand them a small branded card containing a direct review QR code or review link. The customer scans the code, reaches the appropriate review destination and can choose whether to share their genuine experience.

These pieces are often called Google review cards, review request cards, QR code review cards, feedback cards, customer review cards or leave-a-review cards.

The printing is straightforward, but the strategy requires care. A review card should invite honest feedback rather than pressure customers toward a particular star rating. It should not promise discounts, gifts or other benefits in exchange for posting a review. The card should also be tested carefully because a beautifully printed QR code is useless if it opens the wrong location or no longer works.

Google’s current Business Profile guidance allows businesses to share a review link or QR code when requesting reviews from customers with genuine experiences. Google also prohibits incentives for reviews, selective solicitation of positive reviews and attempts to influence the rating or content of a review.

For printing, Pryntco’s current Standard Business Cards provide a practical small-format starting point for review request cards, while another format can be handled as a custom project when additional space is needed.

1. What Is a Google Review Card?

A Google review card is a printed card designed to make it easier for a customer to reach a business’s Google review page.

The card usually contains:

• Business logo
• Short review request
• QR code
• Short review link when useful
• Business name
• Simple instructions

The card itself does not post a review. It simply gives the customer an easier route to the place where they can choose to leave feedback.

2. How Does a QR Code Review Card Work?

The QR code contains a digital destination, usually the business’s review-request link.

The customer:

1. Opens the camera on a compatible phone.
2. Points it at the QR code.
3. Opens the link that appears.
4. Reaches the business review destination.
5. Chooses whether to leave a genuine review.

The physical card therefore acts as a bridge between an in-person customer interaction and an online review platform.

3. Is It Okay to Ask Customers for Google Reviews?

Yes. Google currently permits businesses to encourage customers to leave reviews when those reviews reflect genuine experiences.

The request should remain neutral.

Examples of appropriate general wording include:

• SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
• LEAVE US A REVIEW
• WE’D VALUE YOUR FEEDBACK
• TELL US HOW WE DID

The wording should invite honest feedback rather than tell the customer which rating to give.

4. Can You Put a Google Review QR Code on a Printed Card?

Yes. Google’s current Business Profile tools allow businesses to obtain a review link or QR code for requesting customer reviews.

A printed QR card can then be:

• Handed to customers
• Placed beside a receipt
• Included in an order
• Displayed at reception
• Placed on a service counter

Always confirm the code points to the correct business profile before printing.

5. How Do You Get a Google Review Link?

The business should obtain the official review-request link from its current Google Business Profile rather than copying an arbitrary search-results URL.

Google’s current process provides a review-sharing option from the Business Profile where the business can copy the review link or access a QR code.

Interface labels can change over time, so confirm the current Google Business Profile instructions when creating a new campaign.

Once the link has been obtained, test it while signed out or using another device so the customer experience is clear.

6. Can Google Generate the Review QR Code?

Google’s current Business Profile guidance includes an option to obtain a QR code for requesting reviews when using a computer browser.

That can reduce the need to create the code through a separate QR-code service.

Regardless of how the QR code is generated, verify:

• Correct business location
• Correct destination
• Mobile functionality
• Scanning reliability

Do this before inserting the code into final print artwork.

7. What Should a Google Review Card Say?

Keep the message direct and neutral.

A simple structure might be:

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

Scan the QR code to leave us a review.

This tells the customer what the card is for without suggesting what rating or wording should be used.

Additional business branding can appear around the call to action, but the instructions should remain the most obvious functional element.

8. Should the Card Say “Leave Us a 5-Star Review”?

That wording should be avoided.

A review request should not attempt to influence the customer’s rating.

Instead of asking for a specific number of stars, use neutral wording such as:

• LEAVE US A REVIEW
• SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK
• TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE

The customer should decide independently how to rate the business.

9. Can You Ask Only Happy Customers to Leave a Google Review?

Businesses should not create a process that selectively sends only satisfied customers to Google while directing dissatisfied customers somewhere else.

