When is the best time to ask a customer for a review?
Ask within a few hours of the moment the customer gets the result they paid for: the AC blows cold, the car is back on the road, the closing is done. Memory and goodwill are highest then, and a request sent the same day gets answered far more often than one sent a week later.
Customers expect to be asked. In BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, 78% of consumers said a business had asked them for a review in the past 12 months, and 28% said they always leave one when asked. The same survey found 74% of people look for reviews written in the last three months. A burst of reviews from 2023 does little for you now. You need a steady flow, which means asking every customer, every time.
I've run ads for local businesses since 2013, and the owners with the most reviews are rarely the ones with the best service. They're the ones who built the ask into the job, so it happens even on a busy Friday.
How should you ask for a review by text or email?
Send a short, personal message with the customer's first name, one specific detail about their job, and a single direct link to your Google review form. Text works best for most local businesses because it's read fast. Email works when the relationship is already email-based, like accounting or B2B services.
- Get your direct review link. Google's own tips page tells businesses to ask customers to visit a Google link or scan a QR code. Our free Google review link generator builds that link for you.
- Use their name and mention the actual job ("the water heater swap on Tuesday"). Generic messages read like spam.
- Keep it under 300 characters for texts. One ask, one link.
- Send it from a number they recognize, ideally the same one they booked through.
- Send one reminder two or three days later if they haven't left a review. Then stop.
- Ask everyone. Not just the customers you think loved you (more on why below).
What should a review request message say? 10 copy-ready templates
A good review request names the customer, references the work, asks plainly, and gives one link. Copy any template below, swap the brackets, and paste your link where it says [link]. None of them mention a reward or ask for a particular star rating, because Google prohibits both.
1. Home services (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), text
Hi [Name], it's [Tech] from [Business]. Thanks for having us out today for the [job]. If you have a minute, would you leave us a quick Google review? It helps neighbors find us. [link]
2. Roofing or remodeling contractor, email
Subject: How did the [project] turn out?
Hi [Name],
Thanks again for trusting us with your [project]. Now that the crew is gone and the dust has settled, I'd like to hear how it went. Would you share your experience in a Google review? It takes about a minute: [link]
If anything isn't right, reply to this email and I'll handle it personally.
[Owner name], [Business]
3. Dental or medical office, text
Hi [Name], thanks for visiting [Practice] today. We'd be grateful if you'd share a review of your visit on Google: [link]. Please don't include personal health details in your review.
4. Restaurant or cafe, text (after an online order or reservation)
Thanks for dining with us at [Restaurant], [Name]! If you have a second, we'd love to hear how everything was on Google: [link]
5. Auto repair shop, text
Hi [Name], your [vehicle] is all set. Thanks for choosing [Shop]. Would you mind leaving us a Google review about your visit? [link]
6. Salon, barber or spa, text
Hi [Name], it was great seeing you today! If you've got a minute, a Google review would mean a lot to [Stylist] and the whole team: [link]
7. Real estate agent, email after closing
Subject: Congrats on the new place
Hi [Name],
Congratulations again on closing at [address]. It was a pleasure working with you. If you're willing, a Google review about your experience would help other buyers decide whether I'm the right fit: [link]
Enjoy the first week in your new home.
[Agent name]
8. Accountant, lawyer or other professional service, email
Subject: A quick favor
Hi [Name],
Thank you for working with [Firm] on your [return / matter]. If you have a moment, we'd appreciate an honest Google review of your experience: [link]
Please leave out any confidential details.
[Name], [Firm]
9. Retail store or e-commerce with local pickup, text
Hi [Name], thanks for picking up your order at [Store]. How did we do? You can leave a Google review here: [link]
10. Friendly reminder (send once, 2 to 3 days later)
Hi [Name], [Tech/Owner] from [Business] again. No pressure at all, but if you get a chance to leave that review, here's the link: [link]. Thanks either way!
Each one says "share your experience" or "honest review" and never "leave us 5 stars." Google's policy says businesses may ask for reviews only without trying to influence the rating or the contents, so keep the ask neutral.
What does Google allow when you ask for reviews?
Google lets any business ask any customer for an honest review. Its Maps user-generated content policy bans offering incentives, asking only happy customers (review gating), pressuring people on the premises, requesting specific content, and reviews from employees or anyone with a conflict of interest.
Here's how that breaks down in practice:
| Practice | Allowed? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Texting or emailing every customer a review link | Yes | Google's tips page tells you to remind customers and share a link or QR code |
| Putting a QR code on receipts or the counter | Yes | Same guidance, as long as nobody is pressured on the spot |
| Offering a discount, gift card or entry into a drawing for a review | No | Google prohibits payment, discounts, free goods or services in exchange for a review |
| Sending a survey first and only routing happy customers to Google | No | Google bans selectively soliciting positive reviews |
| Asking customers to mention a staff member or a keyword | No | Google says businesses should not request specific content or identify staff |
| Staff review quotas | No | Listed by Google as prohibited rating manipulation |
| Employees, family or former staff reviewing the business | No | Conflict of interest under Google's policy |
| Offering a refund in exchange for removing a bad review | No | Incentives to revise or remove a review are banned too |
Review gating used to be common advice. Lots of review software was built around a "How did we do?" screen that sent 4 and 5 star customers to Google and everyone else to a private form. That pattern is now a direct violation, and reviews collected that way can be removed.
What does the FTC fake review rule mean for small businesses?
The FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials took effect on October 21, 2024. It bans fake reviews (including AI-generated ones), buying reviews, incentives tied to positive sentiment, undisclosed insider reviews, and suppressing negative reviews through threats or intimidation. Knowing violations can bring civil penalties.
The FTC announced the final rule in August 2024 after a 5-0 vote. Its business Q&A adds two details owners miss:
- The FTC rule itself doesn't ban every incentive, only ones that require or imply a particular sentiment. Google's policy is stricter and bans incentives for Google reviews outright. Follow Google's rule on Google.
- The rule has no specific ban on asking only happy customers, but the FTC says that practice could still violate the FTC Act under its Endorsement Guides. Between that and Google's policy, gating is off the table.
The practical takeaway: write nothing yourself, buy nothing, have no employees or relatives review you, and never threaten a reviewer. Ask real customers and accept what they write.
How many times should you follow up on a review request?
Follow up once. Send the first request the day of the job and one reminder two or three days later, then stop. More than that starts to feel like pressure, which Google's policy warns against, and it annoys customers you may want to sell to again.
The hard part is consistency. A request that depends on someone remembering to send it gets skipped on busy days, which are exactly the days you served the most customers. That's why I set it up as an automation tied to the job status. We walk through that setup in how to get more Google reviews on autopilot.
How we run this for clients
KenjiAI sends review requests by text and email automatically when a job or appointment is marked complete in the CRM, sends one reminder, and suggests replies to new reviews with AI so you can respond in seconds. It runs off the same calendar and inbox your team already uses, so nobody has to remember to send anything. We've built this for 500+ businesses.
What should you do this week?
Generate your direct link with the Google review link generator, pick the template above that fits your business, and send it to every customer you served in the last 14 days. Then set a rule that every finished job gets the same message the same day.