How to Ask for a Review: The Ultimate Guide to Building Trust Online

Nothing is more important these days than online reviews when building trust with customers. Whether you’re selling Chinese food or cleaning windows, people want to know they can trust your business, and online reviews are one of the first and most influential places they’ll look.

Unfortunately, not everyone leaves a review of your business, and it can be frustrating when you go above and beyond only to see your business with only one or two middling reviews on Google. 

That’s why businesses must learn how to ask for a review effectively. You don’t want to seem intrusive or demanding. Instead, the key is to be strategic, personalized, and considerate in your approach. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the best practices for requesting reviews, provide templates for different channels, and help you create the golden reputation you need online to grow your business.

Why Reviews Matter for Your Business

Online reviews matter a lot for your business, but you might not know why. Here are a few reasons why investing time and effort into getting more reviews is worth it for any business.

Impact on Customer Decision-Making

One of the most significant ways reviews influence your business is by shaping how potential customers perceive your brand. 

A study by Power Reviews found that 99.9% of consumers read reviews and that 98% use reviews to help them make buying decisions. 

This importance placed on reviews makes customer feedback one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal. Positive reviews help to reinforce trust and confidence, often making the difference between a new customer choosing your business over a competitor.

Influence on Search Rankings and Online Visibility

Reviews are not just helpful for customer decision-making; they also play a pivotal role in local SEO. Google’s algorithm prioritizes businesses with fresh, authentic reviews, making them more likely to appear in the coveted “local pack” results.

Moreover, reviews with targeted keywords can help enhance your brand’s relevance in searches. For instance, if a customer mentions how much they love your band t-shirts, then more people in your area searching for “band t-shirts” will see your site. Customers then feel encouraged to leave detailed feedback — an even more critical step in your marketing strategy.

Building Trust and Credibility

Customers are more likely to engage with businesses they can trust, and online reviews provide the social proof needed to establish that trust. 

Reviews help potential customers gauge the experiences of others and decide if your business is worth their consideration. Beyond the star ratings, it’s often the stories within reviews that people look for. It’s not just 5/5 ratings (too many perfect reviews might make people doubt whether they’re real) but the feedback customers seek. 

Did they enjoy the experience? Were they treated well? Would they buy it again? 

These anecdotes build emotional resonance and personal connection, which can be a deciding factor for prospective customers.

Templates to Help You Craft the Perfect Review Request

When it comes to asking for reviews, your method and tone can significantly impact whether your efforts earn you a new review. A well-crafted review request should be easy to understand, personalized to the customer’s experience, and offered through the right channel at the right time. 

Below, we’ve created templates for different scenarios to help you ask for reviews effectively:

Email Review Request Templates

Email remains one of the most effective ways to ask for reviews, with its wide reach and ability to include rich formatting, links, and personalization. An email review request allows you to target specific customer segments based on their recent interactions with your business.

Email Template #1: Post-Purchase Request

Subject: We Value Your Feedback

Dear [Customer Name],

Thank you for your recent purchase of [Product/Service]. We hope you’re enjoying it! We want to make sure your experience is as good as it can be, and your feedback is incredibly valuable to us. Could you take a moment to share your thoughts by leaving a review? It only takes a few minutes and helps other customers make informed decisions.

[Link to Review Page]

Best regards,  

[Your Name]  

[Your Position]  

[Company Name]

Email Template #2: Personalized Follow-Up  

If your customer has yet to respond to the first review request, sending a polite follow-up can increase your chances of receiving feedback. Here’s an example of how to nudge them gently:

Subject: A Quick Reminder – Your Feedback Means the World to Us!

Hi [Customer Name],

We hope everything is going well with your [Product/Service]. Just wanted to remind you how much we value your opinion. We’d love to hear your thoughts in a quick review if you have a minute. 

[Link to Review Page]

Thank you for your time!

Kind regards,  

[Your Name]  

[Your Position]  

[Company Name]

SMS and Messaging Review Request Templates

SMS boasts incredibly high open rates, making it an ideal channel for quick, direct review requests. However, it’s crucial to keep SMS messages concise and include direct links to the review page.

