Google review request email templates

Last updated 11 August 2026

Or skip the copy-paste. Revuu sends these automatically three hours after each visit, with one reminder. See how requests are timed →

What a good review request email contains

Subject line

Keep it under about forty characters and make it obviously from a business the reader recognises. “How was your visit to Joe's Barbers?” works because it names the business and asks a question the reader can answer. Avoid “We'd love your feedback!” — it is the subject line of every marketing email and it reads as bulk mail.

Opening line

One sentence, referencing the specific visit. “Thanks for coming in on Tuesday” does more work than a paragraph, because it proves the message follows a real interaction rather than a list purchase.

The ask

Ask for an honest review, not a good one. This matters legally, it matters for Google's policy, and it also reads better. Say how long it takes — about a minute — because the unspoken objection is almost always effort, not willingness.

One button, one destination

A single button pointing at the direct Google review link. No secondary link to your Facebook page, no newsletter signup, no survey. Every additional choice reduces the number of people who complete the first one.

Google review request email templates

Replace the bracketed parts. Keep them short — if a template grows past six lines, something has been added that does not need to be there.

General local business

Hi [First name],

Thanks for coming in on [day]. If you have a minute, would you leave us an honest Google review? It takes about a minute and helps other people know what to expect.

[Leave a review]

Thanks,
[Your name], [Business]

After a service appointment

Hi [First name],

Thanks for seeing us on [day] for your [service]. If you were happy with how it went — or if you weren't — an honest Google review helps other customers decide.

[Leave a review]

[Your name], [Business]

After a purchase

Hi [First name],

You picked up your [product] last week, so you have had a chance to use it properly by now. Would you share an honest Google review of how it has gone?

[Leave a review]

Thanks,
[Your name], [Business]

Home services and trades

Hi [First name],

We finished the [job] on [day]. Everything holding up as it should?

If you're happy with the work, an honest Google review makes a real difference to a small local firm. Takes about a minute.

[Leave a review]

[Your name], [Business]

Dentists and clinics

Hi [First name],

Thank you for coming in on [day]. We hope you were looked after well.

If you have a minute, an honest Google review helps other people feel more comfortable about booking. Please don't include any medical details in your review.

[Leave a review]

[Your name], [Practice]

Salons and personal care

Hi [First name],

Hope you're still happy with your [service] from [day].

If you are, would you leave [Stylist] an honest Google review? It genuinely helps.

[Leave a review]

[Your name], [Salon]

Restaurants and hospitality

Hi [First name],

Thanks for joining us on [day] — we hope the [dish or occasion] was worth the trip.

An honest Google review helps other people decide where to eat this weekend.

[Leave a review]

[Your name], [Restaurant]

Google review request SMS templates

SMS is shorter and more intrusive, so it has to be more direct. Put the business name first, because an unrecognised number asking you to click a link is indistinguishable from a scam.

First message

[Business] here — thanks for coming in today, [First name]. If you have a minute, an honest Google review really helps us: [link]

Reply STOP to opt out.

Reminder message

[Business] — just a quick nudge in case you missed this, [First name]. No worries if you'd rather not: [link]

Reply STOP to opt out.

Follow-up: one reminder, then stop

Most people who intended to leave a review simply forgot, so one reminder is worth sending. The second one is where goodwill turns into irritation, and the person you annoy is by definition someone who liked your business enough to be asked twice.

Make the reminder shorter than the original and acknowledge that they may have already left one. Then stop permanently — not “stop for this campaign,” but stop. Revuu enforces this automatically and also stops the moment a review appears or a customer unsubscribes.

Timing: when to send the request

Three hours after the visit suits most counter and appointment businesses. The customer has left, the experience is recent, and they can respond from home rather than at the till. Sending immediately produces fewer reviews, because the person is still in the car park.

For work with a delayed verdict — a repair, a bathroom, a course of treatment — send when the customer can actually judge the result. For a product, give them long enough to have used it. The rule is to ask at the moment the customer knows the answer, not the moment your system marks the job done.

What not to put in a review request

Do not ask for five stars, a “positive” review, or a review “if you were happy” — all three are selective solicitation, and the last one is gating in polite clothing. Do not offer a discount, entry to a prize draw, or anything else of value in exchange. Do not attach a rating question that decides who sees the Google link; the guide to what review gating actually is covers where that line sits.

Also leave out the explanation of how reviews help your search ranking, the paragraph about how much your small business means to you, and any private detail about the customer's treatment, purchase history, or account. Short, plain, and slightly under-written outperforms sincere and long.