Welland review compliance: What Google Business Profile requires in 2025

Stay compliant with GBP review policies in Welland

Google Business Profile updated review policies in Oct 2024. Here's what Welland merchants need to know:

✅ Legal (NFC-safe):

  • Tap-to-review NFC tags that link directly to your GBP (no incentives, no filtering)
  • "Share your experience" signage at checkout
  • QR codes on receipts linking to review form
  • Email follow-ups (one reminder, no incentive)

❌ Violations (Google removes these):

  • Offering discounts for reviews
  • Filtering (only asking happy customers)
  • Review gating (pre-screening before sending to Google)
  • Bulk review requests to email lists

Why this matters in Welland: We've seen 3 Niagara St businesses lose GBP verification in 2024 for review gating. Recovery takes 4–8 weeks.

The Welland-safe NFC method:

  1. Hand every customer the NFC puck (no filtering)
  2. Link goes direct to Google (no landing page)
  3. Staff script: "Tap to share your experience" (no incentive language)
  4. Track with GBP analytics (we install tracking pixels legally)

📍 Compliant NFC kits for Welland: Browse setups →

Questions about Sign By-law 2015-87 signage compliance? Call 289-228-7021.

Back to blog