SMS Template #1: Simple and Direct SMS Review Request

“Hi [Customer Name], thanks for your recent visit to [Business Name]! If you have a moment, we’d appreciate a quick review. Your feedback helps us make our services even better. [Link]”

SMS Template #2: Post-Service SMS Request

“Hi [Customer Name], we hope you loved your [Service/Product]! Could you leave us a review? It’ll only take a minute, and we read every comment. [Link]”

In-Store Review Request Templates

For brick-and-mortar businesses, in-person interactions provide an opportunity to ask for reviews right after the customer has had a positive experience. Using QR codes or tablets/kiosks makes it easy for customers to leave reviews before they leave your store.

In-Store Template #1: In-Store QR Code Review Request

Place signage near checkout areas:  

“Enjoyed your visit? Scan here to leave us a review on Google!”

Template #2: Kiosk Review Request**

At the point of sale or in a waiting area, place a tablet with a screen saying:  

“Let us know how we did! Share your experience with us — tap to begin.”

Social Media Review Request Templates

Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are powerful tools for building customer relationships. A well-timed post or direct message can remind customers to leave a review, especially if they have interacted positively with your content.

Social Media Template #1: Social Media Post

“Had a great experience with us? We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a review on Google to let others know how we’re doing. [Link]”

Social Media Template #2: Direct Message Request

“Hi [Customer Name], thanks for following us! If you’ve enjoyed your time with [Business Name], could you take a moment to share your thoughts? Your feedback helps us serve you better. [Link]”

8 Best Practices to Follow When Asking for Reviews

Successfully encouraging more reviews is about more than just sending a request and hoping it works. For the best possible chances of success, you must think about how, when, and where you ask for feedback. 

If you’re not sure how to do that, read on to learn the eight best practices you’ll need to follow to give yourself the best shot at getting more positive reviews from your happy customers. 

1. Know When to Ask

When you ask for a review is as important as how you ask. Reach out too early, and the customer won’t have time to form an opinion. However, wait too long, and your customers may forget key details or lose interest altogether.

That’s why optimizing your review request timing is so important. Here are some tips to help you perfect your timing and get more reviews.

1. Match the Timing to the Product/Service: If your product or service involves immediate use or satisfaction (like a restaurant meal or haircut), it’s best to ask right after the interaction when the positive experience is fresh in their mind. For more complex products such as software, electronics, or professional services, wait until the customer has had ample time to explore and benefit from it — often around 7-14 days after purchase.
2. Monitor Customer Engagement: Use customer behavior as a cue for timing. For instance, if a customer has interacted with your follow-up emails or logged in to your platform multiple times within a few days, that could indicate they’ve engaged with your product enough to leave meaningful feedback. On the other hand, if a customer hasn’t used the product much yet, hold off a bit longer.
3. Experiment With Timing: The perfect timing for a review request will differ from industry to industry and area to area. The best bet is to test different timings and find something that works for you. For instance, if you use email review requests, try sending them immediately after the sale, one day after, or three days after. See which timing results in more reviews.  

2. Choose the Right Channel

Every customer is different, and the communication channel that works for one might not be effective for another. It’s important to offer multiple ways to leave a review so customers can choose the one that’s most convenient for them.

Some popular channels worth investing in include: 

• Email: One of the most effective ways to request reviews due to its wide reach and ability to include personalized content.
• SMS: Perfect for quick, direct requests. The high open rate of text messages ensures that most customers will see your request.
• In-Person: If your business operates face-to-face, asking for reviews during checkout or right after service can be your best option for getting more reviews.
• Social Media: Engaging with customers on platforms like Facebook or Instagram can be an excellent way to encourage them to share their experiences.

3. Make it Easy for Customers

The easier you make the review process, the more likely customers will follow through. For this reason, you want to remove as much friction as possible regarding your review process. 

Try out some of these tips to get you started: 

• Direct Links: Include direct links to your review pages (e.g., Google, Yelp) in your emails, SMS, or website. This eliminates the need for customers to search for your business themselves.
• QR Codes: For in-store or in-person requests, using QR codes that customers can scan with their phones can lead them straight to the review page.
• Review Widgets: Add review widgets to your website or thank-you page so that customers can leave reviews without leaving your site.

4. Personalize Your Approach

Personalization makes customers feel valued and more likely to respond. A generic “please leave a review” might go unnoticed, but a request that references the customer’s specific interaction with your business stands out.