This practice is often described as review gating.

Google’s current policies prohibit selectively soliciting positive reviews.

A better approach is to make the review invitation available consistently to customers who have genuinely interacted with the business, regardless of what rating they may choose to leave.

10. Can You Give a Discount for Leaving a Google Review?

No. Google currently prohibits offering incentives such as discounts, payments, free products or services in exchange for posting a review.

A card should therefore not say:

• LEAVE A REVIEW AND GET 10% OFF
• REVIEW US FOR A FREE ITEM
• GET A GIFT FOR YOUR REVIEW

If the business is running a separate customer promotion, do not make participation dependent on posting a Google review.

11. Can You Enter Reviewers Into a Prize Draw?

A reward or prize offered specifically in exchange for a review can still function as an incentive.

The safest structure is simple:

The review request should stand on its own without a financial or promotional reward attached to it.

This also keeps the card visually cleaner and prevents the review request from looking like a coupon.

12. Can You Tell Customers What to Write in Their Review?

Businesses should not request that customers include specific content simply to influence review results.

A review should represent the customer’s own experience and wording.

Avoid prompts such as:

• “Please mention our employee by name.”
• “Write that our service was excellent.”
• “Please say that we are the best company in town.”

A neutral invitation to share genuine feedback is more appropriate.

13. Should Staff Pressure Customers to Review the Business Immediately?

No.

The review request should feel optional.

Staff can hand over the card and briefly explain what it is, but customers should not feel required to leave a rating while standing at the counter.

A printed card is useful precisely because the customer can take it away and choose whether to respond later.

14. What Size Should a Google Review Card Be?

A business-card-style format is a practical choice because it is compact, familiar and easy to distribute.

It can fit naturally:

• Beside a receipt
• Inside a wallet
• In an order package
• At a reception desk
• In a card holder

The important issue is leaving enough space for a QR code that remains reliably scannable.

If the message, logo and QR code feel crowded, choose a larger card rather than reducing everything excessively.

15. Can Standard Business Cards Be Used as Review Cards?

Yes. The format is well suited to simple review requests.

Pryntco’s current Standard Business Card collection includes several card finishes that can support branded small-format cards.

A review card usually does not need elaborate specialty finishing because the customer’s primary action is scanning the code.

The material should support clear printing and reliable QR-code contrast.

16. What Card Stock Is Best for a Review Card?

The best stock depends on the visual style and whether anyone needs to write on the card.

A review card is generally printed with fixed information, so writability is less important than it is for appointment, referral or loyalty cards.

Possible directions include:

• Semi-gloss for strong colour
• Uncoated for a natural matte appearance
• Other business-card finishes when appropriate to the brand

Pryntco’s Business Card Finish Guide can help compare how different card surfaces affect colour, texture and usability.

17. Matte vs Gloss Review Cards: Which Is Better?

Both can work if the QR code maintains strong contrast.

The QR code should be tested on the finished stock rather than assuming every surface performs identically.

18. Should Google Review Cards Be One-Sided or Double-Sided?

Both are possible, but two sides can make the design much cleaner.

A practical structure is:

• Front: business branding and review request
• Back: large QR code and scanning instructions

This allows the QR code to remain large without competing with the logo and other visual elements.

19. What Should Go on the Front of a Review Card?

The front should explain why the customer received the card.

A simple design may include:

• Business logo
• SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
• Short thank-you message
• Small instruction to turn the card over

Keep the tone appreciative rather than demanding.

20. What Should Go on the Back?

The back can focus almost entirely on the action.

For example:

• Large QR code
• SCAN TO LEAVE A REVIEW
• Short fallback web address
• Business name

Do not surround the QR code with unnecessary decorative details that reduce clear scanning space.

21. How Large Should the QR Code Be?

The correct physical size depends on the complexity of the code, printing quality and typical scanning distance.

