SMS Templates to Ask for Google Reviews
Text messages are the best way to collect reviews. Almost everyone opens them, and most people read them within a minute. You still have to write the right message. Here are templates you can use today, plus the reasons they work.
What a good review request text includes
A message that gets a response comes down to four things:
- A personal greeting (the customer's first name).
- Your business name (so they know who is texting).
- A short thank you and a clear ask.
- A direct link to your Google listing.
Keep the whole thing under 160 characters when you can, so it stays a single text.
Ready-to-use templates
Professional tone (works in any industry)
Hi {first_name}, thanks for choosing {business}. If you have a minute, a quick Google review would really help us out: {link}
Casual tone (for regulars and repeat customers)
Hi {first_name}, thanks again for coming to {business}! Mind leaving us a quick Google review? Takes about 30 seconds: {link}
Restaurant version
Hi {first_name}, thanks for stopping by {business}! If you enjoyed it, a quick review would mean a lot to us: {link}
Contractor and home services version
Hi {first_name}, thanks for trusting us with the job. A review helps other homeowners find {business}: {link}
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing too much: past 160 characters, carriers bill the text as two messages and it loses its punch.
- Pushing too hard: "Leave us 5 stars" turns people off and goes against Google's rules. Ask for a review, not for a rating.
- Leaving out the link: without one, almost nobody goes looking for your listing.
- Waiting too long: a text sent several days after the job converts far less.
Should you follow up?
Yes, once. Plenty of customers mean to leave a review and then forget. A single follow-up a few days later brings in a good share of those reviews without wearing people out.
Sending them automatically
Instead of copying and pasting these templates customer by customer, a tool like Avilio sends the text for you with the right tone, the direct link, and the follow-up. You pick the tone (professional or casual); the rest is set up for deliverability.