What to tell a customer who says "I don't have a Google account"

You finish the job, the customer is thrilled, and you mention a review. Then you hear it: "I'd love to, but I don't have a Google account." Or "I don't use Gmail." For a lot of contractors, that's where the review dies.

There's some truth to it. Google's help page for reviewers starts with signing in, and it says you're unable to add an anonymous review. But a Google account doesn't require Gmail. Anyone can create one with the email address they already use.

Google's own instructions walk through it. On the Google Account sign-up page, the customer chooses Create account for personal use, enters their basic info, and picks the option called Use your existing email. They type in the email they already have, confirm it with a code Google sends, and set a password. No new inbox and nothing new to check.

The other common hesitation is privacy. Google says all reviews are public, and each one shows the name on the reviewer's profile. If a customer would rather not post publicly, that's their call. Thank them anyway and move on. A customer who feels pushed is not the review you want.

Don't try to get around the hurdle by posting the review for them, or by having them tell you what to write so you can submit it. A review has to come from the customer's own account and their own experience. Google's policy prohibits content posted from multiple accounts by or at the request of one person, and content that isn't based on a real experience.

The good news is that most people are willing. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found that only 6% of consumers say they wouldn't write a review at all. The customer who says "I don't have an account" usually isn't saying no. They're telling you about a hurdle, and a one-line answer clears it.

That's why the request itself should make the review easy. PorchPrompt texts every customer a direct link to your Google review page after each job marked complete, so they can tap it whenever it's convenient, set up an account if they need one, and leave the review in their own words.