Instead of relying on one generic minimum measurement, test the final code at the exact printed size.

A review card is usually scanned from close range, but the code still needs:

• Sharp edges
• Strong contrast
• Adequate clear space
• No distortion

If the code feels small on the proof, give it more space.

22. Where Should the QR Code Be Positioned?

Place it on a flat, uncluttered section of the card.

The centre or one large dedicated side can work well.

Avoid placing the code:

• Against the trim edge
• Over a photograph
• Inside a complicated pattern
• Across a fold
• Under reflective specialty effects

The code is a functional element and should be treated accordingly.

23. What Colours Should a Review QR Code Use?

Dark code elements on a light background are generally the simplest direction for reliable scanning.

A black QR code on white provides strong contrast.

Brand colours can still appear around the code through:

• Headlines
• Background accents
• Borders
• Logo

Do not sacrifice scanning reliability simply to force every element into the brand palette.

24. Why Is Clear Space Around the QR Code Important?

The empty area around a QR code helps scanning software distinguish the code from surrounding graphics.

Avoid placing:

• Text directly against the code
• Decorative patterns behind it
• Other small icons touching its edges

Allow the QR code to breathe visually.

This also makes the card easier for customers to understand because the primary action is obvious.

25. How Should You Test a Review QR Code Before Printing?

Testing should happen after the code has been placed into the final artwork.

Print a proof at actual size and then:

• Scan it with multiple phones.
• Try different camera distances.
• Check under normal indoor lighting.
• Confirm the correct business opens.
• Confirm the destination is mobile-friendly.

Pryntco’s Artwork Preparation Guide recommends testing QR codes on multiple devices before sending artwork to production.

26. Should the QR Code Link Directly to the Review Request?

Usually, yes.

The fewer unnecessary steps between scanning and reaching the review destination, the easier the process is for the customer.

A review card should generally not send customers to:

• Homepage
• General contact page
• Social-media profile
• Unrelated promotion

when the actual purpose is specifically to request a review.

27. Should the Card Include a Short Review Link as Backup?

It can be useful when there is room.

A short readable URL provides another option if the customer does not want to scan the code.

Keep it clearly secondary to the QR code.

Do not print a long technical URL that is difficult to type manually.

28. How Much Business Branding Should a Review Card Have?

Enough that the customer knows which company is requesting the feedback.

Useful branding includes:

• Logo
• Business name
• Brand colour
• Consistent typography

The QR code and call to action should still remain visually dominant.

A review card is a functional customer-action piece, not a miniature corporate brochure.

29. Should You Put Five Star Icons on a Review Card?

Star graphics can be visually associated with online reviews, but the design should not imply that the customer is expected to choose a five-star rating.

A neutral feedback-focused design is generally cleaner.

If decorative star imagery is used, avoid combining it with wording such as:

GIVE US 5 STARS

The customer should remain free to choose the rating that reflects their genuine experience.

30. Should You Give Customers a Pre-Written Review Example?

A pre-written review that customers are encouraged to copy is not a good approach.

The purpose of customer reviews is to reflect customers’ own experiences and opinions.

A business can make the process easy without supplying the content.

Use a simple prompt such as:

We’d value your honest feedback.

Then allow the customer to decide what they want to write.

31. How Should Multi-Location Businesses Use Google Review Cards?

Every card should direct the customer to the correct location.

A business with several locations should consider:

• Separate QR code for each location
• Separate card artwork for each location
• Location name printed clearly on the card

Do not use one generic review QR code if it sends customers from several locations to the wrong Business Profile.

Test every location separately.

32. Where Should Businesses Hand Out Review Cards?

Give customers the card at a natural end point in the interaction.

Examples include:

• Checkout
• Order pickup
• Reception desk
• Completed appointment
• Finished service
• Delivery package

The request should be brief and optional.

The card allows customers to respond later rather than feeling pressured to post while staff are watching.

