NFC review card: how guests reach your Google review with one tap
An NFC review card is a card or stand with a built-in chip. When a guest holds their phone to it, a page opens instantly – for example your Google review form. No searching, no typing, no app. Here is how it works and what matters in practice.
NFC in three sentences
NFC (near field communication) is a short-range radio technology that is also used for contactless payments. A passive NFC chip needs no battery: the phone powers it and receives a small data record in return – for review cards, a web address.
The phone recognises the address and opens it in the browser. Current iPhones (XS/XR and later) and Android phones with NFC switched on read such chips without any extra app.
Why the card holds only an address – and why that is an advantage
It makes sense not to write your Google link directly onto the chip but a short address that you control, such as l4bizz.com/t/abc123. Behind it, the dashboard decides where the tap leads: to the review form, the menu or a booking page.
The advantage: if your target changes, the printed card stays valid. A directly written link would have to be rewritten on every chip or the card replaced. The intermediate address also counts scans and clicks, so you can see which card is used how often.
Which chips are suitable?
Lock the chip after writing so nobody can overwrite the address.
- NTAG213 – inexpensive, plenty for short addresses, widely available.
- NTAG215 – more memory, also easy to read; useful if you want to store more later.
- Anti-metal tags – needed if the card is attached to metal (counters, metal stands). Standard tags read poorly or not at all there.
What if the phone has no NFC or it is switched off?
That is why every card should also carry a QR code. It points to the same address and is read by the camera. See the comparison in QR code or NFC?.
Typical mistakes
- Card stuck on metal – without an anti-metal tag, reading is unreliable.
- No hint on the card. One sentence such as “Hold your phone here to leave a review” raises usage noticeably.
- Chip not locked or address too long. Keep it short.
- Card placed behind glass or out of reach.
Frequently asked questions
Do guests need an app?
No. Current iPhones and Android phones read NFC tags directly. Guests with NFC switched off use the QR code.
How long does an NFC card last?
Passive chips have no battery and are generally long-lived. Durability depends mostly on card material and wear.
Can I change the target later?
Yes, if the card points to your own intermediate address. Then you change the target in the dashboard without replacing cards.
Note: This post is for general information and is not legal or tax advice.