Incentivized Review: Everything You Need to Know
You’ve likely been there: a happy customer just left, you send a polite review request… and get nothing. No reply. No review.
So you think, “What if I offered them something?” A discount, a small gift card—just to thank them for their time. Seems harmless, right?
That question brings you here, looking for the truth about incentivized reviews: Are they legal? Do they work? What are the risks?
In this guide, we explain what incentivized reviews are, why businesses use them, the rules you need to follow, and the common mistakes you should avoid.
Let’s get into it.
What is an Incentivized Review?
An incentivized review is feedback a customer provides in exchange for some kind of reward—such as a discount, free product, loyalty points, or entry into a giveaway.
Businesses use this method because it:
- Increase review volume – Rewards motivate more feedback, building social proof faster.
- Build credibility – More diverse reviews boost trust and conversions.
- Get actionable feedback – Incentives prompt insights to improve products or services.
When handled ethically and within platform guidelines, incentivized reviews can strengthen both visibility and customer confidence.
What are the Pros and Cons of Offering Incentivized Reviews?
Using a method like this comes with its own pros and cons.
Pros
Boosts review volume quickly
Encourages more customers to leave feedback, especially when organic reviews are scarce.
Improves visibility and credibility
More reviews can enhance search rankings and build trust with potential customers.
Generates valuable feedback
Incentives can prompt customers to share detailed insights for product or service improvements.
Cons
Risk of biased feedback
Rewards may influence customers to leave overly positive reviews, reducing authenticity.
Potential policy violations
Many platforms have strict rules against incentivized reviews, which can result in penalties or removals.
Legal compliance requirements
Failing to follow FTC guidelines or disclose incentives can lead to fines and reputational damage.
Do’s and Don’ts When Offering Incentivized Reviews
If you're set on offering incentives for reviews, here are key do’s and don’ts to help you stay within ethical and legal boundaries.
Do’s
✅ Make incentives non-conditional
You can offer a reward for leaving a review, but not specifically a positive one. Asking for only 5-star reviews in exchange for a discount crosses legal and ethical lines.
✅ Always disclose the incentive
Transparency is critical. Customers (and platforms) should know that the review was written in exchange for something—whether that’s a gift card, coupon, or free product.
✅ Use neutral, honest language in your request
Avoid persuasive phrases like “Help us boost our rating!” and instead say something like “We’d love your honest feedback—positive or negative.”
✅ Incentivize verified buyers only
Incentives should go to actual customers who have used your product or service. This protects credibility and reduces the risk of fake or spammy reviews.
✅ Know the platform’s rules
Every review platform has its own policy. For example, Yelp prohibits any incentivized reviews, while Amazon allows it only through its Vine program. Violating platform rules can result in deleted reviews or account penalties.
Don’ts
🚫 Don’t offer rewards in exchange for only positive reviews
This is one of the most common and risky mistakes. It’s considered deceptive marketing and is directly prohibited by the FTC.
🚫 Don’t hide the incentive
Failing to disclose a reward (or burying it in fine print) can damage trust and lead to legal penalties. Disclosures should be clear, upfront, and easy to understand.
🚫 Don’t automate fake reviews
Never use bots, fake accounts, or paid third-party services to leave reviews. These tactics violate terms of service, risk account suspension, and can damage your reputation.
Instead, use tools that collect feedback from real customers—our Reviews product makes it easy to request and gather authentic, compliant reviews that actually build trust.
🚫 Don’t treat review incentives as a one-size-fits-all strategy
What works for a new product launch may not be appropriate for an established service business.
Incentive programs should be aligned with your business model, customer journey, and compliance needs.
🚫 Don’t forget to monitor and manage
Once reviews start coming in, you should monitor them, respond professionally, and adjust your strategy based on feedback.
Our Insights product makes this easier by tracking review trends, highlighting customer sentiment, and helping you refine your approach for better results.
Conclusion
If you’ve made it this far, chances are you’re serious about building trust through authentic customer feedback—and that’s something we deeply care about too.
If you ever need help collecting real, reputation-building reviews, our Reviews product is built for that—compliant, automated, and incredibly easy to use.
We also offer tools to help you grow through referrals, understand what your customers are really thinking with insights, and keep happy clients coming back through repeat business.
Want to go deeper into how reputation shapes conversion and customer retention? We’ve covered that in our reputation marketing blog, along with other helpful reads on our main blog hub.
We work with businesses across industries—whether you're a law firm, dental office, medical clinic, med spa, plumbing business, or landscaping service—so if you're unsure how this applies to you, feel free to reach out to us directly. We’d love to help.
Whatever path you take next we’re wishing you all the best.
And if you need a partner in getting more reviews, more referrals, and more return clients, we're here for that too.
