Tips and examples for asking Google reviews

Your customers seldom find themselves wondering about choosing between you and your competitor. When customers make up their minds, Google reviews play an important role in helping them compare you and your competitors. Therefore, you must gather more Google reviews from all your customers. But how do you ask for Google Reviews?

Google Reviews has an effect on your Google Business Profile. Since it affects the ranking of your profile, asking for Google reviews from all your customers is important.

In this blog, we will go over some of the best ways to encourage customers to give you reviews on Google and win good word of mouth from them. The easy tips shared in the blog will help you ask for Google reviews from customers.

1. How to Ask for a Google Review via Email

Emails are a great channel for sending review requests since many users are habitual in checking their emails regularly.

The Bazaar Voice has some very impressive statistics that highlight just how powerful email can be for requesting reviews. The research indicates that review request emails lead to a 4 – 9x increase in review content. In fact, if you send a follow-up email, that could lead to an additional 50% increase in review volume.

Apart from its widespread accessibility, emails allow for more detailed conversations than other channels. For instance, you can use emails to explain to the users how to leave a review.

You can also leverage Google review request emails to collect more positive reviews. Just keep in mind these four simple tips for writing request review emails, and you are good to go:

• Use an attractive subject line
• Begin by introducing the business and yourself
• Express gratitude to the customers for choosing your product
• Jump to the point and ask for genuine reviews
• Set expectations for online review
• Share additional channels for communication

Here are some sample email templates. You can use a Google review request email template from below and customize it as per your requirement –

Samples for Asking Google Reviews via Email

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We believe that now you may understand that emails are your most trusted channel for requesting online reviews. They’re straightforward, can be personalized, and gently encourage happy customers to leave a positive review. To ace your review request email game, you must learn more about how to ask for a Google review via email.

2. How to Ask for a Google Review via Text

Text messaging is a highly effective communication tool for businesses to establish a communication channel with consumers. Its widespread use and effectiveness make it compelling for seeking Google reviews. Also, the following statistics support its efficacy, making it a great choice for feedback requests –

So, if you are sold on using text messages for more business reviews, here are some tips that will help you write effective review request text messages –

• Personalize the Message: Personalize each message with the customer’s name and, if possible, reference their specific interaction with your business. This will enhance the relevancy of the message.  
• Select Best Time: Select an appropriate time slot for sending the review. Avoid peak hours and late evenings to avoid a low response rate. We will talk more about timing later in this blog. 
• Easy Access to Review Page: Give direct access to the Google review platform page so that customers can easily leave their positive feedback. You can also include a specific Call to Action to minimize friction and increase participation.
• Avoid Over-Messaging: Avoid sending too many messages, as this may annoy customers. Respect the consumer and allow them time to evaluate their experience and respond to your message. 

As you can see in the image here, a chiropractic clinic sends text messages seeking customer feedback from patients about their experience at their clinic. The message shared here has been personalized and has a direct button to the review page.

Samples for Asking Google Reviews via Text

Here are four examples of how to ask for a review on Google reviews via SMS.

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3. How to Ask for Google Reviews on Social Media

Online social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram play a vital role for businesses by helping them nurture relationships with their audience and, hence, build a community.

In today’s digital business environment, these communities are vital for your business as they can help you in:

• fostering a sense of belongingness in the followers
• building brand trust and loyalty in consumers

Effective community management helps to foster loyalty and trust. When the community is happy with you, they are more likely to respond positively to your Google review requests, enhancing your online business’s reputation.

But how do you actually go about asking for reviews on social media?

Social media is a powerful tool for encouraging customers to leave reviews. You can use social media in the following ways to gather more reviews:

Share Positive Reviews on Social Media

Share positive reviews in a social media post and add a link to your Google review page. When people see the reviews from other users in the post, they are motivated to leave their feedback as well.

As you can see in the image here, how Juphy shares its positive reviews on social media. If you look carefully, they have shared a link for happy customers to leave their reviews about their experience.

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Thank the Customer

Responding to your audience’s comments allows you to engage with them easily. Appreciate them for taking the time to write a review. This gives the impression that you care about the brand and the customer’s suggestions and feedback.

In this image, you can see how the restaurant responded to the reviews it received on Facebook. The response helped the restaurant not only give the impression that they value customers’ feedback but also provided them with the opportunity to open a discussion with the customers and tell them more about them.

