7 Review Request Templates That Stay Compliant
Seven copy-and-send review request templates for SMS, email, in person, and QR signs, written to stay inside Google and FTC rules.
A review request template that works is short, signed by a person, sent to every customer rather than the happy ones, and carries one link straight to your review form. The seven below are ready to send by SMS, email, in person, or on a counter sign. Swap the bracketed tokens, paste your own Google review link, and keep the wording neutral so you stay inside Google's rules and the FTC's. If you want the sends triggered automatically off a job or an invoice, that is what RepBoost does.
Two rules decide whether your ask is allowed
Both rules are published, both are short, and breaking either one puts your profile and your business at risk.
Google bans selective and incentivized asks. Its prohibited content policy says merchants may not discourage or prohibit negative reviews, or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers, and may not offer payment, discounts, or free goods in exchange for a review or for the removal of one. The same policy says merchants should not pressure customers to leave a review while on the premises, and should not request that specific content be included, including content that names a staff member (Prohibited and restricted content). Google does allow you to ask customers to post about a genuine experience, with no incentive and no attempt to steer the rating or the wording.
The FTC rule bans paying for sentiment. Under the FTC's rule on consumer reviews and testimonials, it is an unfair or deceptive practice for a business to give compensation or other incentives in exchange for, or conditioned on, a review expressing a particular sentiment (16 CFR Part 465). The same rule requires clear disclosure when an officer, manager, or employee writes a review or testimonial about the business, and it prohibits using groundless legal threats to get a review taken down. The Commission announced the final rule in August 2024 (FTC announcement).
Two practical consequences. First, a raffle entry or a free coffee for reviewers is out even if you never mention stars, because Google's wording covers incentives for any review. Second, asking only the customers you expect to be happy is out, so build your send list from all completed jobs rather than from the ones that went well.
One platform-specific exception matters. Yelp's content guidelines state that businesses should never ask customers to write reviews (Yelp Content Guidelines), so none of these templates should point at Yelp.
Get your review link before you send anything
Every template needs one destination. Google generates a review link and a QR code from inside your profile under Read Reviews, then Get more reviews. The QR code can only be generated on a desktop browser, and Google suggests putting the link on receipts, in thank you emails, at the end of a chat, and on a printed code in your store (Create a Google link or QR code to request reviews).
Use that one link in every message. Two links, a landing page, and a paragraph of explanation all cost you completions. Customers also need to be signed in to a Google account to post, which is the single most common reason an eager customer never finishes (Tips to get more reviews).
Seven review request templates
Every one of these is neutral. None asks for five stars, none mentions a reward, and each one goes to every customer in that situation.
1. SMS after a completed job
Hi [First Name], thanks for having us out today. If you have a minute, would you leave an honest review of how it went? [Google review link] Reply STOP to opt out. [Your Name], [Business Name]
Send it the same day, while the customer can still picture the work. Text only the numbers customers gave you for service messages, and keep the opt-out line in.
2. Email after a purchase
Subject: How did we do, [First Name]?
Hi [First Name], your [product or order] should be with you now. If you have a minute, an honest review helps other people decide whether we are the right fit. [Google review link] Either way, reply to this email if anything is not right and I will sort it out. Thanks, [Your Name], [Business Name]
3. Email after an appointment or service visit
Subject: Two minutes on your visit, [First Name]?
Hi [First Name], thanks for coming in on [date]. We read every review, good and bad, and it is the fastest way we find out what to fix. If you have a couple of minutes, here is the link. [Google review link] Thanks, [Your Name]
4. In person, said out loud
We are a small business and reviews are how people find us. If you have a minute later today, would you leave an honest review? I will text you the link so you do not have to search for it.
Say it, then send the link. Do not hand over a tablet and wait, and do not stand there while they type, because Google's policy specifically covers pressuring customers to review while they are on the premises.
5. Counter sign or QR card
Been in today? Tell us how it went. Scan for our Google reviews page. Every review, good or bad, gets read by the owner.
Keep the sign neutral. A sign that says leave us five stars is selective solicitation, and a sign that offers anything in return is an incentive.
6. Follow-up SMS, three to five days later
Hi [First Name], quick follow-up from [Business Name]. If you still have a minute for a review, the link is here. [Google review link] If not, no problem at all, and thanks again. Reply STOP to opt out.
7. Follow-up email, one week later
Subject: Last note about your [service] with us
Hi [First Name], I wrote last week about leaving a review of your [service]. No pressure if you would rather not, and this is the last email you will get about it. [Google review link] If something went wrong, reply here and tell me instead. [Your Name]
Stop after two asks. A third message reads as pressure and occasionally earns you the review you were hoping to avoid.
Timing and cadence that hold up
- Same day for service work. Send once the job is signed off and the customer has seen the result.
- Next morning for products. Send after delivery is confirmed rather than after the order is placed.
- One follow-up at three to five days, one more at a week. Then stop.
- One channel per customer. Pick SMS or email based on how they already talk to you, not both at once.
- Everyone in scope, not the happy ones. Selective sending is the rule most businesses break without noticing.
If a customer answers a request with a complaint, handle the complaint. Reply, fix it, and say sorry. You do not have to chase a public review from someone you just disappointed, but you also cannot route unhappy customers away from the review form while sending happy ones straight to it, because that is exactly the selective solicitation Google prohibits.
What goes wrong, and what it costs
Google restricts profiles that violate its fake engagement policy. Published examples of those restrictions include a profile being blocked from receiving new reviews for a period, existing reviews being unpublished for a period, and a public warning on the profile telling consumers that fake reviews were removed. Google notifies the owner by email, and there is an appeal (Business Profile restrictions for policy violations).
Replies matter as much as asks. Google checks every reply against its content policies, replies usually post within about ten minutes but can take up to 30 days to clear, and the customer is notified and can edit their review after reading you (Manage customer reviews). Short, specific, no promotions. If you want the wider playbook around collection, our guide on getting more 5-star Google reviews covers the operational side.
When a review is fake rather than unflattering, requesting more reviews is the wrong tool. Repvive's Google review removal service handles those on performance-based pricing, with no removal, no fee.
RepBoost runs these sends for you, triggered off a completed job or invoice, with the owner's name on the message and the opt-out handled.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best review request template?
The shortest one that names the customer, names you, and carries one link. A same-day SMS with a first name, a plain ask for an honest review, and the direct Google link outperforms a long branded email in most local businesses because it arrives while the visit is still fresh.
Can I offer a discount for a Google review?
No. Google's policy prohibits offering payment, discounts, or free goods in exchange for posting, changing, or removing a review, and the FTC rule prohibits compensation conditioned on a review expressing a particular sentiment. A discount for everyone who shops with you is fine, but it cannot be tied to reviewing.
Is it against the rules to ask only happy customers for reviews?
Yes. Google's prohibited content policy specifically bars discouraging negative reviews and selectively soliciting positive ones. Send the same neutral request to everyone who completed a job or purchase, and let the ratings fall where they fall.
How do I get my Google review link?
Open your Business Profile, choose Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or download the QR code. Google notes the QR code can only be generated in a desktop browser, and suggests using it on receipts, in emails, and on a printed code in store.
How many times can I ask for a review?
Two asks and a stop is a safe pattern. An initial request the same day or next morning, one follow-up at three to five days, and nothing after that. Repeated chasing reads as pressure, which Google's policy treats as a problem in its own right.
Can I ask customers to review my business on Yelp?
No. Yelp's content guidelines state that businesses should never ask customers to write reviews, so keep your templates pointed at Google and any industry site that permits asking. On Yelp, watching and replying is the whole job.