Google review request templates for email and text

A good review request is short, personal and has one link. Below you find templates for email, text and a follow-up that you can copy and adapt in a few minutes. First come three rules that keep your requests fair and inside Google's policies.

Three rules before you send anything

Templates only help if the basics are right. Check these three points first.

1. Ask everyone. Google does not allow review gating. That means you must not ask only happy customers, and you must not steer unhappy customers away from the review page. Every customer gets the same link.
2. No rewards. Do not offer discounts, gifts, vouchers or prize draws for a review. Google's policies forbid paid or rewarded reviews, and in many countries this can also break consumer or competition law.
3. Do not write the review for them. You may ask for honest feedback. You should not tell people which star rating to give or which words to use.

One more point about permission. Rules for marketing messages differ by country. In Germany, for example, a review request by email or text is generally treated as advertising, so you usually need the customer's consent. This is general information, not legal advice.

Email templates

Email works well for services with a clear end, such as a finished repair, a completed project or a delivered order. Keep the subject line plain.

Template 1: after a finished job

Subject: How did we do, [First name]?

Hi [First name],

thank you for choosing [Business name] for your [service]. We hope everything went well.

Would you share your honest opinion in a short Google review? It takes about two minutes and helps other people in [town] decide.

[Review link]

If something was not right, please reply to this email. I read every message myself.

Thank you,
[Your name]

Template 2: very short

Subject: A quick question about your visit

Hi [First name],

thanks for visiting us on [day]. Could you leave us a short Google review? Good or bad, we want to hear it.

[Review link]

Best regards,
[Your name], [Business name]

Both emails have only one link. More links mean more distraction and fewer reviews.

Text message templates

A text is read quickly, so it must be even shorter. Say who you are in the first words, because many people do not save business numbers.

Hi [First name], this is [Your name] from [Business name]. Thanks for coming in today. Would you leave us an honest Google review? [Review link]

[Business name]: Thank you for your order, [First name]. Your feedback helps us a lot. You can review us here: [Review link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Hi [First name], your [service] is done. If you have two minutes, we would be grateful for a Google review: [Review link]. Any problem? Just reply to this message.

Send texts at normal hours, not late in the evening. If you are not sure when to send, read our guide on the best moment to ask for a review.

A polite follow-up, and what to say in person

Many people plan to write a review and then forget. One friendly reminder a few days later is fine. More than one starts to feel like pressure.

Hi [First name], a short reminder in case my last message got lost. If you have a moment, we would be glad about your honest Google review: [Review link]. If you prefer not to, no problem at all.

In person, the request can be one sentence at the counter or at the door:

We are a small business and reviews help us a lot. May I send you the link to our Google page?

This spoken question also gives you the customer's permission to send the message. Note the yes in your customer file.

How to adapt the templates to your business

• Use the name and the service. A message that mentions the new boiler or the haircut feels personal. A message that starts with Dear customer feels like spam.
• Sign with a real person. People answer people, not companies.
• Keep the private way open for everyone. A line such as: if something was not right, reply to this message, is good service. It is fine as long as every customer still gets the public review link too.
• Test the link. Open it on your own phone. It should jump straight to the star rating. Our guide shows how to create your Google review link.
• Remember the account. Customers need a Google account to post. Do not be surprised if some people say no for this reason.

A simple routine that keeps reviews coming

Templates bring little if nobody sends them. Decide on a fixed routine:

1. Pick the moment, for example the day the job is finished.
2. Pick one channel, email or text.
3. Pick one person who sends the requests every Friday, or automate it.
4. Send one reminder after three to five days, then stop.
5. Reply to every review, also the critical ones.

If you do not want to do this by hand, a tool can send the request at the right moment. Astranode's 5-Star Review Engine is one option, currently in early access. It sends every customer the same review link and offers everyone a private feedback option. A plain spreadsheet and the templates above also do the job.