How to Get More Google Reviews as a Painter and Decorator

When someone searches "painter and decorator Bath" on Google, they see a map and three businesses. The ones that tend to be there have two things in common: a well-optimised Google Business Profile and a solid bank of recent reviews. Reviews are one of the biggest signals Google uses to decide who shows up — and they're what a homeowner looks at before they let a stranger loose on their walls.

Decorating is a trust business - customers are inviting you into their home for days at a time. A page of genuine five-star reviews does more to earn that trust than any amount of website copy. Jay at New Decorating has a 5.0 rating from 12 reviews on a Google Business Profile he only set up recently - that's exactly the kind of fresh, consistent review pattern Google rewards.

The best time to ask for a review is the moment the job is finished and the customer is standing in a freshly painted room. They're pleased, they can see the result, and it's fresh in their mind. That's your window.

You don't need a script. Something like "Really glad you're happy with how it's come out - if you get a spare minute, a Google review would really help me out" is all it takes. Most people are happy to do it if you ask directly, standing in the room you've just finished.

A lot of painters and decorators already message customers on WhatsApp to arrange access or confirm colours. It's the easiest follow-up channel there is. A day or two after the job, send a short message: something like "Hope you're still loving the new colours - if you've got a spare moment, a Google review would really help. Here's the link: [your review link]".

You get your Google review link from your Google Business Profile dashboard - there's a "Share review form" button that gives you a short URL you can copy. Save it in your phone so you've always got it to hand.

If you'd rather not write the message yourself, our free Review Request Generator builds a personalised WhatsApp message in a few clicks — customer's name, the job, your review link, done.

Unlike a lot of trades, your finished work is genuinely photogenic - a freshly painted room, a repaired ceiling, a restored period feature. Ask happy customers if they mind you taking a quick photo for your portfolio, and ask if they'd add one to their review too. Photo-backed reviews carry more weight with Google and with future customers deciding between you and a competitor.

There's no magic number, but context matters. In Bath city centre, you're up against more competition — aim for 20 or more reviews before you see consistent Map Pack appearances, and keep adding them. In smaller areas like Keynsham, Saltford, or Midsomer Norton, you can appear with fewer because the competition is thinner.

Recency matters as much as volume. Ten reviews from the last three months looks better to Google than 30 reviews with nothing in the past year. A business collecting reviews consistently signals to Google that it's actively trading right now, not just historically.

Every review deserves a reply. For five-star reviews, a short, genuine thank-you is enough - mention the job type and area if you can, since that adds signals Google picks up on. For the occasional negative review, stay calm and professional, acknowledge the concern, and offer to resolve it offline. How you handle a bad review tells potential customers more about you than the review itself.