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Use Personalized Messages

You can reach out to happy customers directly through privately messaging satisfied customers on social media messengers. Personalized messages can help get higher response rates.

The image here is a great example of how you can use different social media messengers to request feedback from your consumers.

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Simple Social Media Posts for Requesting Reviews

You can simply post a message on your social media feed requesting the followers to leave reviews. Keep the post simple and straightforward, and let them know why their feedback is valuable. You can use SocialPilot’s Bulk Scheduling feature to schedule multiple posts simultaneously.

In the image here, you can see a post from Manpower Alberta seeking customer reviews if they had a great experience. The catchy and engaging post also has a link for direct access to the review page.

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4. How to Ask for Google Reviews In-person

When you deliver an amazing experience to the customers, half your job is done. A satisfied customer is more likely to leave a good review than an unhappy one. If you think you have a happy customer, you must talk to them and request an in-person review.

Strike a good conversation with the customer, appreciating them for choosing you over your competitors. Finally, when the time is right, request that they share their review on your Google business profile so that other potential consumers can benefit from their objective feedback.

Remember that you do not always need to wait for customers to come to you and praise you for the experience you gave them. Most of the time, you will have to ask for reviews proactively. To do so, you must speak with the customer and politely ask them about their interaction with your business.

Samples for Asking Google Reviews In-Person

You can use the following phrases while talking to the consumer:

• Thanks so much for choosing us today! We hope you had a great experience. Is there anything we could have done better? If you have a moment, we’d love for you to share your thoughts in a review.
• It was great serving you today! We’re always looking to improve, and your feedback would greatly benefit us. Would you mind leaving us a review if you’ve got a minute? I can even help you get started right now.
• This was your first time with us, and we hope we met your expectations. If you’re happy with our service, we’d really appreciate it if you could leave some feedback. It’ll help others decide and help us keep delighting customers like you.

Additional Tip: Be careful when asking for in-person reviews, as the customer might consider you ingenious and opportunistic. For instance, do not ask for a review right after the customer’s first bright remark. Instead, engage naturally with customers, reading their interests. When a rapport is established, request a review while ensuring the authenticity and respect of the customer and the conversation.

Why are Google Reviews Important for the Business?

About 81% of consumers prefer to visit Google reviews to check the opinions of other customers. Positive reviews give them a sense of social proof, which is more authentic for the consumer than what you say about your business.

Do not just see reviews as a way to boost your SEO. While that is true, Google reviews are also a feedback loop for your business. They provide an insight into what is working and what customers do not like about you.

Here are six top reasons behind the importance of Google Reviews;

• Google Reviews enhances your online visibility and exposure
• Google Reviews help to boost brand trust and value
• You can use Google Reviews to enhance customer experience
• Google Reviews help provide an edge against the competition
• Google Reviews are the best ways to boost your SEO
• You can use Google Reviews to encourage communication with customers

Top 4 Best Practices for Asking Google Reviews

Getting Google reviews can significantly boost a business’s online reputation and attract more customers. While we have discussed how to ask for Google Reviews through different channels, it’s crucial to follow certain best practices to ensure that your ask feels authentic and valuable. Adopt these four best strategies to encourage good Google reviews.

1. Choose the Correct Time

Choosing the right time to seek reviews is important. It involves understanding the consumer and identifying the right moment when they are most likely to have a positive mindset about your business. Here are some tricks to select the best time –

• Look for important milestones in the customer’s journey, such as anniversaries, project completions, successful event completions, and more. These moments often elicit positive emotions and a sense of accomplishment, which makes customers likely to leave more reviews.
• Think about asking for reviews after your customer has spent some time with your business. After the consumer has spent some time, they will have had enough interactions with your product or service to form an objective opinion. 
• Pay attention to events where your customers have had a positive interaction with your business. Give exceptional customer service and prompt problem resolution to the customers. These experiences create ideal opportunities to request reviews, as satisfied consumers are more likely to share their positive experiences.

2. Explain Why Reviews Matter

Google reviews play a critical role in helping you improve and grow your business. You need to explain to the customers that their reviews help in shaping the business and help us improve further. The customers need to be explained that their feedback guides your business efforts to better serve all customers like them.

