Pro Tips
Best practices to get more reviews fast
Your QR code only works if customers see it and are prompted to scan it. Here's where to place it and what to say — the small things that double your review rate.
Counter Standee
Place at eye level near the payment counter. Customers naturally look here while waiting to pay — the perfect moment to ask for a review.
Highest impact
Table Card
A tent card on every table means customers can scan while waiting for their order or finishing their coffee — unhurried and relaxed.
Highest impact
Menu / Bill
Print your QR on the back of your menu or add it to the bill folder. Customers who've just had a great experience are the most likely to scan.
Highest impact
Takeaway Packaging
Add a small sticker or stamp of your QR on coffee cups, bags, or boxes. Reaches customers even after they've left your cafe.
Medium impact
WhatsApp Follow-up
If you take orders via WhatsApp, send your Magic Link 30 minutes after delivery or pickup with a polite request for a review.
Medium impact
Instagram Bio
Add your Magic Link to your Instagram bio and occasionally post a story asking followers to leave a review — great for loyal customers.
Digital reach
01
Train your staff — this is your biggest lever
A verbal prompt from staff dramatically increases scan rates. Train everyone to say something like: "If you enjoyed your visit today, would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? Just scan the QR on your table — it takes less than a minute!" Genuine, warm requests beat any poster.
Highest ROI action
02
Ask at the right moment — not before
The best time to ask is just after a customer has expressed satisfaction — when they say "this was great!" or ask for the bill. Don't ask before they've experienced your service, and avoid asking customers who seem rushed or dissatisfied.
Timing tip
03
Make your QR print at least 3cm × 3cm
A QR code smaller than 3cm is difficult to scan reliably, especially in low light. When printing standees or menus, always test-scan the printed version from 30cm away before mass printing. Also verify it opens correctly on both Android and iPhone.
Print quality
04
Aim for consistency — 5 reviews a week beats 50 in one day
Google's algorithm values a steady stream of new reviews over a sudden burst. Getting 5 reviews per week consistently signals an active, healthy business. A spike followed by silence can actually reduce trust. Build habits, not campaigns.
Algorithm insight
05
Never offer incentives for reviews — it can get your profile penalised
Offering free coffee, discounts, or gifts in exchange for Google reviews violates Google's policies. Even if well-intentioned, this can result in reviews being removed or your Google Business Profile being suspended. Ask genuinely, never transactionally.
Important warning
30-day challenge: Put the QR standee on every table, brief your staff to mention it once per table, and check your review count every Monday. Most cafes see their weekly review rate double within 3–4 weeks of consistent staff prompting.
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FAQ
Common questions from new users
Answers to the questions we hear most from business owners getting started with MagicBolt. Click any question to expand.
How long does it take to start seeing results after connecting MagicBolt?
Most businesses see their first new reviews within the first week of placing their QR code and briefing staff. Google ranking improvements typically take 4–8 weeks of consistent activity — regular posts, review replies, and profile optimisation compound over time. Performance analytics data starts appearing after 5–7 days due to Google's reporting lag.
Can customers leave reviews without a Google account?
No — Google requires customers to be signed into a Google account to leave a public review. This is Google's policy, not MagicBolt's. However, customers who don't have a Google account can still leave private feedback through your MagicBolt landing page. This private feedback is visible to you in the dashboard and helps you understand issues even when they don't result in a public review.
Will the AI Agent's replies look robotic or generic?
Not if you train it well. The AI generates unique replies for each review based on the reviewer's name, their specific comments, and the training you've provided about your business tone. Reviews mentioning specific items (e.g. "loved the cold brew") will get replies that reference those items. We recommend starting with the "Review first" mode to read and approve replies for the first week — this lets you correct the tone before switching to auto-publish.
My Google profile already has 50+ reviews. Will MagicBolt help me reply to old ones?
Yes. Once connected, MagicBolt pulls in all your existing Google reviews — not just new ones. In the Reviews section, you'll see all unanswered reviews. You can use the AI Agent to generate and publish replies to old reviews in bulk. Replying to older reviews is good practice and improves your reply rate metric, which positively affects your ranking.
Can I change my Magic Link URL?
Your Magic Link URL (e.g. vcafe.magicqr.in) is set when you first connect your business and is based on your business name. Changing it requires contacting MagicBolt support. Note that if you change your URL, any printed QR codes or shared links using the old URL will stop working — you'd need to reprint and reshare. We recommend keeping the original URL wherever possible.
How many posts should I publish per month?
A minimum of 4 posts per month (one per week) keeps your profile consistently active. Google favours profiles that post regularly. Aim for a mix: 2 "What's New" updates (new menu items, changes, seasonal specials), 1 Offer or promotion, and 1 Event or community content. Use AI Suggested Posts to fill gaps when you're short on ideas. The quality and consistency of posting matters more than the quantity.