Use these simple methods to make your messages feel more personal: 

• Use Their Name: Addressing the customer by name in your emails or messages immediately grabs their attention.
• Mention Their Purchase: Reference the product or service they received to make the request feel relevant and personalized.
• Tailor the Request Based on the Customer’s Journey: For example, you might use a different tone when asking a first-time buyer versus a long-term customer.

5. Avoid Ethical Issues

While offering incentives for reviews can be tempting, be cautious about how you approach this. Many platforms, including Google and Yelp, forbid businesses from offering rewards for positive reviews. Even when allowed, reviews should reflect the customer’s genuine positive or negative experience.

Here are some tips to follow when trying to incentivize your customers to leave a review: 

• Ethical Rewards: If you offer incentives, ensure they comply with the platform’s rules and don’t skew the customer’s review. 
• Be Transparent: When offering an incentive, ensure the reward is given for the customer’s time and effort, not for a specific type of review. Mention that all feedback is welcome, whether it’s positive or negative.  
• Offer Non-Monetary Incentives: Instead of discounts or gift cards, consider offering non-monetary incentives like early access to products or a chance to improve a product they already love. These alternatives can motivate customers to leave reviews without crossing ethical boundaries.

6. Follow-Up on Review Requests

It’s easy for customers to forget to leave a review, especially if they’re busy or the request gets lost in their inbox. A gentle follow-up reminder can significantly improve your chances of getting a review. (Just don’t get too pushy about it)

Help your follow-ups hit the mark by following these best practices:

• Time It Right: Wait a few days to a week after the initial request to send a follow-up. Make sure it’s polite and non-pushy.
• Keep It Short: Keep the follow-up message brief and to the point, emphasizing how much their feedback means to you and how easy it is to leave a review.
• Tailor Your Follow-Ups Based on Customer Interaction: Not all customers engage with your business in the same way, so tailor your follow-ups based on the customer’s behavior or interaction. If a customer recently clicked on a follow-up email but didn’t leave a review, a more personalized reminder acknowledging their recent activity can make a difference. 

7. Automate the Review Request Process

With so many different interactions happening with your customers, automating the review request process can help you stay consistent without manual follow-ups. Tools like Chatmeter can automate the request process so you can build trust online without having to do all the hard work yourself.

Here are some benefits of investing in automation for review requests: 

• Consistency: Automating review requests ensures every customer gets the same level of follow-up.
• Scalability: As your business grows, automated systems make it easy to handle larger volumes of requests without additional effort.
• Testing: With automated tools, it makes it easier to A/B test messaging or timing so you find the best possible way to get more reviews from your customers.  

8. Respond to Positive and Negative Reviews

Finally, remember that reviews are a two-way street. Responding to positive and negative reviews shows you value customer feedback and will communicate with anyone. Not only can this give people a nudge towards leaving a review itself, but it also helps cement in the minds of your customers the kind of business you are running. 

Follow these tips to get more out of your responses to customer reviews:

• Thank Positive Reviewers: A simple thank-you message can go a long way in reinforcing customer loyalty. Learn more in our guide to responding to positive reviews. 
• Address Negative Reviews: For negative reviews, be professional and aim to resolve the issue. This helps mend the customer relationship and shows prospective customers that you’re committed to excellent service. See our guide to responding to negative reviews for more tips.

Build Your Reputation Online with Chatmeter

Asking for reviews is only one part of managing your business’s reputation. To truly thrive in the digital world, you must actively monitor, analyze, and respond to reviews in real time. 

Chatmeter makes it easy for businesses to stay on top of customer reviews on online directories like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor. Reputation management tools like Chatmeter help you centralize your reviews so you can monitor, analyze, and respond from a single platform. This lets you stay on top of your online presence without jumping from platform to platform.

With Chatmeter’s advanced features, you can also:

• Monitor customer sentiment using AI-driven analysis to better understand how customers feel about your business.
• Automate review requests and follow-ups, ensuring that you consistently collect feedback without manually sending requests.
• Respond to reviews in real time, using a combination of templates, AI, or manual input to help foster positive relationships with your customers.

Chatmeter doesn’t just help with reviews—it offers deeper insights into your brand’s reputation with comprehensive reports and analytics. Based on actual customer input, you’ll be able to identify patterns in customer feedback, address recurring issues, and improve your business’s operations.

If you want to learn how Chatmeter can help your business excel online, sign up for a demo today. Or, take a look at our interactive demo below to see how Chatmeter can help your business stay ahead of the competition.

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