Here are a few phrases that you can use to explain to customers the value of their reviews –

• Your review helps us improve and assists others in making informed decisions about our services.
• Your feedback plays a crucial role in shaping our business and ensuring we meet our customers’ needs.
• By leaving a review, you’re providing valuable insights that enable us to enhance our offerings and provide exceptional service continuously.
• Your review not only supports our business but also helps create a vibrant community of satisfied customers.

3. Make the Review Process Easy

Smoothen the path to attract Google reviews by making the process as easy as eating a cake.

Make sure that the review process is simple, straightforward, and hassle-free so that customers can encourage participation. Complicated processes may delay or, even worse, deter their feedback.

To gather more reviews, you must innovate to simplify the review collection process by incorporating QR codes on various touchpoints. Here are three tips to streamline the review process –

• Give direct links or QR codes for easy access to the Google Review page.
• Send timely reminders via email, text, or phone call to prompt costumes to leave a review.
• Humbly request customers to leave reviews in a one-on-one conversation. Asking something as simple as ‘If your experience with us met your satisfaction today, we would be grateful if you could take a moment to leave a review!’ can help you get good reviews. 

4. Send Personalized Google Review Request

In times when automation is taking its place, even in customer interaction, personalized messages can make your request sound genuine. Here are a few ways to make your Google review requests more personal:

• Address by Name: Whenever you request a customer, start by addressing them by name. This will make it feel less like a mass message and more like a one-on-one conversation. 
• Customized Customer Feedback: Instead of seeking generic reviews, you can specific questions to the customers for instance – “Did you find your stay comfortable?” This may lead the consumer to more detailed and useful feedback. 
• Highlight Shared Experience: You can reference any common interest, values, or any specific interaction you may have had with the customer. This will show that you understand and appreciate the viewpoint of each customer, motivating them to respond positively to your review request.

Do not make the interaction personal just for the sake of acquiring a positive feedback. Personalization can enhance customer experience, giving a genuine perception that you really care about your customers.

What Not to Do When Asking for Google Reviews?

While you must do all that it takes to fetch Google reviews from the customers, hold on. There are certain’ Don’t’s that must be avoided in all circumstances when seeking reviews from customers.

Here are some practices you should not follow when asking for critical reviews –

1. Avoiding Not Responding to Reviews

You must never avoid responding to reviews, good or bad. A prompt response to all reviews is a way of acknowledging and appreciating the customer for choosing you over your competitor and taking the time to write you a review.

Responding to customer reviews also helps build good customer relationships and earn their loyalty.

Apart from building engagement and earning consumer loyalty, your response to customer reviews also gives a perception that you have kind ears for consumer voice, instilling confidence and trust in your brand. This approach goes well with the customers, further strengthening your relationship with them.

2. Do Not be Afraid of Asking

Consumers are willing to leave reviews about their experience with you. Therefore, you must not fret about asking for reviews from customers. As you can see from the statistics shared here, more than half of consumers, when asked, will leave you feedback about their true experience.

Customers, in general, are willing to share their experience with a brand and let the business and other customers know whether their expectations were met or not.

Also, these reviews not only help in building consumer trust and engagement but also serve as a credible source for potential consumers to make informed decisions. Therefore, actively seeking reviews from consumers is necessary so that your business continues to provide transparent and helpful insights for all.

3. Incentivizing or Buying Reviews

You should definitely not offer discounts or offer free gifts to customers in exchange for Google reviews. Google’s terms and conditions strictly prohibit any exchange of value for getting reviews from customers.

Keep in mind that the purpose of asking for reviews is not just to get 5-star ratings that help your business’s SEO but also to assist prospective consumers in making informed buying decisions.

Remember, the policies are in place to keep the review platforms honest and accurate. Therefore, keep your review your review gathering process honest and objective.

Conclusion

While asking for Google reviews is essential for boosting your online reputation and attracting a broader customer base, simply asking for reviews will not be effective. The blog just covered some best practices that will help you in asking for reviews on Google.

Let’s go through this once more –

• Timing is Key
• Make it Easy
• Personalize Your Approach
• Follow Up

A flow of good reviews is important for the growth of your company. So follow the best practices mentioned in this blog and champion the art of asking for reviews.