Why did some of my Google reviews disappear?
Google occasionally removes reviews automatically through its spam detection algorithm — even legitimate ones. This can happen when multiple reviews come from the same IP address, when accounts are newly created, or when reviews mention incentives. You cannot restore removed reviews, but you can flag them for reinstatement via Google's support. MagicBolt's dashboard will reflect any changes Google makes to your review count within 24–48 hours.
Does MagicBolt work if I don't have a website?
Yes, fully. MagicBolt includes its own built-in landing page (your Magic Link) which acts as your online presence for review collection. All core features — QR codes, AI review replies, Google post publishing, analytics, and ranking — work independently of whether you have an external website. However, having a website URL on your Google Business Profile does improve your profile score and can increase clicks.
Can I pause MagicBolt without losing my data?
Yes. If you downgrade to a free plan or cancel your subscription, your historical data (reviews, posts, analytics, audit history) remains in your account for 90 days. If you resubscribe within that window, everything is exactly as you left it. After 90 days, data may be archived. Contact support before cancelling if you're worried about data retention.
How is my Google Business Profile audit score calculated?
MagicBolt's audit score is based on a weighted assessment of your Google Business Profile completeness and activity. The main factors (and their approximate weights) are: business description quality (20%), photo count and recency (20%), review volume and response rate (20%), category accuracy (15%), business hours completeness (10%), contact information (10%), and attributes/services (5%). The score is recalculated each time you run the audit.
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Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting common issues
If something's not working as expected, find your symptom below for a step-by-step fix.
Dashboard shows "Disconnected" in red
Cause
Google account password changed, permissions revoked, or MagicBolt's access token expired.
Fix
Go to Settings → Google Account → Reconnect. Sign in with the Google account that owns your Business Profile. Click Allow. Your connection will restore within 60 seconds.
My QR code isn't scanning
Cause
QR too small, low print quality, damaged, or poor lighting conditions.
Fix
Ensure QR is at least 3cm × 3cm when printed. Use high-resolution PNG (not JPG). Test in good lighting. Re-download a fresh QR from the MagicBolt dashboard if issues persist — never screenshot and reprint an existing QR.
Scheduled posts aren't going live
Cause
Google connection is disconnected, or the post was scheduled in the past by accident.
Fix
First check your Google connection status (green "Connected" badge). Then go to Schedule and confirm the post date is in the future. If the connection was recently dropped, reconnect Google and the post queue should resume automatically.
AI Agent replies aren't appearing on Google
Cause
AI Agent is set to "Review first" mode (replies need your approval), or Google connection dropped.
Fix
Go to AI Agent settings and check your approval mode. If set to "Review first", approve pending replies in the Reviews section. If set to Auto, check your Google connection. Google may also take 5–15 minutes to display a new reply publicly after it's sent.
Performance data shows zeros or is not updating
Cause
New connection (data takes time to populate), Google API lag, or connection interruption.
Fix
Wait 5–7 days after first connecting for data to appear — this is a Google API delay and normal. If data stops updating after previously working, reconnect your Google account. If data is still missing after 7 days, contact support with your account email.
Ranking map shows no data for my keywords
Cause
Keywords were recently added (ranking scan not yet complete), or your business doesn't rank in the top 20 for that keyword in your area.
Fix
Allow 24–48 hours after adding a new keyword for the first scan to complete. If the grid shows "—" in many cells, your business may not yet rank for that keyword — focus on profile optimisation, more reviews, and citation building to build ranking over the next 4–8 weeks.
Before contacting support: Try disconnecting and reconnecting your Google account — this resolves about 60% of reported issues. Also try a hard refresh of your browser (Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac) before assuming something is broken.
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Support
Contacting MagicBolt support
If you've worked through the troubleshooting steps above and still need help, here's how to reach the MagicBolt team.
We're here to help
The MagicBolt support team can help with account issues, billing questions, technical problems, and feature guidance. Always include your account email when raising a ticket to speed up your response.
💬 Live Chat
📧 Email Support
📋 Submit a Ticket
📹 Tutorial Videos
Response time
< 24h
Mon–Sat · IST
When raising a ticket, always include: your account email address, the business location name, a description of the issue, and — if applicable — a screenshot of the error. This cuts average resolution time from 24 hours to under 4 hours.
Tutorial Videos: Click Tutorial Videos in the top-right corner of your MagicBolt dashboard to access a library of short how-to videos covering every feature. These are often the fastest way to learn a new feature or see exactly how something works step by step.