How to Ask Customers for Google Reviews: 7 Effective Methods
You have satisfied customers, but your Google listing only shows a handful of reviews? You're not alone. Most happy customers simply don't think to leave a review on their own. The good news: often, all it takes is asking them.
In this guide, discover the best methods to request Google reviews effectively and professionally, without ever breaking Google's rules.
of customers leave a review when asked directly, compared to less than 5% spontaneously
— Podium 2024
Why asking for Google reviews is essential
Google reviews aren't just about image. They directly influence your visibility on Google and Google Maps. The more recent and positive reviews you have, the more Google considers your business relevant for local searches.
But beyond SEO, reviews reassure your future customers. Before choosing a service provider, restaurant, or shop, most consumers check online reviews. A business with 50 reviews at 4.5 stars inspires far more trust than one with only 3 reviews, even if the rating is identical.
The problem? Unhappy customers leave reviews much more easily than satisfied ones. If you don't actively ask your happy customers, your rating may not reflect the true quality of your service.
The right time to ask for a review
Timing is crucial. Ask too early and the customer won't have fully experienced your service quality. Ask too late and they'll have forgotten their positive experience.
Best timing based on your industry
For retail and restaurants, the ideal moment is right after the purchase or meal, when satisfaction is at its peak. For service providers (contractors, consultants, agencies), wait until the service is complete and the customer has seen the results, typically 24 to 48 hours later.
For healthcare or wellness professionals, a few days' delay allows the patient to evaluate the effects of the treatment or session.
Conseil Reputacion
With Reputacion, schedule your review request to be sent automatically at the optimal time: immediately after checkout, 24 hours after delivery, or 48 hours after a service. You don't have to think about it anymore.
7 methods to ask for Google reviews
1. Face-to-face requests
This is the simplest and often most effective method. At the end of a successful service, ask your customer directly: "Your feedback means a lot to us. Would you be willing to leave us a review on Google?"
The advantage of this approach is the high conversion rate because the request is personal and immediate. The downside is that the customer has to remember to do it later, and many forget once they get home.
2. Sending an SMS after the service
SMS is the most effective channel for collecting reviews. With an open rate above 95% and near-instant reading, your request is almost guaranteed to be seen.
An effective SMS is short and contains a direct link to your Google review page. The customer just needs to click to leave their review in seconds.
of text messages are read within 3 minutes of receipt, compared to 20% for emails
— Mobile Marketing Association 2024
Example SMS: "Hi [First name], thank you for your trust! Your feedback helps us improve. Could you share your experience in 30 seconds? [link] - The [Company] team"
3. Sending a follow-up email
Email remains a relevant channel, especially for B2B companies or long-cycle services. It allows for more context and personalization than SMS.
Use a short, direct subject line like "Your feedback matters to us" or "How was your experience?". In the body, briefly remind them of the service provided and include a clearly visible call-to-action button to your review page.
Multi-channel review collection
SMS, email, or both: Reputacion lets you automate your review requests across all channels, with the right message at the right time.
Discover Reputacion4. QR codes at your location
Place a QR code at a strategic spot in your establishment: counter, table, waiting room, or even on your business cards. Customers scan the code with their phone and go directly to your review page.
This method is particularly suited for retail, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. It pairs well with a verbal request: "If you were satisfied, you can scan this QR code to leave us a review."
5. Links on your business documents
Add a link to your Google reviews on your quotes, invoices, delivery notes, or confirmation emails. It's a passive method but generates a steady flow of reviews over time.
Word it engagingly: "Happy with our service? Share your experience: [link]".
6. NFC plates
More modern than QR codes, NFC plates let customers simply tap their phone to be redirected to your review page. No need to open the camera or scan anything.
Ideal for reception desks or restaurant tables, NFC plates work with most recent smartphones (iPhone and Android).
Attention
QR codes and NFC plates have a limitation: they depend on the customer taking action while on-site. Once they leave, customers often forget to leave a review. That's why sending an SMS or email reminder after the visit remains the most effective method.
