How you ask for a review determines whether you get one. The difference between a business collecting five reviews a month and one collecting fifty is almost never satisfaction – it is the process for asking.
When to Ask
Ask at the exact moment satisfaction peaks: right after a job is completed, a delivery confirmed, or a purchase made, not days later when the moment has passed. The delay between service and request is the single biggest factor in response rate.
Templates That Work
SMS, sent within an hour of service:
“Hi [Name], thanks for choosing us today. If you have a minute, a quick Google review helps other [suburb] locals find us: [link]”
Email, sent the next morning:
“Hi [Name], we hope [service] went well yesterday. If you were happy with the work, a short review would mean a lot and helps us stay visible to others nearby: [link]”
In person, said naturally:
“If you were happy with how that went, a Google review really helps us – I can text you the link right now if that’s easier.”
What to Avoid
- Offering a discount or incentive for a review – this violates Google policy and can get a profile suspended.
- Only asking happy customers (review gating) – also against policy, and it produces an unnaturally perfect rating that reads as suspicious.
- Generic mass emails with no personalisation – response rates drop sharply compared to a message referencing the specific job or purchase.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to ask for a review?
Within 24 hours of the service or purchase, while satisfaction is highest and the experience is still fresh in the customer’s mind.
Is it okay to send a follow-up if a customer doesn’t respond?
One polite follow-up after 5 to 7 days is fine. More than that starts to feel like pressure and can hurt the relationship.
Can I offer a discount for leaving a review?
No. Google explicitly prohibits incentivised reviews, and profiles caught doing this risk suspension.
Serpwize builds compliant review-request systems into every local SEO engagement. See our local SEO service.