33. Can Review Cards Be Included in Packaging and Orders?

Yes. They can work well as small order inserts when the customer has received the product or service from the business.

A printed insert may say:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ORDER

We’d love to hear about your experience.

Scan to leave a review.

This format can be coordinated with other printed packaging materials and customer thank-you pieces.

34. What Businesses Can Use Review Request Cards?

Any business that serves genuine customers can consider a printed review request when it fits the customer journey.

Examples include:

• Restaurants
• Cafés
• Salons
• Barbers
• Dental practices
• Professional clinics
• Retail stores
• Automotive businesses
• Contractors
• Home-service companies
• Hotels
• Professional services

The card design can remain similar across industries, but the customer handoff should match the actual service experience.

35. How Many Google Review Cards Should You Print?

Estimate quantity based on how many customers are likely to receive a card and how stable the QR destination will remain.

Consider:

• Customers per week
• Number of business locations
• How often staff distribute the cards
• Whether the design may change
• Whether the review link has been fully tested

For a new review-card campaign, an initial run can help the business confirm that staff use the cards consistently and customers understand the call to action before ordering a much larger quantity.

36. How Should Google Review Card Artwork Be Prepared?

Begin with the exact finished size and selected card product.

Then:

• Use vector logos whenever possible.
• Build artwork at final size.
• Extend full-bleed backgrounds into the required bleed.
• Keep important text inside safe areas.
• Keep the QR code away from trim edges.
• Maintain strong QR-code contrast.
• Leave clear space around the code.
• Test the QR code from a physical proof.
• Verify the correct Google Business Profile location.
• Review the wording so it requests honest feedback rather than a specific rating.

Pryntco’s professional artwork preparation guide provides additional information about final size, bleed, safe areas, resolution, colour and QR-code testing.

37. What Are the Most Common Google Review Card Mistakes?

The biggest mistake is treating a review request as a demand for positive feedback.

Other common problems include:

• Asking specifically for a five-star review.
• Offering a discount or gift in exchange for a review.
• Selectively giving cards only to customers expected to leave positive reviews.
• Pressuring customers to review while staff watch.
• Providing pre-written review wording.
• Using a QR code that leads to the wrong business location.
• Making the QR code too small.
• Placing the QR code over a busy image.
• Failing to test the code after final artwork is created.
• Printing large quantities before the complete review process has been tested.

38. So, How Should You Design and Print Google Review Cards?

Start by obtaining the correct review link or QR code from the business’s current Google Business Profile. Confirm that it opens the correct location and provides the intended review experience on a mobile phone.

Then make the card simple. Use a headline such as SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE or LEAVE US A REVIEW, one short sentence explaining the action and a large QR code with plenty of clear space around it.

Avoid language that attempts to control the outcome. Do not ask customers specifically for five stars, provide pre-written review content or offer discounts, free items or other incentives in exchange for reviews. Google’s current policies require reviews to reflect genuine experiences and prohibit incentives and selective positive-review solicitation.

For businesses with several locations, create location-specific cards or at minimum location-specific QR codes. A customer who visits Toronto should not accidentally be directed to review Hamilton because the same printed card was distributed everywhere.

Choose the card stock according to the brand and QR-code requirements. Review cards generally do not need a writable surface, so Pryntco’s Standard Business Cards provide several practical starting points. If the card needs handwriting or another custom purpose as well, a writable uncoated option can be considered.

The review request can also be coordinated with other customer-facing pieces. Pryntco’s Business Stationery Essentials explains how small action-focused cards can support the broader customer experience while maintaining consistent branding.

Before production, print a physical proof. Scan it using several phones, check the destination, test the card under normal indoor lighting and make sure the customer can immediately understand what to do.

If a standard business-card format does not provide enough room for the QR code, instructions or company branding, businesses can request a custom printing quote for another card or insert format.

You can also contact Pryntco for help choosing a suitable print configuration or browse Pryntco’s Print Resources for additional artwork and print-preparation guidance.