7. Full automation with a dedicated tool
Manually asking each customer for a review is time-consuming and easy to forget. That's where an automation tool makes all the difference.
The principle is simple: after each service or sale, an SMS or email is automatically sent to the customer with a direct link to your Google reviews. You don't have to do anything, and review collection becomes an ongoing process.
Conseil Reputacion
Reputacion integrates with your POS system or CRM. As soon as a customer is registered, they automatically receive a personalized review request. You can even filter to send only to customers you're confident are satisfied.
How to word your review request
How you phrase your message directly impacts your response rate. Here are the principles to follow.
Keep it short and direct
People are busy. Get to the point: thank the customer, explain that their feedback matters, and give them the link. Avoid long speeches.
Personalize the message
Use the customer's first name if possible. Mention the service or product involved. A personalized message generates a much higher response rate than a generic one.
Make it easy to act
The link should lead directly to the page where the customer can write their review, not your general Google listing. Every extra click reduces conversion rates.
Examples of effective messages
By SMS: "Hi Sarah, thank you for choosing us for your plumbing work! If you're satisfied, your review would really help us: [link] Thanks! - Mike, Express Plumbing"
By email: "Hi John, your renovation project is now complete and we hope you're happy with the results. If you have 30 seconds, your Google review would help us spread the word about our work: [Leave a review button]. Thank you for your trust!"
What Google prohibits (and the risks involved)
Google has strict rules about collecting reviews. Breaking them can result in your reviews being removed or even your listing being suspended.
Attention
Practices prohibited by Google: offering incentives in exchange for a review (discounts, gifts, perks), explicitly asking only for positive reviews, buying fake reviews, leaving reviews on your own business or asking employees to do so.
The golden rule is to ask for a review in a neutral way, without conditioning the request on a positive review. You can say "Your feedback helps us improve" but not "If you're satisfied, leave us a review."
In practice, nothing stops you from reaching out more to customers you sense are happy. But never write it explicitly in your messages.
How many reviews do you need to make a difference?
There's no magic number, but a few benchmarks can guide you.
To start appearing in local results, aim for at least 10 reviews. That's the minimum for Google to consider you an established business.
To inspire customer trust, 30 to 50 reviews is a good intermediate goal. At this point, your average rating becomes statistically reliable.
To dominate your local market, look at your competitors. If the leader has 200 reviews, you'll need to get close to compete in terms of visibility and credibility.
More important than the total number: consistency. 5 reviews per month is better than 50 reviews at once then nothing for a year. Google favors businesses that receive reviews on an ongoing basis.
is the minimum recommended rating to appear in Google's Local Pack (the 3 results featured on the map)
— Moz Local Search Ranking Factors 2024
How to handle inevitable negative reviews
By asking all your customers for reviews, you'll inevitably receive some negative ones. That's normal and even desirable: a profile with only 5-star reviews looks suspicious.
What matters is responding to each negative review professionally. Thank the customer for their feedback, apologize if necessary, and offer a solution. Future customers reading these exchanges will judge your response as much as the review itself.
With a steady flow of positive reviews thanks to your collection strategy, the occasional negative review will naturally be "diluted" and won't significantly impact your average rating.
Automate your review collection
Reputacion sends a personalized review request to each customer, by SMS or email. You collect more positive reviews, your rating improves, and you gain visibility on Google.
Try for freeSummary
Asking for Google reviews isn't complicated or intrusive when done right. Most satisfied customers are happy to help if you make it easy for them.
Remember these key principles: ask systematically after every positive experience, choose the right timing for your industry, make the process easy with a direct link, and automate your requests so you never forget.
SMS remains the most effective method with an unbeatable conversion rate. Combined with a tool like Reputacion, you turn every satisfied customer into an ambassador for your business, without any daily effort on your part.
Your online reputation is built one review at a time. Every satisfied customer is an opportunity to strengthen your credibility and attract new customers. Don't let it slip away.